OLATHE VISUAL ARTISTS
The Olathe Visual Artists is a 501C3 & non-profit Charity, we are a volunteer operated organization dedicated to promoting and supporting local artists and building the Art community in Olathe. The oral history of the Olathe Visual Artists tells us that the organization was formed in 1945 as the Olathe Women’s Art League, which later evolved into the Olathe Artists’ Council.
In 1978 the Artists’ Council split into five distinct organizations, Olathe Community Theatre Association, Olathe Civic Band, Olathe Community Orchestra, Olathe Community Chorus and Olathe Visual Artists. At the time that Olathe Visual Artists was established, the mission was to expand the enjoyment of the visual arts within the community while encouraging local artists. Olathe Visual Artists is now a non-profit /charity organization dedicated to promoting visual art and building the arts community in Olathe. Demonstrating how art is part of everyday life and enhances daily life guides all of OVA’s activities. Our goal is to unify our community through art; to make art accessible through classes, workshops and events open to the public; to make scholarships and internships available to high school students; to provide exhibition and sales opportunities for producing artists; and to facilitate collaboration with other visual artists. Olathe Visual Artists looks towards the future by offering internships and awarding scholarships to college bound high school students who plan on majoring in the arts, engineering, or architecture. Olathe Visual Artists also sponsors community art fairs, workshops, art exhibitions, contests, and free or affordable art classes for adults and children. All of Olathe Visual Artists’ meetings and classes are held at the First Art Gallery of Olathe. In 2018 and 2019 Olathe Visual Artists successfully sponsored a large community art fair, the “Olathe Station Art Fair”, referencing the unifying spirit of the historical Strang Line trolley system which connected downtown Kansas City to then-rural Olathe and points south. Each two-day fair featured more than 65 regional artists showing and selling their work and live musical performances by local musicians. These free to the public events drew participants and visitors from the entire community and the Kansas City metropolitan area. Olathe Visual Artists offers opportunities to show and sell artwork by local artists. Through an agreement with the First Art Gallery of Olathe, members may participate twice a year in the Olathe Visual Artists exhibition and sell artwork. The exhibition includes an art reception open to the public that features live music and refreshments. The Olathe Visual Artists provides a Market Place inside the First Art gallery of Olathe where members are able to display and sell artwork year round for a fee. We offer local artists opportunities to improve their skills through our free monthly workshops. We show art-inspired movies for free on a monthly basis that give our members a chance to discuss the movie while socializing with other artists. These are held at the First Art Gallery of Olathe. In 2023 Olathe Visual Artists hosted a variety of art contests including an annual Fall Plein Air painting event to coincide with the Olathe Art Festival. Olathe Visual Artist members are able to show and sell their artwork at no charge in a tent provided by the City of Olathe in return for their assistance at the Olathe Art Festival. OLATHE VISUAL ARTISTS ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS 2025
OLATHE VISUAL ARTISTS PRESIDENT- David Stewart (Retired General Contractor)- phone-307-413-7121
[email protected] or [email protected]
OLATHE VISUAL ARTISTS VICE PRESIDENT- Mark Emley (Bank President)
[email protected]
OLATHE VISUAL ARTISTS SECRETARY –
OLATHE VISUAL ARTISTS TREASURER- Shelly Martin (Engineer)-phone- 785-893-4462
[email protected]
