Art matters March - May 2016

Art Matters Current and upcoming exhibitions Classes and workshops Art Center news Volume 1, Issue 2 March - May 2016

Magazine of the Western Colorado Center for the Arts

Art Matters Contents

Director’s Letter A thank you for Art Matters comments and a salute to the Art Center Guild

Exhibitions Treasures from the Floating World celebrates bequest of Japanese art 6th Contemporary Clay Biennial highlights talents from afar CMU Juried exhibition showcases undergraduate work Rockies West National features the best in watermedia Altrusa Art Fair recognizes the work of middle and high school students Rocky Mountain Collage Society debuts Mixed Media Expo Library Added to permanent collection rotating exhibits schedule

Lectures John Lintott shares insights and strategies of success in the art world Contemporary Clay juror Steve Hilton traces his journey in art and education

Adult Classes and Workshops Painting, fibers, watercolor and tai chi among offerings

Ceramics Classes Open studio option added to array of ceramics courses

Youth and Teen Programs A listing of workshops, courses and camps for teens and younger

Workshops Spring Break Day Camp offers flexibility and affordability

Gift Gallery Pastel Society to feature selected pieces in the Art Center gift gallery

Art Center News

New wheel unveiled, new board members and Colorado Gives results New wheel unveiled., new board members and Colorado Gives results On The Cover: Hide and Reveal by Kristin Schimik, invited artist for Contemporary Clay 2016.

Art Matters March - May 2016 gjartcenter.org

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Thank you everyone for the praise for Art Matters – our new magazine. We caught more of a buzz than expected!

Several people visited our offices to deliver compliments.

And among emails, one reader wrote Art Matters “is marvelous” and added “it is great you did not minify the illustrations.”

He is right; the new format allows entire pages for single illustrations or photographs to highlight art beautifully.

Thanks to the reader for the comment and a fun word I plan to use – minify. Some things should be minified, such Mikkel Kelly Executive Director as my consumption of holiday treats.

Inspiring offerings

Author of The Theater Experience Edwin Wilson wrote, “We value art precisely because it presents its own point of view, giving us a fresh look at ourselves and the world around us.”

This is so true, and to this value, our galleries are always filled with something for everyone.

On one hand, in January I was drawn to the photographs of Arthur Lavine in our Behind the Lens exhibit. Lavine’s black and white images personify top flight photojournalistic skills – watching, waiting and positioning to capture thought-provoking moments.

Many of the photos were taken in the 1950s in New York City replete with the hats and formal attire of that decade. I appreciated how the faces in “Election Night” and “After the Hurricane” skillfully showed people grappling with life’s transitions.

And at the same time, I enjoyed how Cherish or Perish: Grand Valley Collectors highlighted the fancies of some of our community members – namely the diverse collections of Mark and Karen Madsen, Chuck and Kendra McDaniel, Claudia Jantzer, Carl Barker, Kay Crane and Russ McKeel.

There were smiles all around while viewing Jantzer’s photographs of miniatures set against real items, such as a miniature man pulling a miniature sled up a hill of sugar – certainly a whimsical fresh look at ourselves and the world that surrounds us. Many thanks to our participating collectors.

So goes two quick snapshots of art aplenty. As you will see in the pages of Art Matters, we have much to share in exhibitions and classes coming up.

Grateful for the Guild Thank you to The Art Center Guild for its great work and recent contribution of $11,000.

These upbeat, enterprising women serve food at three First Friday events each year and present the popular Jazz Among the Grapevines concert series each summer. The Guild’s 34 pies and goodies were fast sellers at the Fine Art and Crafts Fair, and we fielded compliments for the delicious smell of food from the kitchen. Here’s to the Guild and all volunteers at the center!

Another resolution New Year’s resolutions have been made, but I would like everyone to make one add-on.

Be sure to bring out-of-town guests to The Art Center. We are confident they will have a great visit, and when they do, urge them to submit a review on TripAdvisor. Simply go to Tripadvisor.com, search for Western Colorado Center for the Arts and click the review button. Each post raises our profile. Spring into action.

Art Matters March - May 2016 gjartcenter.org

WELCOME

Turning a new page

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ABOUT US

4 Our Mission: The Art Center is a community arts

organization dedicated to improving quality of life by promoting the enjoyment and understanding of the visual arts and related arts through studio art instruction, educational programs for children and adults, exhibitions and the acquisition, care and display of a permanent art collection.

Board of Trustees

Robbie Breaux (President) Denny Herzog (Vice President) Randall Cupp (Treasurer) Rob Jenkins Betty Bechtel Mary Hertert Dan Ryan Judy Vanderleest Dean Harris Kelley Burford Cathy Zippert (Art Center Guild Representative) Kay Ambrose (Art Center Foundation President)

Art Center Staff

Mikkel Kelly, Executive Director Avery Glassman, Programs & Exhibitions Curator Lee Borden, Events & Communications Manager Laurie Quinn, Gift Shop & Membership Manager Rachel Egelston, Children's & Special Needs Programming Coordinator Terry Shepherd, Artist-in-Residence D Plunkett, Accountant Paul Lopez, Maintenance Maxine Buchholtz, Gift Shop Charity Finnigsmier, Gift Shop

Art Center Hours

Tuesday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Admission $3 (free to members and children under 12) There is no charge to visit the gift shop.

Tuesdays are free to everyone thanks to a generous sponsorship by Home Loan & Allied Insurance

Operational funding provided in part by

Remember this date - Friday, May 6.

That’s the date for all lovers of art and The Art Center to come together for The Art Center’s largest, most important and most festive event of the year — The annual USBANK Fine Art Auction.

