BRYAN, Texas — Artists in the Brazos Valley are coming together to help other local artists impacted by the pandemic. LIVE!art is a series of art events held around the area to have the community mingle with local artists.
"A lot of artists are trying to get out there and show people what they’re capable of," said Amanda Murphy, the coordinator of LIVE!art and a pet portrait painter.
Murphy, like many other artists, has had a tough time being able to showcase her art to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People don’t really see artists right now," Murphy said. "They don’t have the means to participate in art events or buy art from us.”
Murphy had been doing live art videos online. Before one of her videos, someone called her and asked where the event was going to be. That got her thinking, what if she did host an in-person live art event?
She got to work and reached out to local venues and artists to see if they’d be interested to host and join.
“Oh man, I was super excited," said local artist Vincent Rodriguez.
“I love telling the stories and for me, the artwork is the story," said another Bryan/College Station based artist Garrett Hines.
Dozens of other artists are now involved in LIVE!art. It is a series of local art vendor events held throughout the Brazos Valley where the community can watch an artist create and buy their pieces.
“[The public] can see how we do things, what we do, how difficult it is and how interesting it is to create what we do," Murphy described.
Local artists participating said they are glad they have another outlet to interact with their community.
“I really want people to experience how I see things and I’m like ‘When I’m walking through a city or a landscape this is what I look at," Rodriguez said.
As well, Brazos Valley artists are also grateful to be able to participate in a creative experience that all ages can join in.
“[These] are opportunities to come together and show beauty," Hines said. "It’s so good for our culture and it’s so good for our community to be able to do that.”
LIVE!art has two upcoming events:
- Trick-or-Treating in the Street at Brazos Natural Foods on Oct. 31, 5 pm - 8 pm.
- Paints Downtown Red at the Gallery Downtown in Navasota on Nov. 1, 2 pm.
The group is still looking for more artists to participate, for more information contact: mandymurphyart@gmail.com or click HERE.