Alabama River Region Arts Center Volume 1, Issue 9 July 2011
The ARRAC Update Brainstorm Lunch Births Kids’ ARTS Clubs
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Brainstorm Births ARTS Clubs
1
House the Birds
2
HOBO’s Dinner
2
Web Site News
2
Sit & Sew
3
Bluegrass Jam
3
Sewing the Extra Mile
3
August Classes
4
About us
4
Goal is to encourage creativity and help the family budget! Continuing to meet on Thursdays for lunch and brainstorming regarding making plans has resulted in our outreach for kids, ARTS Clubs, in the Fall. Jon Masters, Bluegrass Jam and gallery guitarist, came to our last meeting. He will be the leader of our Children’s ARTS/Guitar Club, which begins Sept. 8, as will the Clay Club and Drawing/Painting Club. Clubs will run concurrently from 4:00 pm – 4:50 pm and from 5:00 pm – 5:50 pm on Thursdays. Cost for one month (4 weeks) of a Club is $20! A new paid individual or family 2011 membership at ARRAC will also give you an extra 2 weeks FREE. Age limits and Club size vary with each club. Registration is on a “first-come” basis. Stop by the Center or email us at director@arrac.org for more information. Guitar Club will be a One-Room schoolhouse of children (ages 10 -18) where novices and total beginners can come and learn how to play on acoustical guitars (and ukuleles, hopefully) from one of our regular Bluegrass Jam guitar players, Jon Masters. This will be an authentic American-roots-focused music after-school club, designed to keep the music-loving family’s budget, happy.
Austin’s work
Clay Club, lead by Austin Thompson, sculptor/puppeteer/ ARRAC Board member and Cain’s Chapel staff member, will use polymer/ “sculpey” clay to teach techniques of form and sculpture. Animals, natural and their fantastic counterparts will be created in Clay Club. Ages welcome; 7 – 18.
Drawing/Painting Club will be lead by Marty McIntyre, a graphic designer. Marty has taught homeschool art classes for all ages. Children who love to draw or want to learn more about drawing and painting are welcome. Basic techniques will be taught and children will be encouraged to keep sketchbooks to share and present weekly at Club. This will encourage self-confidence and self-esteem as creative avenues are explored and built upon. Children ages 7 - 18 are welcome. Jon Masters
Alabama River Region Arts Center is a 501 (c) 3 Non-profit organization.
www.arrac.org
Page 2
Board of Directors
The ARRAC Update/July2011
House the Birds: an Extreme Makeover Sharon Ervin, dedicated ARRAC member, volunteered to give one of the Humane Society of Elmore County’s plain hand-made birdhouses an extreme makeover for their “Bone-a-fit Silent Auction,” held 7/29/11 at the Wetumpka Civic Center. Her finished results were stunning! She even did “roofing” work.
The Founding Board has now transitioned to the following Board of Directors. BOARD of DIRECTORS Rick Bowman – Business owner, Potter Geoff McIntyre – Professor Don Mobley – Business owner, Musician Austin Thompson – Youth Minister, Puppet Troupe Owner/Creative Director
Two more birdhouses remain at ARRAC. These will also benefit the Humane Society at their next event, “Annual Bark in the Park,” to be held Sept 25th. These may be picked up by ARRAC members for artistic decorating. Please return to ARRAC so they may be photographed for inclusion on our web site and Facebook page.
Marilyn Winborn – Business owner, Jewelry Artist Registered agent Frank L. Sullivan
Volunteer Coordinator Needed
Thanks Sharon for dusting off your paintbrushes and for sharing your talents with us all.
director@arrac.org
Web site news Major web site changes do not come easy or quick, especially when we have a lot of things to update! Thanks for your patience as we get the whole web site and ARRAC information updated. Check our Facebook page daily also, for important news. It is a great way to leave comments and questions for all to see.
HOBO’s Dinner Through a series of unplanned events, ARRAC was asked to come and speak before the Lake Jordan Home Owners & Boat Owners Association meeting held Monday, July 25, at Nuevo Ranchito. Marty McIntyre and Dawn Sullivan came and Marty presented information on one of Lake Jordan’s former resident artists, John Kelly Fitzgerald, as well as the mission, goals and plans of the Alabama River Region Arts Center. The response was welcoming and encouraging. Graciously, the HOBOs have included ARRAC’s upcoming Bluegrass Jam on their web site news of the lake region. HOBO is open to all who are interested in preserving, protecting, and enhancing the quality of life of all living things around the lake as it pertains to recreation, water quality, and fishing. You can find out more about the group on their web site http://www.lakejordanhobo.org.