The annual auction, which is generously sponsored by USBANK, is not only the biggest fundraiser of the year for The Art Center, it’s also a fantastic opportunity for the community to come together and show their love and support for this remarkable institution which has been a Western Colorado icon of art and creativity for over 60 years.

Every year artists and collectors come together to see who will bid the highest and who will go home with top works by top artists. But even more importantly, supporters of The Art Center gather together to celebrate and support the continuing mission of the center we all count on.

Proceeds from the live and silent auctions support exciting and diverse exhibitions, care of the permanent collection, and the WCCA’s wide range of educational programs for adults, children, and special needs students.

As always, high-quality artwork is chosen for a range of buyer interests and budgets. It is the goal of the center that collectors love what they buy and that they are doubly excited about the cause.

The fun starts at 5 p.m. Friday, May 6, when the doors open to wine, hors’doevres, silent auction viewing and preview of live auction works. Artists, buyers and donors will be viewing and bidding on silent auction items, chatting and selecting their target live auction lots until 7 p.m. when the live auction begins.

There will be a day-long preview and a 5-8 p.m. artist meet and greet on Thursday, May 5. The Thursday meet and greet is a great time to visit with many of the participating artists, talk to the knowledgeable auctioneers, register early for a bidder number and get catalog. The Silent Auction will also be open on Thursday for those who aren’t able to attend the Friday night event.

Collectors who are unable to attend the live auction May 6 can still take part by picking up an auction absentee ballot. Or if you wish, call 243-7337, ext. 2, to have an absentee bidder form e-mailed to you along with catalog information.

Tickets are on sale for $20 at The Art Center’s front desk or may be ordered by phone at 970-243-7337, ext. 2. For more information visit www.gjartcenter.org.

AUCTION

The Auction will be here before you know it!

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EXHIBITIONS

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Treasures from the Floating World Recent acquisitions to the Permanent Collection March 3 – April 23 Silent auction March 29 – April 1 First Friday reception April 1: Concert 6:30 p.m.

For the first time this spring the Art Center will exhibit over 50 Japanese works of art from its permanent collection. The works belonged to local couple Mai Nagatomo and Bill Robinson. Robinson left the entire collection to The Art Center upon his passing in March 2015. It features Japanese ceramics, painting, imperial court masks and several textiles. The First Friday reception will be a celebration of Japanese art and culture, beginning with a concert by Denver ensemble Taiko with Toni. The performance will feature taiko drumming as well as the koto, a traditional Japanese string instrument. Following will be refreshments and a tour of the exhibition with the Art Center’s curator for anyone who is interested. During the week there will be a silent auction at The Art Center of Japanese gift items and antiques, many of which also belonged to Bill Robinson but were not part of his art collection. All proceeds will go toward the care and preservation of the Art Center’s permanent collection.

The Robinson collection also includes 27 woodblock prints, most of which date from Japan’s Edo (1615-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) periods. The prints are incredibly detailed and depict lavish interiors, popular kimono patterns, scenes from

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While most of the artworks are Japanese, the origin of several remains a mystery.

For instance, seven large pastel drawings, also from the Robinson estate, which are believed to be Tibetan. Research for these items is still underway.

The Robinson Collection is like nothing else in the Art Center’s permanent collection. Being from a Colorado collector, it met the WCCA’s acquisition criteria.

Though the works of art were made in Japan centuries ago, Colorado has a deep Japanese American history from the 20th century. The Granada War Relocation Center in Granada, Colorado, also known as Camp Amache, was one of 10 internment camps established during World War II. During this dark period of United States history, between 1942 and 1945 over 110,000 American citizens of Japanese ancestry were forced to move from their homes to internment camps in remote areas. Ralph Carr, Colorado’s 29th governor (1939-1943), was the only elected official in the U.S. to publicly defend the rights of Japanese Americans.

Special thanks to Martin Stidham, Charlie Hardy, Chihiro Schwartz, Lillie Poush, Sarah Ferrieri, Haley Van Camp, Alyssa Campbell, Becca Seal, Nepal Restaurant, Kari-Shepherdson Scott, Dylan Jekels, Hiroko Johnson, Toni Yagami, Miwa Steuben, Claudine Locascio, and the Japan America Society of Colorado.

EXHIBITIONS

the pleasure districts of burgeoning cities, and even famous male kabuki actors in drag (women were not allowed to act). This genre of Japanese Art is called ukiyo-e, which literally translates to “pictures of the floating world,” signifying the ungrounded, extravagant lifestyle that had become prevalent among Japan’s growing merchant class. The medium of woodblock printmaking is itself an asset to the permanent collection. In 17th-19th-century Japan it enabled ukiyo-e artists to compose in bright colors and bold yet delicate lines. With few gradients, the colors provide some abstraction to the compositions, while the confident lines are for the most part naturalistic. The faces depicted range from expressionless to extremely expressive, depending on the time period they were designed.

EXHIBITIONS

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Contemporary Clay 2016: Juried/Invitational Exhibit May 13 – June 25 Sponsored by Sara Ransford Juror lecture Friday, May 13 at 5:30 p.m.

First Friday reception June 3, 7-9 p.m.

Yes, with giddy anticipation we are preparing to stage our 6th Contemporary Clay Biennial! This year’s juror is Steve Hilton, ceramic artist and professor at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He earned his MFA in ceramics at Arizona State University. A geologist as well, Hilton finds inspiration in the way plants, animals and weather influence the Earth’s surface. Hilton’s current work focuses on ceramic installations and is composed primarily of unfired clay—the result of a residency and exhibition in 2015 in Camaguey, Cuba, where clay artists do so much with so little. Last August Steve and CMU students built a large clay installation in the Colorado Mesa University gallery space in Grand Junction. Using approximately 1,500 pounds of clay, Steve and a cadre of students constructed an unfired clay environment that evolved and changed in the gallery’s setting over a period of six weeks.

