Friday marks the opening of the 33rd Annual Midwest Gathering of the Artists art show. This year’s lineup of artists includes a who’s-who listing of notable artists from the Carthage area, but while they all vary greatly in craft, medium and technique, many of them share a few common elements.
Most notably is their acknowledgement of a select group of larger-than-life artists as their primary influences. Digging through their artist bios, the names come up again and again: Bob Tommey, Bill Snow, and Lowell Davis.
“I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today if it wasn’t for Bob (Tommey),” said western artist Doug Prine. “I owe almost everything in my whole life as far as art to him.”
Tommey, along with Snow and Davis, is one of the founders of the MGA show, and according to Prine his influence is legendary.
“He’s kind of an artist’s artist,” he said. “He’s more concerned about other artists than anyone else. His patrons keep him alive, but his primary concern is other artists before himself, and he’s proven that time and time again.”
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be an artist,” said MGA regular artist Martha Spurlock of Tommey. “He’s the one who encouraged me, ‘Don’t get a job. Go out and be an artist.’”
Spurlock said it wasn’t unusual to hear the same thing from artists at shows all over the region.
“‘Oh, Bob Tommey. Oh, yes, we’ve all learned from Bob Tommey,’” she said. “He’s just a master of his craft and a fantastic teacher.
“Bill Snow is the same way,” she added. “With all their professionalism, they love to share their knowledge.”
Spurlock said that Davis, Tommey and Snow don’t hold a monopoly over their knowledge the way other artists tend to do.
“You won’t find any of that in any of those guys,” she said. “Anytime you talk to Bill Snow, he encourages you with art. He’s such a gentle giant. I have seen him take student after student and help them out.
“They want to share the wealth of knowledge that they have, and you don’t see artists like that.”
Both Spurlock and Prine said they were looking forward to coming back to Carthage for this year’s MGA event.
“It’s just an honor to be around them,” said Spurlock. “Because you’re at home no matter where you are with them.
“That’s why I keep coming up there. It’s home week. It’s such a joy. Carthage has always been very good to all of us.”
This year’s MGA show begins on Friday at Municipal Hall. The doors open Friday at 8 a.m. and will stay open to viewers until 10 p.m. Saturday the show starts again at 8 a.m. and lasts until noon.
Viewing is free to the public.
The MGA auction begins at 6 p.m. Saturday night. Cost for admission to the auction is $20.
