The African American Visual Artists Guild (AAVAG) is a non-profit organization made up of both amateur and professional artists. In 1992, the organization was founded by professionalartists Curtis Barnes, Sr. and Willis “Bing” Davis to support the efforts and development of its member artists who create in various media focusing on African American themes. AAVAG is also committed to cultivating a deeper appreciation for its art among the multi-cultural and multigenerational community in which it thrives. The guild and its committees are made up of a group of dedicated and passionate volunteers that execute the organizations’ programs and goals. 

Exposition Through Art Program (ETAP) The purpose and goals for the Exposition Through Art Program is to celebrate the ideas, places, personalities, and facts about our community; provide additional venues for our artists to display their talents; bring art to an increasingly diverse community; and provide a calendar that preserves the memory of each exhibit and its artwork beyond its 24 months. Revenues produced through the sale of the 24-month calendars also allow us to support youth art programs in the community and cover the expenses ofdeveloping and executing the program and it’s projects. 

The What’s New? Project AAVAG has produced three previous projects under the guise of the ETA Program – The Wright-Dunbar Village and Wolf Creek Project, the Historic African American Churches of Southwest Ohio Project, The Artist’s Life Project, and this our fourth project, “What’s New?”. This project presents a visual and written view into the lives of our artists as to what is new in their lives, the community in which they live, their world of art, and/or their newly developed social, political, and religious viewpoints. Again, our member artists enthusiastically embraced the task.

Acknowledgements

We, The Program Committee of the African American Visual Artists Guild, would like to thank: 

•    Our member artists for enthusiastically providing a look into “What’s New?” in their personal lives, the community in which they     live, their world of art, and in their social, political, and religious viewpoints. And as usual they did not disappoint us.

•  Our skilled photographer, Horace Dozier, Sr., for accurately capturing the beauty of the completed artwork depicted in this   calendar • Our creative calendar designer, James Fields IV, for taking those digital images and creating a handsome but functional product, useful beyond its 24 months, and worthy of any desk or tabletop.   Those individuals and organizations that have supported not only this but our previous traveling exhibits .

•    Our patrons: The Dayton Foundation, the Edward A. Dixon Gallery, and the Miami Valley Fair-housing Center .

•    The AAVAG Board of Trustees for their enthusiastic and unwavering support.

•      And last, but certainly not least, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District and Culture Works for their financial support allowing us to expand our project by increasing our community outreach and engagement, providing educational workshops to underserved areas, and ensuring that our art enlightens an increasingly diverse audience.