UPDATE Aug 18, 2020
Carmel Visual Arts Director, Rich Brimer talks about recent changes that have been made due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our 2020 workshop schedule has been a moving target so we have decided to postpone the rest of our scheduled workshops to 2021. Please view our updated workshop list here. We were only able to host 4 out of the scheduled 18 workshops for 2020. I never imagined that we would have to cancel or postpone any workshops, let alone 14 of them, but this is what we had to do. I am really heartbroken about this. If you were registered in a workshop that was canceled or postponed, and have asked for a refund, please be patient as we rebuild our business. We will honor your request as we are able.
Since opening Carmel Visual Arts — seven years ago this month — Carol Henry and I have been building “community” through our studio and gallery. Since then we have hosted over art 30 exhibitions in Carmel, with well-over 100 workshops and dozens of public art demonstrations. We are extremely happy to share that more than one thousand artists have taken these workshops with top professional instructors in both painting and photography.
The Barnyard Shopping Village has been a perfect location for us during our first seven years. As we approached our eighth year in Carmel, it became obvious that because of the deep shift that has occurred in our business model, due to the COVID-19 economic disaster, we would be closing the studio space. With no fanfare or a locals-only closing party, we finally closed the studio at the end of July 2020.
We launched into 2020 with many sold-out workshops—only to be stunned with the quickly changing developments amid the coronavirus pandemic. We have received so much goodwill and sentiment from the art community and we appreciate that. Now with the global pandemic, we all face difficult shared struggles that although is individual in nature, we identify together as having this common experience.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very real economic disaster for Carmel Visual Arts. Yes, we will rebuild our business but it will look different. However, with the continued support of the community and students, we will do this together and go forward.
Peace,
Rich Brimer, Director
Carmel Visual Arts
831.620.2955
rich@carmelvisualarts.com
