About | Society of Washington Artists

ABOUT SWA

FOUNDED IN 1962 THE SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ARTISTS IS THE OLDEST CONTINUING ART GROUP IN CLARK COUNTY

The Society of Washington Artists (SWA) is an inclusive, all media, all level community of Artists devoted to learning, educating, and promoting the visual arts in Clark County and the State of Washington. We are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization headquartered in Vancouver, WA.

In 2012 SWA celebrated 50 years of service to the greater Clark County community. We have regular meetings to learn from each other and from accomplished artists in the community whom we invite to demonstrate techniques or share other art related information. Our most recent art show featured an online display of the entered pieces and we partnered with a gallery to show selected pieces from the virtual show in their physical space. Our website also features opportunities for members to share their work. We continue to look for venue opportunities for our members to display their art by working in collaboration with other art groups and through our affiliation with Columbia Arts Network. Our Newsletter keeps our members informed and shares workshop and class information as well as SWA sponsored events.

Meetings are currently on Zoom however when COVID restrictions lift we plan to have regular in person meetings again.

Membership is open to anyone age 18 and over and kept affordable so that everyone with the ambition to create art may participate. Members enjoy contributing to the vitality of the organization through volunteering a small amount of their time or talents.

HISTORY

The Society of Washington Artists was founded in 1962. At that time there were very few opportunities for Artists in Vancouver. The Fine Art Guild held luncheons and invited artists to speak but there were not many opportunities for learning or sharing ideas among the artists in the area. In 1962, Doris Clark and a group of friends founded the SWA. Meetings were originally held in each other’s homes. Recognizing the need to expand the group, in 1976 they put together a set of by-laws and they registered as a non-profit in the State of Washington. The Society of Washington Artists was born.

Over the past fifty plus years our group has grown in number, prestige and value to the community. During that time our membership and focus have fluctuated, however, we continue to keep the goals of our Mission and Vision. SWA will continue to adapt to the changes as our community grows and evolves

MISSION

“SWA seeks to provide networking, education and advocacy of all the visual arts in our diverse community, inclusive of all levels of accomplishment and background.”

VISION

Through collaboration of the skills of SWA’s varied membership and our diverse community, SWA seeks to provide networking, mentorship, education and advocacy for the visual arts. Our goal is to support and strengthen our neighborhoods, artistic partners and economy through inclusion in our visual arts community. This is achieved through the engagement of volunteers with annual shows, community inclusive art events, art instructive workshops, creating opportunities for artists, through mentorship, advocacy and web presence.