Sandra Hughes
Special to the Sun

Feeling inspired? Share your creative vision with the Art Association!

The Kern River Valley Art Association has been a part of this valley since 1962. They are the group responsible for many of the art shows at Circle Park in Kernville. They meet monthly to inspire each other and they also give an annual art scholarship to a Cerro Coso art student. According to Jim Davis, the President of the Association, members have recently become interested in becoming more of a resource to our community. They plan to accomplish this by holding community forums designed to encourage discussion. “We’re hoping to get a broader direction of where the Art Association can be in five years,” Davis stated. “It’s a strategic planning process.” This “strategic planning process” consists of five forums taking place over the next few months, and the public is invited. The first forum, hosted by Emily Diggles, takes place Saturday, March 21 at 3:30. It will deal with the “Art Park,” a piece of property owned by the Art Association on Isabella Boulevard, next to the Shady Lane Bar and Grill. Art Association members have long deliberated about how the park should be used and this is the community’s opportunity to join the discussion.

The second forum will deal with an issue important to many people in our community: Art in education. Davis expressed a desire to have as many educators attend this meeting as possible to give valuable feedback. The Art Association actively pursues grant money for their educational programs, and has a strong interest in working with educators to train the artists of tomorrow. This forum will be hosted by local artist Jaye Lynn Martin on Thursday, March 26, from 3 to 5 p.m.

“Public Art,” is the theme of the third forum. Murals and mosaics in local buildings and sculptures in parks are forms of public art, and this forum is designed to discuss what the Art Association can do about the lack of public art in our communities’ parks and public buildings. This forum will be held on Thursday, April 16, and it is hosted by Judy Deems. The fourth forum will brainstorm about art shows, and their place in our community. If you frequently attend the art shows put on in Circle Park or the Art Studio Tour and have ever considered ways to make the shows better, this is your chance to give your input.

The final forum, hosted by Jeanette Richardson, will discuss the Art Association’s membership. It will answer the question, “Who are we…and who should we be?” If you are interested in attending any of these forums, please contact Jim Davis, the Art Association President, at 379-2844 for their locations and times. Whether you are a budding artist or a concerned community member, or both, the association wants your input. Come share your ideas with the Art Association this spring.