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Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Photo by Orionna Brumfield/BRAG members at the Art Barn

Every Thursday at the Art Barn is another learning lesson for the members of the Brookhaven Regional Arts Guild.

BRAG members recently experienced the first timed painting workshop Ava Jane Newell has hosted at her barn.

Newell gave the group of women 15 minutes to work on their painting. After 15 minutes, they had to move on to another painting; the cycle continued until all of the painters went to every station.

“It’s challenging because everyone had their strong points,” Newell said. “I did this at a workshop in Lexington, Kentucky. I just thought it’d be fun to do with our local artists.”

Each painting represented a different form of art — pastels, watercolor, acrylics and oils. Each painter had her own preferred medium so changing them up was a challenge to all of them as artists.

“We have all different kinds of artists — ceramists, wood working, traditional — in our guild,” BRAG President Rosemary Leggett said. “When we meet at the art barn, it’s a good time to get together.”

Leggett said their guild consists of artists as young as 16, but there’s no cap on how old members can be.

“One of our members is in her 90s,” Leggett said. “Some members started doing art during the latter part of their lives and became really good at it.”

The president said going to the Art Barn gives them time to work on different art projects together. “We’re able to help each other and it’s easy to communicate. It’s a lot of fun,” she said.

“You never stop learning … it’s a journey that you stay on for the rest of your life. It’s a passion that you can keep doing forever.”

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