The Valley Visual Artists are practicing artists who actively work on their art. We offer a supportive environment for both knowledgable and beginning artists and get together a few times a year for meetings relevant to our interests such as our spring show and sale. It should be mentioned that although we are affiliated with the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council we are not the same entitiy.
A little history of the club...
The Valley Visual Artists first came into being under the name of the Merritt Artist's Guild in the 80's.
Bev Veale, Bob Harrold, Doug Strand, Jean Keigerl, Linda Nunn, Lynn Brousson, and Marcy Horswill were among the founding members. At that time they were meeting in the basement of the library to discuss ideas for workshops and art instruction classes and looking for suitable working space for these kinds of activity as well as hosting dispays of the members works.
The instructors at the time were Roger Kamp, Arnold Mosely, and Pat Logie for oil painting, Doug Strand and Bob Harrold for water colour, Evelyn Armstrong and Opie Oppenheim for printmaking, Rona Armes out of Kamloops and Doug Strand for drawing, and Opie Oppenheim along with Lief Erickson for sculpture.
Under the Composition and Design section is listed Alex Bukkos (for photography which nowadays has found a place in the fine arts) and Murphy Shewchuk. Other instructors were Karen Muntean (watercolour), Hal Sulz, Jo Petty for silk painting, Evelyn Armstrong for Art History, and Sally Michener for pottery.
