Planning for the SAA's 59th Annual Opening Weekend

Yes . . . it may look like just an ordinary stacks of boxes and crates now, but alas very soon the staff at the Briscoe Museum in San Antonio, Texas, will work their magic transforming this collection of crates and boxes into an extraordinary exhibition to experience and behold, that being the upcoming 59th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Animal Artists.

Photos courtesy of the Briscoe Musem

The exciting, opening weekend festivities will begin this month with the Artists’ Reception at the Briscoe Museum (By RSVP only via the Museum) Thursday the 19th from 6 to 8pm. Friday the 20th, our attending members and guests will be going to the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch for the day.  Then, that evening, attending artists will enjoy a pizza party at Springhill Marriott, after which we'll be playing a game . . . "Who Am I?" It should be great fun getting to know each other better!

On Saturday the 21st,  Society of Animal Artists (SAA) members and guests will gather for our annual meeting followed by activities that will take place at the Briscoe Museum’s Jack Guenther Pavilion.  Afternoon activites are open to the public and are scheduled as follows . . . 

• Noon – SAA Master Artist Presentation with Carel Pieter Brest van Kempen discussing his career and inspiration as an artist.

• Noon – 4:00PM – Ongoing Community Mural Project (SAA artists will be working with the public having fun and teaching kids and adults how to paint and mix colors)

The ongoing Community Mural Project will be a 5' x 10' project that the public, assisted by SAA artists, will start on Saturday, and will be worked on again at future Briscoe Museum community events.  Our executive director, Wes Siegrist, did the idea sketches for the mural. 

• 1:00 – 4:00PM* – Demonstrations by Cynthie Fischer (Scratchboard), Kelly Leahy Radding (Painting watercolor on vellum), Tiffany Miller Russell (3D Cut Paper) and John Seerey-Lester (Pending) *Times may vary

• 1:00 – 4:00PM* – Panel Discussion “How to Achieve Inspiring Reference” with Anni Crouter, Kim Diment, and Cathy Sheeter on how they collect reference, camera/equipment, field sketching/notation, zoos/animal refuges or game parks. How to edit photos, combine different photo reference to achieve believable compositions.
 *Specific time yet to be determined

Saturday evening, SAA members and guests will gather for our awards banquet at the Plaza Marriott.  We will also be doing a “Little Gem” exchange between members again this year.  This is where participants exchange small orginal works of art between themselves which is always a treat!

A BIG congratulations goes out to Tamara Pokorny on having your piece selected for the cover of the exhibtion catalog this year!

Until next time . . .

Rachelle Siegrist for the SAA