Experience Local Art This Spring

By Misty Cryer

The Carlsbad Area Art Association is bringing new energy to the local art community and the downtown area with events, exhibitions, and art classes.

The CAAA Pottery Studio is known for kicking off spring by hiding ceramic eggs around town just before Easter for people to find and keep, and this tradition continued this year. Jody Prell, an artist at the gallery, said that finders could take their egg to The Artist Gallery to enter a drawing for a chance to win a pottery bowl.

Next up is the first-ever Spring Art Walk, scheduled for Friday, April 10, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Artist Gallery, 120 S. Canyon St. “We are hosting it,” said Jean Prominski, President of CAAA. She said Denise from Carlsbad MainStreet is helping to get other businesses of the Carlsbad MainStreet District to participate, too.

Prominski said she is working on a sheet for the Spring Art Walk. “People who want to participate can get stickers or stamps from each of the businesses, fill out a form, come to The Artist Gallery, and be entered to win a raffle to get tickets to the Cavern Theatre.”

The artwork from the general gallery members will be on display during the event. Josie Tabor is the Artist of the Month, said Prominski, adding that there are four new artists as well. “That’s pretty exciting,” she said.

“We are also going to have a small vendor fair in the back room, and we’ve actually never done that before,” said Prominski. As examples of vendors who will be present, she said Machele Fowler, who makes donkey milk soap; Susan Forni, who does succulents and mini displays; and Sara Cage, with candles, will be there, along with others. The Cali-Dog vendor will be out front selling hot dogs, she said.

“We’re starting to have classes, too,” said Prominski. The first class, Whimsical Bird Greeting Cards, is coming up on April 25 and will be held at The Artist Gallery from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. She explained that Jeanice Crnich will be instructing students in using watercolor to create the cards featuring the birds.

“We actually have an online signup now, which we’ve never had,” said Prominski. The class fee is $15 for members and $20 for non-members, she said.

“This is a very exciting time for the Carlsbad Area Art Association,” said Prominski, who became the President in February. She said that Ken Britt helped CAAA with strategic planning, which generated many new ideas for getting the community involved, growing the art association, and conducting community outreach.

“This was one of the ideas about bringing more to downtown Carlsbad to help bring more customers into the gallery and create more of a pipeline of artists to enter into the gallery,” said Prominski about the Spring Art Walk.

Artists are admitted to the gallery through a jury process, said Prominski. To be considered, she explained, the artist submits five pieces of each type of art they wish to display in the gallery. Once juried in, there is a $100 fee, $30 per month for space rental, a 25% commission to the gallery, and admitted artists work one day in the cycle as volunteers at the gallery. CAAA membership is required, which is very inexpensive, she said.

“We are starting to do some fundraising for building improvements,” said Prominski. The Double Good popcorn fundraiser will run from April 10 to April 14.

For more information, visit the Carlsbad Area Art Association’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583276191763) and their website ( https://www.carlsbadart.com/).