The invitational component to Contemporary Clay allows the juror to select a small group of colleagues to show mature and well-developed work that may not be commonly viewed in Grand Junction. This year Hilton has invited four artists to show. They are Jamie Bardsley (Grand Junction), Kyoung Hwa Oh (Grand Junction), Kristin Schimik (Seattle, Washington) and Natasha Hovey (Wichita Falls, Texas). These four artists are known for their emphasis on clay as installation art.

Terry Shepherd and Avery Glassman (ceramics director and programs and exhibitions curator, respectively) are co-curators of Contemporary Clay 2016.

Shepherd said, “Since its inception and first exhibit in 2006, I’ve felt it’s important for The Art Center to provide a gallery venue and to facilitate a clay exhibit of national-international stature. Our gallery spaces are settings of opportunity for serious up-and-coming students and well-established clay artists to participate in a juried exhibition.” This year’s exhibit is unique in that Steve Hilton will construct his installation onsite in one of our galleries starting four to five days before the exhibit opens on May 13. Hilton will present a juror’s lecture at 5 p.m. Friday, May 13, and will also lead a two-day workshop on May 14 and 15.

Contemporary Clay attracts artists along a diverse spectrum of creative effort, spanning functional vessels to purely sculptural forms, progressive and conceptual clay expression as well as ceramic installations. Over the years our exhibit has come to be considered as an important national/international sampling of what’s going on in the clay world today.

We look forward to seeing what springs out of the clay culture as entries come in. We usually see submissions from 30 or more states and some international submissions—just recently we had an inquiry from a ceramicist in Lithuania!

Mark the date on your calendar and come by to see this exciting and provocative exhibition of ceramic art; it’s guaranteed to jumpstart your intellect and stimulate your senses.

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March 3 – April 9 Sponsored by Dean and Mary Harris First Friday reception March 4, 7-9 p.m.

Juror lecture Saturday, March 5, 2 p.m.

EXHIBITIONS

40th Annual Colorado Mesa University Juried Student Exhibit

The 40th Annual Colorado Mesa University Juried Student Exhibit will showcase both two- and three-dimensional artwork using a variety of mediums which include printmaking, drawing, painting, sculpture, fibers, ceramics and mixed media work. This year’s juror is working artist John Lintott of Fruita, Colorado.

Under the guidance of Josh Butler, Associate Professor of Art, CMU students enrolled in the Art Department’s Sophomore Seminar course coordinate this exhibit each spring. Sophomore Seminar prepares students for future endeavors with a career in the arts. As part of the curriculum, students learn how to coordinate a professional art exhibit; they are responsible for promotion, fundraising, print design, budget, installation, and all that goes into a successful show. The students work in coordination with the experienced staff at The Art Center to present this one-of-a-kind exhibition.

CMU (then Mesa College) art students in 1976

EXHIBITIONS

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Rockies West National 2016 March 1 – April 2 Juror workshop March 2 – 4, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

First Friday reception March 4, 7-9 p.m.

Western Colorado Watercolor Society is proud to present its 24th annual juried exhibition. Each year the WCWS juror selects the best of the entries, and there are already over 80 submissions. The final selection will include many artists of national recognition. This year’s juror is watercolorist Tom Francesconi (Homewood, Illinois). Tom studied watercolor at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He combines a loose, energetic style with passion and is known for his decisive brushwork and richness of color. In his workshop at the Art Center, students will learn how to create stronger, more effective visual statements.

The opening reception will be 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 4. An introduction from WCWS leaders and the presentation of awards will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The reception is free and open to the public.

Image: Dramafications, Jean Gill (Oak Hill, VA)

Altrusa Art Fair April 15 – 30 Sponsored by the Art Center Guild Opening reception and awards Saturday, April 16 Middle School Awards: Noon - 1:30 p.m.

High School Awards: 1:30 - 4 p.m.

Altrusa’s annual Art Fair began 53 years ago. The late Ruth Moss started the fair as a way to highlight artwork completed by middle and high school students.

Over the last 53 years, thousands of art students have been recognized and their artwork displayed for the enjoyment of the community. The fair continues to be a unique collaborative effort of The Art Center, Grand Valley area schools, and Altrusa International of Grand Junction. The Art Center provides the facility and sponsorship, local art teachers select and hang the students’ art, and Altrusans contribute their time. It is no wonder the event has continued to be a success over the years. Thanks to the dedication of so many dedicated people, the 53rd Altrusa Art Fair will happen again this April.

An opening reception announcing the winners of the 2016 Altrusa Art Fair will be noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 16. During the reception, a presentation of the winning artwork will be shown while the judges provide commentary on each piece.

The fair will continue through April 30.

Make plans to visit The Art Center and enjoy the work of the Grand Valley’s youngest artists. The artworks are feats of imagination and technical skill. Drawing, painting, sculpture, batik, graphic design and ceramics are just a few of the categories that you can expect to see at this year’s Altrusa Art Fair. As in the past, it will be an inspirational fair.

For several years The Art Center has produced rotating exhibits for St. Mary’s Hospital. Usually three months long and featuring work from the permanent collection, these exhibits brighten a hallway in the hospital’s River Section and, hopefully, the days of those who pass by. It gives the Art Center a chance to spotlight acquisitions that receive little attention otherwise and to experiment with uncommon pairings and juxtapositions. The Art Center is excited to announce that in 2016 our outreach program will expand to the Grand Junction branch of the Mesa County Library. Now even more of the community will be able to enjoy the art histories that make up our collection.

