Local Art Group Celebrates 20 Years
Del Ray Artisans proved integral in revitalizing Mt. Vernon Avenue in the 1990s.
A lot has changed since a small group of artists and their friends refurbished a storefront on Mt. Vernon Avenue and invited the neighborhood to a slide show and lecture called "What is Functional Art?" It was the first official event staged by the fledgling group, known then as the Del Ray Artisans Cooperative, and the year was 1992. At the time, dive bars and drug houses marred Del Ray's prime thoroughfare, boarded-up shops were commonplace and neighbors didn't have much reason to stroll the main street. Now, the group that began with just 30 members boasts about 300. The primary focus on functional arts—furniture, woodworking, ceramics and such—evolved into an emphasis on the fine arts like painting, photography and collage. And, most …
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Susana
5:53 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2012
I moved to Del Ray about a year ago - based mostly on my attraction to the central role of art in this community. Del Ray Artisans is without a doubt the most inclusive, encouraging gallery-based arts organization of which I'm aware. It's a veritable "incubator" environment for emerging artists and simultaneously a haven for professional artists. So glad they're here! more ›