LAA’s Online Art Show Brings “NEW DAWN” To Tri-Valley Artists

A virtual artists reception was held last night to mark the beginning of the online art show “New Dawn” chaired by watercolorist Meghana Mitragotri on behalf of the Livermore Arts Association. The show will be running from February 25 to March 31st.

Limited opportunities have been available to artists to display their work during the pandemic causing a shift in conceptualization of art shows and how to leverage online platforms for this purpose.

The team is entirely made up of volunteers and partnering with Meghana are Christine Watters, fabric artist and Vice President of LAA, Joyce Moulden, LAA Treasurer and Craig Varden, LAA Publicist. Together they have successfully produced an engaging, user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing online show and store which is a first for LAA.

In total, 85 artists have submitted 223 artworks ranging from oils and watercolors to glass and mixed media - there are all sorts and the team is thrilled. The artists also hail from all over the Bay Area, concentrated in the Tri-Valley, but including artists from Tracy and even one from Illinois.

When asked about her experience of Chairing the show Meghana said “My vision was to create an art show (and sale) opportunity during the pandemic on an online platform that was open to everyone and at no cost to enter. The goal was always to bring communities together through art and promote artists especially during trying times such as this, through all the means we had access to. The biggest revelation at the end of the submission day was the sheer volume of artists entering the show from all over the Bay Area. This led me to believe that we did something right. We truly understood how eager artists were to showcase their art and I am just so thrilled that this has opened up a whole new world for new artists and a space for others to pick up where they left off. I am truly honored to have worked with the most creative minds on a project that has been so close to my heart”.

The complexity of running these virtual shows increases when running a nonprofit with limited access to online tools especially in a time when the arts community has been severely impacted by the pandemic and has minimal budget for software and tools. Californians for the Arts (CFTA) has released a report on the devastating impact on the arts based on surveys conducted statewide. CFTA held an online discussion today for the San Francisco area in which a number of these issues were discussed and resources shared.

During the discussion Rachel Osajima, Director of the Alameda County Arts Commission reported that yesterday she accepted the proclamation from the Board of Supervisors that we celebrate March as Art IS Education Month and April as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month. This serves as a reminder as to why arts education, the arts, culture and creativity are important to artists and community members of Alameda County.

Webmaster for LAA, Christine Watters, has leveraged the technology at her disposal to beautifully craft an interface for showcasing the striking artworks along with integrating an online store making it a seamless process to view and purchase the art on sale.

"I knew we could achieve something great on a minimal (zero) budget - I find working within limitations requires a lot of creative thinking. The show was a true labor of love, and am proud that it turned out like I imagined at the start. I am delighted with the artists' response and the quality and range of work submitted" said Christine Watters.

Participating artists were impressed to see the final product when the online art show was launched last night as it was clear that a huge amount of work went into the process. Artists were not charged to participate in lieu of a 20% commission on any sales they make which made this show very accessible and encouraged some artists to show their work for the first time.

Encaustic artist Summer Ellis, well known for her blow torches and love of the ocean, after seeing the online show said “Wow! This show is live! A gorgeous collection of artists from all over California. You will surely find something you love. I have three pieces in the show and you can find them under ‘Mixed Media’. Nothing better than artwork to brighten up the walls you’ve been staring at for the past year!”

In addition to the online art show and store, the organizing team have emphasized social media engagement and going forward LAA member and Treasurer of the Fremont Art Association, Helene Roylance will be managing social media posts on Instagram and Facebook to spread the word about the show. Artists have been encouraged to create videos to promote the event and this will be showcased for the duration of the show.

This integrated approach to marketing both the artists and artwork has already proven to be a successful formula with sales made on the night of the launch.

To view the New Dawn Online Art Show click here.

Meghana will be reporting on the show at the next online General Meeting of the Livermore Art Association, Pleasanton Art League and Dublin Arts Collective on March 8 which is open to the public.