Color as Structure, the exhibit currently on view at St. Mary’s, will be up at the library by March 1: our very own mini-traveling exhibition. So the next time you check out a book, be sure to get your daily dose of art observation!

Rocky Mountain Collage Society: Secret Worlds May 18 – June 25 Judge lecture Thursday, May 19 at 6 p.m.

First Friday reception June 3, 7-9 p.m.

Collage and Mixed Media Expo June 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Rocky Mountain Collage Society features new works in its Biennial Members’ Exhibit. The exhibition will showcase individual works well as a collaborative piece exploring the exhibit theme “Secret Worlds.” RMCS is pleased to have Liz Ferrill, Artistic director of painting and printmaking at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, as this year’s judge. Ferrill is a native of Seattle, Washington, where she received a BFA in painting and printmaking at the Cornish College of the Arts.

She also studied printmaking and received a MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Ferrill exhibits her work nationally and internationally.

This year Rocky Mountain Collage Society will hold a Collage and Mixed Media Expo on Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Members including Gayle Gerson, Tom Calenberg, Debby English and others will demonstrate collage and mixed media techniques. The event is open to the public and Expo visitors will be able to try out techniques in a user-friendly, hands-on atmosphere.

RMCS is affiliated with the National Collage Society. Its membership is drawn from Western Slope and Front Range artists. The mission of Rocky Mountain Collage Society is to promote understanding, appreciation and practice of collage as a fine art form by promoting education and exhibit experiences for our members.

Image: Bev Benker

EXHIBITIONS

Art Center Outreach Exhibits Expand to Include the Library

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LECTURES

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John Lintott, Road to Zion

A Business (Not) Like Any Other Saturday, March 5 at 2 p.m.

John Lintott, 2016 juror for Colorado Mesa University If your art is an extension of yourself, how do you sell yourself ? The art market is a subjective, unpredictable force. Things can get ugly when the product is as personal as one’s artwork, but they don’t have to be. Local working artist John Lintott will describe his experience after college as a professional painter. From self-promotion to the balancing act between artist and patron, Lintott will share strategies, successes and regrets. As the juror of this year’s CMU student exhibition, John will also discuss his selection process and the criteria he uses to determine which artworks make the cut. Juried exhibitions offer unique opportunities and just as many challenges. Lintott will address general mistakes some artists make that hinder their acceptance into shows of this nature.

Born in Louisiana, John Lintott has lived in Colorado for 38 years and paints primarily around western Colorado and eastern Utah. Lintott graduated from Colorado State University in 2001 with a BFA. concentrating in painting. He owned and operated Hang Ups Frame Shop and Gallery in Grand Junction, closing it in September 2014 to pursue painting full time. John is an award-winning plein air artist and was selected in 2012 for the Colorado Governor’s Arts Award commission. He actively participates in various plein air competitions; most recently, John was accepted to the Zion National Park Plein Air Invitational. John will also be participating in the Colorado Governor’s Art Show this April, held in Loveland, Colorado.

All lectures are free and open to the public, courtesy of

Betty and Joel Bechtel, John and Penny Hopkins,

Friday, May 13, at 5:30 p.m.

When asked how long it takes to make a teapot, Steve Hilton glibly replies with an answer of 55 years. Because that is how long the journey is that brought him to clay. He is 55 years old but has taken more 90-degree turns in his life’s path than most mid-career artists.

Hilton started out as most of us do: with no direction. But with a willingness to say yes more than no, he has sold vacuum cleaners door-to-door, lived on a 140 foot gaff-rigged schooner, earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental geology, taught science and art in public schools in three states, ran a dive shop in the South Pacific and taught snowboarding on the “greatest snow on earth” in Utah.

And these are but only a few of the ways he has prepared himself to make that 55-year-old teapot.

In this image dialogue (lecture), Hilton will discuss his work through the serendipity of his life’s path and how he accidently found art at the age of 35 where a 30-second conversation drew him out of his beloved oceanography, astronomy, and environmental classrooms to earn an MS in Art Education from Missouri State University and later an MFA in ceramics from Arizona State University. In the past 10 years, his work, a fusion of sculptural and wheel-thrown (sometimes functional) components, has been placed into the permanent collections of museums, universities and individuals in the United States, Thailand, Australia, Austria, Portugal, China, Japan, Canada, Korea, Germany, Romania and Cuba. During the same timeframe, he has been juried into numerous international and national exhibitions in conjunction with curated solo shows in the United States. Steve currently teaches ceramics and art education at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and has served on the board of National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts for eight years, including six as the programs director.

To view more of Hilton’s work, visit stevenhilton.com All lectures are free and open to the public, courtesy of

Betty and Joel Bechtel, John and Penny Hopkins,

LECTURES

Steve Hilton: Contemporary Clay

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ADULT CLASSES

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Classes and Workshops Members: Register by March 24 to receive your discount!

Classes begin April 4. Registration for the spring session opens Tuesday, March 8 at noon.

Registration and payment: Registration can be completed online at www.gjartcenter.org, over the phone, or in-person at the Art Center. For phone registration, call 970-243-7337, ext. 2.

To register in person, stop by during gallery hours, Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Payment can be made by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, check, or cash.

Class space will not be reserved without full payment. Please be aware that classes require a minimum number of students and are subject to cancellation. The best way to ensure that the class you are interested in does not get canceled is to register early and don’t forget to urge a friend to sign up!

Cancellation Policy: To cancel a class or workshop registration, notify The Art Center at least 14 days before the start of the class or workshop. If given the required 14-day notice, The Art Center will issue class credit in full or will refund your payment less the registration fee ($15 for adults and $5 for children). No refunds or class credit will be issued for cancellations made

within 14 days of the start of the class or workshop. If you register for a class or workshop within the 14-day period, you will receive no refund or class credit for cancellation.

