The Valley Artists Guild Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary

The artists came back and they were met with flags and cheers. World War Two had just ended and our soldiers had returned to America after four years of fighting fascism in Europe. Back then, the names of our community actually described the true environment: "Sherman Oaks" really was just a grove of oak trees. "Woodland Hills" were really hilly woodlands. As G.I. s came to raise families in the tracts of homes that were quickly replacing the orange trees, there was an expanding sense of victory, which meant living well and preparing for a peaceful future. The San Fernando Valley, a sprawling rural paradise in Los Angeles County, became the home for many young families...and many artists.

It was during this time of renewal 60 years ago when The Valley Artists Guild, also known today as "VAG" was founded by an American German Immigrant and sculptor named Henry Van Wolf (1898-1982 ). Van Wolfe had a vision of uniting the scattered artists in the valley regions. He saw the need for a fine arts community, just as the economy was about to boom and the region prepared to change forever. Van Wolf boldly took on such an endeavor, not as a personal money making scheme, but as a way for artist members to become stronger. After a period that saw entire nations blindly following egotistic personalities, the Valley Artists Guild was designed to give artists their own sense of individual power.

As the VAG now prepares to celebrate their 60th annual Gold Medal Exhibition at the prestigious Valley Institute of Visual Art Gallery, artists and board members reflect upon the long history of the VAG, and the phenomenon of the art guild in Los Angeles.

Artist John Paul Thornton currently serves as President of the Valley Artists Guild, and understands the meaning of community to creative souls.

"Many creative individuals spend years working in isolation and suddenly realize that they want feedback. They want to talk with other artists at a similar place along the path, and they desire kinship. The archetype of the artist working all alone is really a myth. Especially in this current political climate, artists want to be a part of the culture, not shun it. They want to become agents for change," says Thornton.

John Paul works with the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, which gives him a civic-oriented view of how art and artists affect society. An example he cites is artist and VAG member Linda Carlson, whose well-received exhibition "Connections" was used by the Cultural Affairs Department to convey an understanding in local schools about the textures and traditions of Black American artists.

"We've come along way," says Marie Odenheimer Thomas, a former VAG President and advisor to the current membership. "We respect artists, and never try to profit from them as they grow with us. That is why we are so trusted by the community." Marie kept the Valley Artists Guild going strong throughout years of glory and decline and rebirth. Her energy and social standing in the city brought constant energy and elegance to the many events put on for the benefit of the public. Through exhibitions, educational workshops and events, the artist members of the VAG quickly flourished and grew in numbers.

In 1948, As Europe and Japan were being rebuilt, the Valley Artists Guild wrote it's first mission statement. As McCarthyism raised it's head and fearful citizens were building bomb shelters, VAG artists were busy building a network of peace within the community. A generation later the 1960s ushered in dramatic changes The civil rights movement, the women's movement, the Viet Nam War and the peace movements all unfolded as Valley Artist Guild members learned to paint with greater sensitivity, imagination and energy. The Guild also provided a touchstone for families who were affected by these turbulent times. It was then that founder Henry Van Wolf created a bronze medal for the VAG which depicts a female goddess riding a horse-drawn chariot. She triumphs over a distant landscape littered with skulls. As a European artist who immigrated from Germany after World War One, Van Wolf was deftly aware of the power art has to help humanity rise from the ashes. (The medal is still awarded each year to the Valley Artists Guild Gold Medal Exhibition winners.)

The VAG was there, holding art exhibitions when humans landed on the moon. The VAG was there as pop culture marched into lives through television and movies, and as shopping malls and freeways plowed into neighborhoods. Political events, earthquakes, social issues, and fashions all came and went. The Valley Artist Guild remains. Now in 2008, in a world ripe with abundance and the full range of human and ecological drama, the VAG is celebrating it's 60th anniversary.

Scott Kiche, a young rising art star, serves as Vice President of the VAG. His award-winning portraits and landscapes are being exhibited in Museums, yet he makes the time to assist other artists in their quests for growth. "The Guild has never been stronger, richer, more diverse and more dedicated to delivering artists tools for success while creating a sense of community," says Kiche. "I know how art has played a vital role in my own life. I want to give my fellow creative artists a solid sense of friendship and support that can make their journey brighter."

As a non-profit organization, the guild offers art exhibitions in gorgeous professional gallery settings, educational painting and sculpture workshops, as well as seminars on ways to promote work professionally. The VAG carries the torch of a flame lit long ago by Henry Van Wolfe, who knew art would always matter. The Valley Artists Guild now carries that torch to new places, creating new paths and opportunities for future generations of creative people. It's romantic stuff, to be sure. But artists have always seemed to be attracted to a sense that their place in history is a special one.

To learn more or become a member, visit http://www.valleyartistsguild.org.

The Valley Artists Guild Gold Medal Exhibition features paintings and sculptures from one hundred emerging and established artists. Opening Reception is Sunday, March 9 from 2-4 pm. The exhibition runs until March 22 at the Valley Institute of Visual Arts (VIVA) Gallery.

13261 Moorpark Street

Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Call (818) 378-8381 for further information.

Viva Gallery hours:

Wednesday - Friday: 11:00am - 4:00pm

Saturday: 12:00 to 4:00pm

CLOSED: Sunday - Tuesday

The Valley Artists Guild Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary

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The Valley Artists Guild Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary

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