At the PAA Board meeting in Saint Malo last September, Marsha Bohr called out a request for the organization to provide experiences for us to “learn more about art!” The first ever PAA Salon held at the home of Katy Champ on February 18th certainly did just that. It was a delightful evening of food, conversation, and stimulating talk. Gwen Robertson and Betsy Greenberg enlightened us about the political nature of art through history and a contemporary example of such art in the works of Andrea Bowers. Gwen illustrated her comments with slides of famous artists from history such as Michaelangelo, Hogarth and the Russian Constructivists, stating that all these artists in some way promoted or reflected a particular interpretation of their society. Betsy then explained how Andrea Bowers, a noted artist based in Los Angeles, uses her art to further feminist and social acitivism. Incorporating a variety of media, she makes profound statements about the issues of the day. One example of this is an installation of a large neon sign, “Climate Change Is Real” on the front of a San Francisco building. Her detailed drawings of labor marches created with markers on found cardboard are another example of her value system as articulated in her art. Betsy’s talk introduced many of us to an exceptional contemporary talent and we all agreed that the call to “learn about art,” was satisfied. We enthusiastically look forward to the next PAA Salon later in the Spring.