Sorry, no refunds or class credits for no-shows. This registration policy helps instructors plan and prepare for upcoming classes, ensuring you receive ample notice if a class has insufficient registration.

Art Supplies: Supply lists for each class are available on our website.

Unless otherwise specified, the student is responsible for purchasing art supplies. Some supplies are available at The Art Center Gift Shop.

Tuition for ceramics classes includes a $30 fee covering one bag of clay, firing and glazing. Ceramics students will need a pottery tool kit, not covered by tuition and available from The Art Center Gift Shop for $19 plus tax.

Need-based scholarships are available.

Visit our website’s scholarships page for more information!

Gayle Gerson

Mary Hertert

OFFSITE: meets at Color Creek Fiber Art (1150 N 25th St., Unit B) $70 member / $110 non-member per session All materials provided; $35 paid to instructor on first day Session 1: March 11 – April 1: Fridays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Session 2: April 9 – 30: Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Session 3: May 4 – 25: Wednesdays 6:30-9:30 p.m.

This class will be an extensive foray into the world of dyes and resists on all types of fabric. Students will learn to work with chemical resists such as wax, potato dextrin, and gutta, as well as mechanical resists like wrapping, clamping, stitching, silk screen or airbrush and color discharge. The class will also introduce students to fiber-reactive dyes for cotton or silk, acid dyes for silk and polyester dyes for synthetics. The fun to be had is endless. The results will amaze you.

Mary sets up different stations and exercises to work through activities that demonstrate the various processes. The last session is creating a final project using any of the demonstrated methods. These four-week sessions are open to both beginners and more advanced practitioners. For those who’ve been through the sessions before – treat this as open lab and work on your own projects. Lots of flexibility.

Mary Hertert owns and operates Color Creek Fiber Art here in Grand Junction.

Her mission is to promote, teach, and demonstrate all that is possible with dyes and textures on fabrics. Her studio is an open, working studio and she encourages everyone to come dip their fingers in the Color Creek experience.

Visit www.colorcreekfiberart.com for more information.

Adventures in Mixed Media Gayle Gerson

Mondays 1-4 p.m., April 4 – May 23 $140 member / $180 non-member Supply list available This class will explore experimental techniques for making mixed media art, such as collage, painting, and transfer. Students of all skill levels will be able to devote plenty of time to four or five projects in order to create a work of art that releases the sparkle of the artist’s personality. Mini-workshops, art journaling and drawing sessions will also be part of this dynamic class.

ADULT CLASSES

The World of Dyes, Resists and Fabrics

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ADULT CLASSES

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Tai Chi Mark Posey

Mondays 1-2 p.m., April 4 – May 23 $110 member / $150 non-member Wear clothing that is comfortable to move in.

This class is intended for all levels of fitness and body awareness. Tai Chi is a system of movement designed to reduce your stress level, boost your immune system, and promote optimal functioning of your body and mind. Learn valuable methods for aiding in relaxation so that you can enjoy the season, and your life, more. The movements of Tai Chi improve your balance, joint function, and range of motion. They make it easier to move, help prevent and heal injuries, and generally help you to stay active longer and with more comfort and energy.

Instructor Mark Posey has been teaching Tai Chi for 20 years.

All Levels Oil and Acrylic Painting Susan Claffey

Tuesdays 6:30-9:30 p.m., April 5 – May 24 $150 member / $190 non-member Supply list available This painting class is open to all levels of experience, from basic to advanced.

Students may work in oil, acrylic or both. Emphasis for all levels will be on the formal elements of composition, particularly shape, value and color. The class will work in three directions: photographs, still life, and figurative with a live model. Students will follow master artists from Impressionism up to the early 1920s, and advanced students may try implementing the style of a master in one of their own compositions. Susan, who earned her MFA from the University of Denver, taught at Colorado Mesa University for more than 20 years.

For the first class students should bring a canvas, an image of a painting by a well-known artist from between 1865 and 1925, and painting supplies. Canvases should be pre-stretched and gessoed, with sizes no larger than 30 inches by 40 inches and no smaller than 24 inches by 30 inches.

17 ADULT CLASSES Brooks Powell

Live Model Open Studios (Guided by a facilitator)

All levels and all media welcome. The open studio is a relaxed and light-hearted space where artists work with live models to hone their skills and understanding of elements such as line, form, shape, value and proportion, as well as gain insight into the principles of the medium they choose to work in that week.

Nude Figure (must be 18 years of age) Mondays 6-9 p.m., April 4 – May 23 $80 member / $120 non-member Portraiture (Clothed Model) Wednesdays 9 a.m.–12 p.m., April 6 – May 25 $80 member / $120 non-member

ADULT CLASSES

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Watercolor 101 Diane Saulnier

Tuesdays 1 - 4 p.m., April 5 – May 24 $140 member / $180 non-member In this introductory class, students will learn the basics of watercolor washes, wet-on-wet painting, and how to effectively layer color. Most importantly, Diane will show students how to have fun with watercolor.

Taming the Beast: Advanced Watercolor Charles Morris

Thursdays 9 a.m.-noon., April 7 – May 26 $140 member / $180 non-member Supply list available This class focuses on advanced techniques for realism in watercolor. It will change your way of thinking about watercolor, especially if you have struggled with watercolor paintings that seem out of control or are weak and indecisive. Join instructor Charles Morris as he shows how to paint watercolors that match the flexibility, control and richness normally associated with oil paintings. Morris will share techniques developed over years of experience step-by-step that allow mastery over this greatly misunderstood “beast” (medium).

Morris utilizes handouts, demonstrations and one-on-one instruction to get you started each session and then plenty of actual painting time to put these techniques to use. All representational subject matter (landscape, figure and still life) will be explored.

