Contributed

The Visual Artists Alliance of LaGrange will hold its first meeting of the year on Thursday, Jan. 25 at Studio 114 in the Center for Creative Learning building next to LaGrange Art Museum (114 LaFayette Parkway). Anyone interested in learning more is welcome to attend the meeting.

The membership of VAAL includes professionals, amateurs, schooled and self-taught artists working in a wide range of media. Their goal is to provide artistic growth and creative community but most importantly to give artists opportunities to share and sell their art. VAAL celebrated their 10th anniversary last year and is gearing up for an even bigger year in 2018.

VAAL’s annual fall exhibit at the LaGrange Art Museum has always been a favorite with members and the community. In 2017 a new annual summer exhibit at the Suffering Artist Gallery of Hogansville was added to the schedule. This year VAAL is excited to have three exhibits. Artists will be showing this spring at the Print Shop Gallery of Greenville .

Also, members have participated in local art events such as the Hydrangea Sip and Shop and the Hillside Arts, Music and Food Festival in 2017, but this year they will be adding the new Hogansville’s Market Under the Lights to art sale opportunities.

Membership is $30 per year and runs from January to January. There are many benefits to joining VAAL early in the year including sharing works and contact information on the website, taking part in exhibits and festivals throughout the year and having artists featured in the LaGrange Daily News. For more information, visit Vaalart.com or contact Thea McElvy at thea.mcelvy@gmail.com for more information.