Magic in Life • by Members of the Saginaw Area Watermedia Artists

The Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Commission will open its Art @ the Andersen 2024 Fall Show with an exhibition featuring works by members of the Saginaw Area Watermedia Artists (SAWA).

The show will be on display from October 8 through October 17 at the Andersen Enrichment Center in Saginaw,120 Ezra Rust Drive. The public is invited to meet the artists at a reception on Tuesday, October 8 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Exhibition hours are 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Exhibition and reception are FREE to the public.   

Magic in Life will highlight more than 50 original works in watercolor, acrylic and mixed media by SAWA member artists. Each artist has interpreted this year’s theme in their own unique way unrestrainedly using color, light and shadows to produce a work that dances with movement and depth.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to view Accumulated Thoughts: Valerie Allen. Accumulated Thoughts features the work of nationally recognized mixed media artist Valerie Allen, known for her abstract paintings and diverse mediums. Based in Midland, Michigan, Allen blends expressive emotion with pure abstraction, drawing inspiration from mid-century architecture, mythology, music, and history. Her unique creations incorporate textural elements like micaceous iron oxide and encaustic techniques. 

Notable pieces include *Abriese*, a semi-recognizable depiction of a German train station. As a certified working artist and Master Mentor, Allen empowers artists to embrace experimentation and find their artistic voice.

The Saginaw Area Watermedia Artists is a non-profit organization comprised of mid-Michigan area artists, which works to promote the fine art of painting in mediums of watercolor and acrylics. To support art education in the schools, each year SAWA gives a community award to an area school. The award is used for the purchase of much needed art supplies. 

Art @ the Andersen is made possible with the support of the Maxwell K. Pribil Memorial Trust, Jury Foundation, Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation, and the Michigan Arts & Culture Council. 

This project has been established by the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission to give artists in the Great Lakes Bay Region an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work. For more information call the Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Commission at 989.759.1362.