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Adam Reynolds and son Lewis, 2, in the studio.

CERAMICS CLASSES

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Fundamentals in Clay $195 member / $235 non-member

Robbie Breaux - Mondays 6:30-9:30 p.m.

April 4 – May 23

Robbie Breaux – Tuesdays 1-4 p.m.

April 5 – May 24

Gary Andrews – Tuesdays 6:30-9:30 p.m.

April 5 – May 24

Terry Shepherd – Thursdays 1-4 p.m.

April 7 – May 26

Dan Patten – Thursdays 6:30-9:30 p.m.

April 7 – May 26

Designed for beginners and intermediates alike, this class will cover the fundamentals of wheel-throwing, hand-building, glaze and slip decoration, clay body, slip formulation and raw materials. Independence is a primary component of this class, with students encouraged to develop their own projects and take initiative toward their creative learning during open studio hours.

All Levels Handbuilding Nina Williams

Mondays 1-4 p.m., April 4 – May 23 $195 member / $235 non-member Not all beautiful ceramic work is thrown on a wheel! We will join slabs of clay into beautiful works of art using a variety of techniques and surface patterns. We will focus primarily on decorative and ornamental work this session. In addition to slab-built work, there will also be coiling and extrusion projects throughout the class.

Intermediate/Advanced Ceramics Terry Shepherd

Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 6:30-9:30 p.m.

April 6 – May 25 $195 member / $235 non-member This class is a continuation of Fundamentals in Clay. Students will acquire skills, techniques, and study of form and function that include throwing, handbuilding, and altered throwing techniques. Further study of cone 10 stoneware, porcelain clay, multiple glazes and alternative firing processes will be introduced.

21 CERAMICS CLASSES

Ceramics Open Studio (No instruction)

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. March 12 – April 2, closed on Sundays $75 member / $115 non-member The purpose of March Open Studio is to provide ceramics students with an opportunity to work independently in between the Art Center’s class sessions.

Students must be of at least an intermediate level in ceramics and must obtain approval from Ceramics Director Terry Shepherd (970-243-7337, ext. 1).

Teen Wheel-Throwing Ashtonn Means

Wednesdays 4 - 6 p.m., April 6 – May 25 $140 member / $180 non-member Ages 14-18 Whether you’ve never touched clay before or have experience throwing, this is the class for all teens 14-18! Students will learn the skills behind wheel-throwing, glaze application and a basic understanding of Cone 10 materials and firing, as well as design principles for functional pottery, fundamentals of form and aesthetic design techniques. Every class will have demonstrations, hands-on projects, and one-onone guidance on the wheel-throwing process. Students are strongly encouraged to be self-directed and to bring project ideas and learning goals to work on throughout the eight-week course. Demonstrations will be geared toward students’ learning goals. See you there!

YOUTH & TEEN

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Afterschool Program Ages 5-13, all materials provided

Rachel Egelston

Fridays, 4:30-6 p.m. $52.50 member / $ 70 non-member per session Looking for something fun and artistic for the kids? This is a high-energy art class where students will get to try different kinds of creative activities while making new friends.

Session 1: April 8-29: Clay Pottery, Drawing, pastels Session 2: May 6-27: Clay sculpture, canvas painting, use of color

Home School: Art Explorers Ages 5-13, all materials provided

Rachel Egelston

Thursdays April 7 – May 28, 1-2:30 p.m. $105 member / $155 non-member This program provides an artistic foundation and creative outlet to introduce students to different cultural and historical influences in art. Areas covered will be Impressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Japanese, Mexican and African art.

Students will practice sculpture, painting, drawing and printmaking. The goal of the program is to have fun while learning essential skills such as problem solving, creative self-expression, life lessons and teamwork. Class allows for different skill levels.

Teen Workshops (Ages 13-17)

Develop Your Painting Skills

Thursday, March 24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $25 member / $30 non-member Many artists have difficulty starting a painting. This class will explore ways to tackle this obstacle using non-threatening and open creativity. The class will use various media including watercolor and marker lines.

Interactive Sketchbook

Thursday, March 31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $25 member / $30 non-member Document your story in a unique art journal while experimenting with drawing, painting, and mixed media techniques. Students will learn how these media interact and while developing their own personal style.

Clay Handbuilding

Saturday, March 26 and April 2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $50 member / $60 non-member Utilize images and objects from nature to create an abstract sculpture. In this workshop students will learn the essentials for clay techniques and design while cultivating a mature perspective on contemporary ceramic art.

23 YOUTH & TEEN

Spring Break Day Camp Ages 5-13, All materials provided March 21 – March 25 and March 28 – April 1 Monday – Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Tuition per day: $20 members / $25 non-members

Monday, March 21: Learning to draw, nature weaving crafts Tuesday, March 22: Play with color using paint and colored pencils, mixed media and pocket kites

Wednesday, March 23: Explore the art of creating music, sculptural exploration with paper, found objects, plastic and wood

Thursday, March 24: Ice Age – explore the frozen tundra through art, art journals

Friday, March 25: Lego™ sculpture, exploring dry and oil pastels Monday, March 28: Watercolor, printing and paper clay Tuesday, March 29: Using improv to create a skit, soft sculptures Wednesday, March 30: Making superheros to save towering cities, how to build a painting

Thursday, March 31: Bringing video game characters to life through an imagery world, fiber art

Friday, April 1: The traditions of April Fool’s Day, how to use markers, “Pat, the co-friendly monster” (altered sculpture)

WORKSHOPS

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Alcohol Ink Carol Ann Rasmussen

Saturday and Sunday, March 19 and 20, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. $150 member / $190 non-member Alcohol ink is a fluid liquid painting medium that demands determination and experimentation to master. With practice, artists can create compositions that radiate harmonious, brilliant colors using the liquefied alcohol ink. The techniques that Carol Ann uses to control these vibrant inks on Yupo paper will be shared on the first day of the workshop. The second day the class will apply these techniques to create their own paintings. Be sure to bring a few photographs for your own reference for day two. Come in old clothes because the ink does not wash out.