New mailing address for the Arts Center: 300 West Tallassee Street Wetumpka, AL 36092 Bringing the River Region Together Through All the Arts
Page 3
The ARRAC Update/July2011
Sit & Sew Y’all are welcome
You have a sewing project and one day you get stuck and are unsure of what direction to go next. Or perhaps, you have just lost interest in a project and need a friend to work it out with. Or better yet, your dining room table is already so loaded with craft projects you couldn’t cut out a doll’s skirt pattern, let alone one for you. ARRAC fiber/quilting member Dawn Sullivan, is volunteering her time and sewing machine expertise on Bluegrass Saturdays from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm for Sit & Sew sessions. ARRAC members are welcome to come for FREE and bring their; patterns to cut out, sewing machines, stymied quilting projects, or frustrating sewing projects. Non-ARRAC members will be charged $10 (flat fee) for Sit & Sew. Now is the time to follow through on getting an ARRAC membership. Senior/student category memberships are only $20! Family memberships are $40. Check out web site or come by the Center for forms.
Bluegrass Jams!
Aug. 6: 9 am – 12 pm All ages & skill levels welcome.
Sewing the Extra Mile In Roman days, “Going the extra mile,” meant willingly carrying a soldier’s backpack or burden for more than the mandatory Roman mile of 1000 paces.
little tidbits you told us about the different quilting experiences you have had in your life, which only made it that [much] more interesting. I don't think I will ever be able to make a single stitch without thinking of the lady who said "you could hang a toenail in those stitches"!!! haha!
At the ARRAC, it means extending a 3 hour one-day workshop to 5 hours. Dawn Sullivan’s Hand Piecing workshop was held 7/16/11. Scheduled to end at noon, Dawn extended her class to make sure her students Janet Baker and Amy Smith grasped the skills she had introduced enough that they could continue on their own.
Anyway, needless to say, now I have been out on the internet and even bought my first quilt magazine, and already having ideas in my head about two quilts that I would like to try and make. I know, I said I would not go crazy, but I lied!!
At the ARRAC we aim to teach new skills and light creative fires. The first class you take can be the first step to a new creative outlet. Here’s what Janet had to say about her experience: Dawn, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated you taking the time to teach the quilt class to myself and Amy Smith on Saturday 7/16/11, especially since it was just the two of us. Thank you for staying late and going above and beyond what most people would have done to make sure that we learned a little bit about every aspect that goes into making a quilt, as well as the
Again, thanks for all of your help and inspiration, and I will definitely try to come to another class when you have one! Thanks, Janet! We will keep you informed of the next class!
Alabama River Region Arts Center is a 501 (c) 3 Non-profit organization.
www.arrac.org
Page 4
The ARRAC Update/July2011
Upcoming Classes:
Forms/information online www.arrac.org.
Crochet Socks
Clay Slab 3, 4
Sit & Sew
Wire Wrap Jewelry
Hand Piecing
Pine Needle Basket
Guitar Club
Clay Club
Drawing/Painting
Check Online for the
Fri. 8/5 & 8/19 10-12 pm
Sat. 8/20 9-12 pm
Sat. 8/6 & 8/13 Beg. techniques 9-12 pm
Thurs. 9/8 4-5 pm & 5-6 pm
ARRA C Upd a te
We’re on the Web!
Contact Editor/E-Mail: Marty195@gmail.com 195 Blackberry Rd. Deatsville, AL 36022
See us at:
Phone: (334) 569-3761
www.arrac.org Join us on Facebook Alabama-RiverRegion-Arts-Center
Sat. 8/6 Sewing help, cut/work space 9-12 pm
Thurs. 9/8 4-5 pm & 5-6 pm
Sat. 8/13 & 8/27 Learn the basics. 9-12 pm
Club
Thurs. 9/8 4-5 pm & 5-6 pm
Sat. 8/13 Quilting 9-12 pm
Newest Class List
About Us… The Founding members are composed of local Artist from varied disciplines that have a common goal to create a public non-profit organization based in Wetumpka, Alabama focusing on nurturing all categories of arts in the River Region. The Arts Center is a volunteer based, community supported organization that will derive it’s funding from public and private donations, contributions, grants benefactors and the proceeds from memberships, Artist Space, Rentals, Gallery Art Sales and special events.
Editor ARRAC Update 195 Blackberry Rd. Deatsville, AL 36022
MEMBER NAME
STREET ADDRESS
ADDRESS 2 CITY, ST ZIP CODE