About | Society of Washington Artists

ABOUT SWA

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

In 2022 SWA celebrated 60 years of service to the art communities in Clark County and southwest Washington. We have meetings to learn from each other and from accomplished artists in the community whom we invite to demonstrate techniques or share their studio space. Our website also features opportunities for members to share their work through the portfolio page. 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 Pen & Palette newsletter keeps our members informed and shares workshop and class information as well as SWA sponsored events.

MEMBERSHIP

Become A Member

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 and talents to the various programs and events offered by SWA. These include the two yearly arts show, the curated venues, and other events as they occur.

HISTORY

The Society of Washington Artists was founded in 1962. At that time there were very few opportunities for artists in Vancouver, or Clark County. The Fine Arts Guild, as SWA was known prior to 1962, 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 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, registered SWA as a non-profit in the State of Washington, and the Society of Washington Artists was born. Today SWA is made up of 150 artists who participate in annual shows, and the several rotating venues of Gallery 360.

Over the past sixty-plus years, SWA has grown in number, prestige, and value within the arts community. During that time the membership and focus have fluctuated, however, SWA continues to keep the goals of our Mission and Vision. SWA is the founding group for Columbia Arts Network and a strong proponent of the establishment of an Arts Hub in Clark County. SWA will continue to adapt to the changes as the community grows and evolves.

MISSION

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

VISION

Through the 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 our visual arts community. This is achieved through the engagement of volunteers with annual shows, community art events, art instructive workshops, and creating opportunities for artists, through mentorship, advocacy and web presence.