Carol Ann is a distributor of the supplies. You can purchase them independently or directly from Carol Ann. She has developed a kit containing all of the above supplies for $65 with two sheets of 11.5 inch by 19 inch Yupo paper. The kit will be available at the workshop along with additional ink colors available to purchase. She will also have additional Yupo paper for sale at the workshop.

Jes Park

Saturday, April 9 (9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 4-6 p.m.) and 16 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) $115 member / $155 non-member All materials provided; $30 paid to instructor on first day Join Jes Park, a jewelry designer and metal clay artist based in western Colorado, for a workshop designed to teach you the basics of working with metal clay.

These metal creations are a wonderful addition to your own jewelry designs and can be added to charm bracelets or used to make lovely, handcrafted gift items! In this workshop you will learn how to create pendants, charms, and jewelry-design components using metal clay. You will learn basic techniques for working with metal clay which include rolling out, texturing, shaping, and then prepping for kiln firing. Once charms are kiln-fired and become metal, each student will have the opportunity to clean up their pieces and add a patina, or darkened finish, to them.

This workshop will be hosted over two weekends due to the nature of working with metal clay and the length of the firing process once the clay is dry. In the morning session on April 9 (9 a.m. to noon), you will be working with clay to create small designs, including charms, pendants, and rings. During the afternoon session on April 9 (4-6 p.m.), once the clay has dried, you will learn how to prepare your pieces for kiln-firing. On April 16 between 10 a.m. and noon, you will be working with your solid metal creations, learning how to complete the final cleaning process, and adding a patina if you choose. You will leave with all of your own metal creations on Saturday, April 16. Jes will provide all the supplies for this workshop, but you are welcome to bring your own stamps and textures to use on your creations.

WORKSHOPS

Metal Clay

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WORKSHOPS

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Painting in Pastel: Chiaroscuro in Still Life Painting Tracy Wilson

May 13-15, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $250 member / $290 non-member In this informative three-day workshop, plan to work hard and play hard in an inclusive and inviting atmosphere while you learn to create dramatic lighting in your still life paintings. Pastel is a wonderfully potent, adaptable, and forgiving medium. This workshop will focus on fundamentals and techniques essential to building a successful pastel painting. Students have an opportunity to work from both life and photographs and will explore the concept and technique of chiaroscuro (light and shadow) still life painting. In addition to sharing her techniques, all of Tracy’s workshops are structured around a focus on art fundamentals, imparted in a way that will set students up for breakthrough learning.

Class consists of daily demonstrations, hands-on practice, discussion, and individual instructor guidance, all paced to assist students in maintaining their energy level.

You will have fun and leave with a wealth of information.

In this workshop you will learn how to: • set up and light a still life for drama and impact • make painting easier by dividing your painting into manageable chunks • correct mistakes • identify and address your skill gaps You will also learn concrete tools for self-critique and specific techniques for painting in the pastel medium, including selection and care of materials.

Award-winning artist Tracy Wilson is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of Colorado, an Associate Member of Oil Painters of America, and serves as the membership co-chair for Pastel Society of Colorado. Adept in a variety of subject matter from landscape to figurative, Wilson is best known for her dramatic and intimate still life paintings. Her effective use of chiaroscuro in still life painting has garnered numerous awards. Prior to life as a professional artist, Wilson enjoyed a 20-year career as an instructor and curriculum designer in the technology field. She is well-versed in adult education. In addition to sharing her techniques, Wilson’s goal as an instructor is to impart a way of thinking about art fundamentals that will set students up for breakthrough learning. To see more of Wilson’s work, visit www.TracyWilsonArt.com.

Skill Level: Not-quite-Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

27 WORKSHOPS

Sculptural Ceramics Steve Hilton

Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $150 member / $190 non-member As adults we sometimes lose the sense of discovery that comes with art-making.

We develop a tendency to repeat both what we know and what we do best. Many of us also seem to lose the ability to pay attention to both the manmade and natural environment around us, missing a great deal that could be inspirational in our work. And we all know how serendipity plays such an important part in the ceramic art we love! This two-day, hands-on workshop, which is open to all skill levels, will challenge participants to leave their comfort zone with both their forms and surface decoration while making non-functional, sculptural forms. We will discuss and use time-honored ceramic building techniques while also trying to “discover� obvious ways to increase our vocabulary with serendipity.

The above thoughts will be common threads that weave their way throughout the weekend. Included in the workshop will be an informal image lecture (dialogue), demonstration, group and individual instruction, and critique. Hilton will also be open to allowing flexibility to facilitate the needs of the participants and will be in contact with participants who preregister with thoughts on how to prepare for the experience.

WORKSHOPS

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Altered Pots/Altered Surfaces: Tips, Tools and Techniques Bill van Gilder

Aug. 12-14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Lecture: Friday, Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m. $285 member / $325 non-member Join us in the ceramics studio for three days of making pots in an anythingbut-round format! Vases, pitchers, cups and lidded pots will be on our form menu as we share a multitude of surface embellishments for our square, oval and intentionally off-center functional pots. We’ll explore the ideas, techniques and tools used to scratch, facet and stamp, paddle, dimple, slip trail and more, to create interesting surface decorations that fit our altered forms. Attention to finishing details while trimming, cutting and altering feet, rims, spouts and attachments will be a focus during our three days in the studio. Each morning Bill will demo the day’s projects and interact with and assist participants at their wheels throughout each afternoon.

