Art Friends are some of the Best Friends!!

The First Gathering of the Quarterly Meeting of Our New Art Group
Yet to Be Named  at Mark Phillips and Lyman Zobell's

The gathering of artists has been more than a month ago, but what a group it was! Represented were a lot of involved movers and shakers in the Tampa Bay Area. This is a photo of the women of the group..mostly, some were elsewhere.  From left to right:  Betsy Lester, Rose Marie Prins, Leslie Neuman, Michele Tuegel, Elizabeth Gordon, and Barbara Synes. Some of the most creative and wonderful  artists you would want to meet, but great human beings as well.  Not pictured here is Nathan Mark Phillips and David Bewley, Elizabeth Suggs and many other friends of artists attending.
The next part is to be held on Betsy Lester's boat in December!!  

Barbara and Martin Stynes, British Abstract Landscape Artist
and his wife, who is also an artist in her own right

Now this may seem local and of regional interests as this blog is read worldwide, but what I want you to draw from this is the wonderful comraderie that a group of artists sharing and relaxing with art can have.  There is a spirit among artists that is so unlike any other I have known.  It is the creative spirit and the fact we all must be highly trained observers in one way or another.  That night was a close to artists perfection as one can think of, everyone shared their ideas, projects and networked with each other.  There was no agenda, just relax, eat, drink and meet other artists and share.  So there is no pressure, no competition, just being with fellow artists.
I urge you to form a group like this in your community...just get together and open your arms and homes to each other.  Artists need all the support and affirmation they can get.  This is the way to build a  community of artists, to support artist in your area, share ideas and network!

Lyman Zobell and Rose Marie Prins Sharing Art

AN ADDENDUM: No follow up was planned before this meeting, the artists participants themselves decided they did not want it to end, but to continue.  We all talked about how often to meet and how we would decide where to have the next party...funny every one was volunteering, but none of us could turn down an offer of a part on a boat!!!  Thank you Betsy Lester!!

Thought for group name...In the Company of Artists!  What do you think?