Area Artists Association (A3)
Email: areaartistsassociation@gmail.com Website: www.areaartistsassociation.org
November 18, 2024
Area Artists Association Celebrates its 45nd Anniversary at
Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts
May 2 – June 6, 2025
First Friday Public Reception: Friday May 2, 5-8 pm (CST)
The Area Artists Association (A3) 45th Anniversary Exhibition opens with a public reception on May 2, 5-8 pm at the Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts. The exhibition is a showcase of works by members of the Area Artists Association, a regional association of 46 professional artists founded in 1980. Through its regular exhibitions throughout the region, it provides communities in northwest Indiana access to the diversity of work produced by area artists.
“Our dynamic association provides a community for professional artists who are committed to making and exhibiting their work,” according to President Diane Grams. “We do not support just one form of artmaking. Rather, we support each other through the valuable exchange of ideas to celebrate individual artistic practices.”
Artwork created by artists of the Area Artists Association reflect a cross section of the art world. Members include painters, sculptors, paper makers, print makers, quilters, embroiderers, glass artists, fiber artists, woodworkers, photographers, jewelers, and ceramicists. While some artists work in traditional methods, painting in oil, acrylic, watercolor or fresco, others lean toward more contemporary or innovative methods such as stitching, collage, construction, and new forms of mixed media.
Among its members in 2025 are: Tom Brand, Carole Stodder, Arthur Garcia, and Laura Kittle (Pines); Larry Brechner, and Donna Hapac (Chesterton); Kristina Knowski (Porter); Deb Dyer, Susan Henshaw (New Buffalo); Melissa Dittman, Kevin Firme, Amanda Freymann, Julia Holmaas, Larry Jensen, Julie Kasniunas, Nancy Natow-Cassidy (Beverly Shores); Christine Hubbell (Westville); Teresina Pavel (Gary); Juan Carlos Rodriguez (East Chicago); Dorothy Graden, Laurie Schirmer Carpenter, and Brian Teixeira (Valparaiso); Jane Cowley, ANKO (Anneke Dekker), Bunny Dimke, Diane Grams, Laurel Izard, Timothy D. Lace, Patty Mershon-Schaefer, John Ryszka III, Edwin Shelton, Suzy Vance and Jamie Wallen (Michigan City); Carol Estes, Ginny Scott (LaPorte); Kuhn Hong and Ed Maldonado (Chicago); Hal Higdon, Connie Kassal, George Kassal and Linda Weigel (Long Beach) Joan Spohrer (South Bend).
“A3 has created over 60 member shows since its first exhibit in the old Carnegie library on 8th Street in Michigan City that was the original home of Michigan City’s first art center,” said founding member Connie Kassal, . “Over the decades, member exhibits have expanded to include museums and gallery spaces across northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.”
The public reception is scheduled for Friday, May 2, 2025 from 5-8 pm (CST); refreshments will be served.
For more information about A3 visit Areaartistsassociation.org or contact Diane Grams, President PH 219-879-1971, or Carol Estes, Marketing Chair PH: (219)-309-1780
Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts, 540 S. Lake Street, Gary IN. Phone: (219)-885-9114.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am to 2pm, Sundays 2pm – 4pm. First Fridays 5pm – 8pm Closed on Mondays