Artists Unfiltered Brings Spirit of Community to Westfield Creatives

WESTFIELD, NJ — Learn. Create. Enjoy. For the Westfield Art Association (WAA), those grinding principles were on full display Thursday night.At Artists Unfiltered, held at Art Cafe on South Avenue, members of the WAA and non-member guests had a chance to display their work, as well as receive feedback from and connect with their fellow artists.“The goal is to have artists get together and be able to talk about things that are either problems they’re having or concerns, or things they’ve found,” said WAA President Darrin Owens. “For example, we’re all bringing a piece of art, and if you want people to make comments on your art or if you’re having difficulty, you can have other artists to help you.”Once the event got underway, those in attendance were able to converse and enjoy refreshments. There was an introductory portion where everyone talked about their art styles and explained what got them into creating said art. There were a number of disciplines represented by those in attendance, including abstract art, watercolors, multimedia, oil painting, collage, pop art, ceramics and more.Lamont Draper Jr. and Mia Feldman were among the artists in attendance. Both were very happy with the energy and community in the room.“It’s kind of new for me,” said Draper Jr. “It’s one of those eye-opening things that you dream about as an up-and-coming artist, and when you finally get here, it’s like ‘wow, this is real. This is so warm, so welcoming. Everybody’s so friendly, so inviting, and I’m so thrilled to be here.'”“I just love meeting like-minded people,” Feldman said. “I’m relatively new to Westfield, so it’s also a way to meet folks in the area … It’s inspiring. It’s about sharing the same passion, just looking at that same passion at different angles and having fun conversations.”Artists Unfiltered is just one of many events that the WAA has planned throughout the year to foster community and creativity. Local artists interested in joining them can keep an eye on all the groups happenings on their website.Asked if he had a message for anyone considering joining the WAA for future events, Owens said his message was simple; don’t wait, just show up.“It’s a very welcoming organization,” he said. “Anybody of any ability. If someone’s never done art before, they’re welcome to join us. All of our shows are open, so basically, if you’re a member, it’s free to get into the show. If it’s a big enough space, we guarantee at least one piece shown per person.”“It’s an easy way for someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience to get their work in a show, which is so exciting,” Owens added.The Westfield Art Association can be found online at their website. They can also be followed on Instagram and Facebook.