Nine members of the recently formed S.C. Chapter of the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), all local artists, will exhibit their work in Savannah as part of the upcoming Savannah Art Walk.
This high-profile art event, begun in 2015, engages Savannah artists, galleries, tourists and the community, and takes place monthly on the second Saturday from September 2019 through June 2020. Events include live painting demonstrations, exhibitions, opening and closing receptions at the Hyatt and Perry Lane Hotels.
The NAWA South Carolina Chapter was founded in Bluffton in the fall of 2018 and is one of three state chapters nationwide. NAWA, a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City, was founded in 1889 to address the lack of female representation in what was then a male-dominated art world. Early members included Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot and Louise Nevelson.
As the oldest organization of its kind, NAWA continues to foster the growth of female artists through education, national and local exhibit opportunities and the camaraderie of women who are passionate about and dedicated to their art.
NAWA national has contributed $1,000 to the Savannah Art Walk. Its executive director, Susan Hammond, said, “This is a good investment to help our organization achieve its goal – to empower, support, and encourage all women artists.”
Area artists who are participating in this event include: Joan McKeever (September); Judy Saylor McElynn (November and April); Nancy Vineburgh (November and June); Marianne Stillwagon (December); Sandy Dimke (January and March); Susan Irish Ellis (live painting, October; monthly exhibit, February). Other participants include Mary Burrell, Suzanne Fiorino and Ginny Paternite. The event coordinator is Karen Renshaw.
For more information about the Savannah Art Walk, visit savannahartwalk.com. For more information about the National Association of Women Artists, visit thenawa.org. For more information about the local NAWA chapter, contact nawa.artist.sc@gmail.com.