This is an intermediate skill level workshop. Participants should be able to competently center and throw a 2 lb. cylinder. Please bring your throwing tools, 1-2 studio towels, and wear appropriate clothing. A notebook is recommended.

Still photos only are welcome.

A professional potter for more than 45 years, Bill van Gilder began his clay work at age 15 as a studio apprentice to the late Byron Temple. During the following years he apprenticed in Ireland and England, and received a degree from Harrow School of Art (London). He then established and managed two large training pottery centers in southern Africa (Lesotho & Swaziland) under the auspices of The World Bank. He returned to the U.S. in 1979 and established a studio and craft gallery atop South Mountain in Central Maryland, which he continues to operate today. His clay work is exhibited and held in collections worldwide.

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Visit the Art Center’s Gift Gallery for a wonderful selection of artwork by some of the Grand Valley’s finest artists. We have handmade jewelry, small scale artworks, scarves, bookmarks, magnets and books, as well as fine art prints and originals, beautiful ceramics and more, all made by members of The Art Center! You can also purchase gift certificates and memberships for your loved ones. If you are taking one of our classes, we carry watercolor paper, YUPO paper, sanded pastel paper, alcohol inks and clay tool kits.

Spring Gift Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

The Brush & Palette Club will be the featured club on the North Wall of The Art Center Gift Shop from March through April.

The Pastel Society will be the featured club on the North Wall of The Art Center Gift Shop from May through June.

Kathy Herzog March Gift Gallery Artist of the Month

Gina Grundemann April Gift Gallery Artist of the Month

Barbara Churchley May Gift Gallery Artist of the Month

Gift Gallery hours Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

GIFT GALLERY

Art Center Gift Gallery

NEWS

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Skilled potters Peg Oswald, left, and Uschi Hall, right, discuss vessel design. Hall was one of the first to use the new wheelchair-accessible pottery wheel; it allows her to work in a more comfortable position.

New wheel rolls into studio The Art Center ceramics studio installed a wheelchair-accessible pottery wheel in December. The wheel was funded by The Art Center ceramics fund, which is supported each fall by the annual ceramics sale.

The new potter’s wheel enables a wheelchair-bound potter to get closer to the wheel and gain more control. A wheelchair-bound potter can put her arms on the armrests to rest and brace while working, a configuration that makes up for a lack of lower body leg and posture to sit firmly in place while both hands shape the clay. Further, a hand control takes the place of the foot control for the motor.

“We have been aware of the need for quite some time, and this enables us to make the studio accessible to more and more people,” ceramics director Terry Shepherd said. “We are grateful that the pottery sale does so well to fund equipment.”

Many people are enjoying the benefits of the wheel, which can also be used for potters with back problems or used as a regular wheel. The cost is about four times that of a standard wheel.

Art Matters March - May 2016 gjartcenter.org

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The Western Colorado Center for the Arts welcomes new board members Kelley Burford and Dean Harris. Both were members of the center before filling out applications for board membership, and both were elected in November along with re-elected board president Robbie Breaux.

Harris

NEWS

Burford, Harris join art board

Burford

Burford has 15 years of experience as a real estate broker and 27 years of experience in planning and monitoring budgets. He earned an MBA at the University of Colorado and a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in business marketing and finance at the University of Puget Sound. He has served on several Mesa County boards including Mesa State College Foundation and United Way of Mesa County. Burford stated he has a passion for the arts and enjoys collecting.

He looks to contribute his expertise in finance and special events.

Harris is an associate attorney at Bechtel & Santo, a Grand Junction firm that specializes in employment law and related training on behalf of employers. He has served in a variety of roles related to law dating back to serving as a police officer in Aurora before 2004. He earned his degree in law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He has served on numerous boards and wants to increase the visibility of The Art Center. He plans to contribute analytic and problem solving skills with areas of interest in permanent collections, education, personnel procedures, planning and special events.

County group tops Gives goal Western Colorado Center for the Arts teamed with more than 20 Mesa County nonprofit organizations for Colorado Gives Day on Dec. 8. The group exceeded its cumulative goal of $130,000. The $130,850 total does not include incentive fund distributions, which brings the total to more than $135,000. Contributions to The Art Center totaled $1,600.

The Mesa County group that teamed on marketing and a Fundraising Furkin at Kannah Creek Brewing included The Art Center, CASA of Mesa County, Children’s Nature Center, Counseling and Education Center, Habitat for Humanity, Hilltop Community Resources, Hope West, Housing Resources of Western Colorado, Home Care of the Grand Valley, Marillac Clinic, Math and Science Center, Mesa County Partners, Mesa County RSVP, Mesa Land Trust, Riverfront Commission, Roice-Hurst Humane Society, St. Marys Senior Programs, Tamarisk Coalition, Western Colorado Community Foundation, Western Colorado Congress, Western Colorado Suicide Prevention and Western Slope Center for Children.

“This grand one-day statewide show of philanthropic goodwill, known as Colorado Gives, is another way to encourage contributions to The Art Center,” said Art Center executive director Mikkel Kelly. “We very much appreciate the support and the heightened coverage of nonprofits in the campaign.”

According to Colorado Gives, a record number of 123,999 donations amounted to $28.4 million, an 8 percent increase over last year.

Art Matters March - May 2016 gjartcenter.org

1803 Nor th 7th Street Grand Junction, CO 81501 tel 970 - 243 - 7337 fax 970 - 243 - 2482 w w w. g j a r t c e n t e r . o r g

Volume 1, Issue 2 March - May 2016 NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PA I D GRAND JCT, CO PERMIT 162