OFFCenter Fun at RT66Summerfest

Ron and D'Ana helping families make art together

Thanks to all those who helped make the RT66Summerfest Community Art Project fun for all the families who participated! Art Educator Topher House volunteered to manage the project and helped families build and decorate paper towers out of old newspapers. (Thank you Jo Tabacchi for coming up with the activity!) OFFCenter's Executive Director, Ron Breen and Board President Margaret Lopez and Board Member D'Ana Alderate were there to make it a success on the streets! 

Topher House guiding kids on the construction

Thanks also to the volunteers and interns who helped prepare for the project. This was truly an event where art making = community. Unfortunately the weather cancelled the second half of building -- but now we have leftovers to keep building art together in the Community Art section (alongside the Giant Coloring Books) at the 9th Annual "We Art the People!" Folk Art Festival this Sept. 11th!

KUDOS to OFFCenter Promoters and Supporters and Workers!

Thanks to both Rick and Roy (Sumner & Dene Gallery) for your excellent promotion of OFFCenter's 2011 Albuquirky House Tour. Recently we had a couple of people come into OFFCenter because of the great recommendation they received at Sumner & Dene about OFFCenter and the 2011 House Tour (and they bought house tour tickets!). They loved OFFCenter, and were also impressed with the wonderful tour they received while visiting the OFFCenter studio. Way to go everyone! Here Comes the 2011 Albuquirky House Tour!

Margaret Lopez

OFFCenter Board President and Volunteer

A Message from the Board

Dear OFFCenter Community,

WOW! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who helped make OFFCenter's 5th Annual Albuquirky House Tour such an amazing success.

We had TWICE the number of attendees this year compared to last year, largely thanks to the exposure we received in last weekend's Albuquerque Journal article. Volunteers (planners, house volunteers, musicians) did a fantastic job!! KUNM and Whole Foods helped out a ton also with promotion and refreshments!!!

A great success that helps OFFCenter to be able to continue to provide all the wonderful things OFFCenter does! We look forward to seeing all of you and more again next year.

Margaret Lopez, OFFCenter Board of Directors President

Photo by Deanna Nichols. Visit Deanna's website.

OFFCenter Board Elects 2010 Officers

The Officers of the Board of Directors for 2010 are:

Margaret Lopez, President

Venae Warner, Vice President

Laura Farris, Treasurer

Louise Kahn, Secretary

And we elected new board members Ayren Valery (lower left, in the cap) and Chami MacPherson (middle, in the red jacket). Rashan Omari Jones was elected at the January board meeting.

You may be able to tell from this photo how many board members like to doodle and make things during our meetings!

A very, very special thank you to the dedicated board members, OFFCenter staff, and generous community who hung in there, through an economically tough 2008, into a creative but demanding 2009. Here's to a prosperous 2010!

Thank you, Ron and Marcy

Do you come to the studio during open hours and find what you are looking for to work on your projects? Do you have art for sale in the shop? Were you a vendor or attendee at We Art The People Folk Art Festival? Have you enjoyed music, art and food at a First Friday Coffeehouse? Do you make OFFCenter one of your places? Then remember to say THANK YOU to Marcy and Ron, our two steady eddy staff people ever present in the studio.

Recently staff evaluations were completed for both Ron and Marcy and it was easy to see how much they do all the time to keep OFFCenter running smoothly and to make it a welcoming space for all. How many places in Albuquerque provide that?!

Thank you to Ron and Marcy, we all appreciate the hard work you do!

Mayoral Candidates Forum on Arts & Culture

Tuesday, Aug. 25
6:00 to 7:30 pm
VSA North Fourth Arts Center
Albuquerque

A public form.

Members of the arts and cultural community as well as memb ers of the public will have the chance to ask the candidates for the city’s highest office to clarify their positions.

All of the candidates have been invited to attend.

Members of OFFCenter's Board, staff and artists plan to attend. We are formulating questions for the candidates. Let's hope we get called on! (The questions are submitted ahead of time.)

Volunteers are Very Important

Have you seen folks in OFFCenter around a table talking about things like "Where will they park?", "Who will do the food?", "When does it have to be done by?"- and most importantly- "Who will get it done?"

If so, you may be seeing OFFCenter Board of Directors and other volunteers in action. OFFCenter provides open studio hours for many emerging or yet to emerge artists and hosts lots of structured activities for our community. But OFFCenter also does regular and continual fundraising efforts through a variety of events that are crucial to keep OFFCenter alive and available to our community. When the events happen it may seem like they just happen, but really they take a lot of planning and effort beforehand and during the event.

The new First Friday Coffeehouses with live music on the first Friday of each month is one of these events. If you would like to help with any of our ongoing fundraising and organizing events let a staff person at OFFCenter know, or join in when you see one of the planning meetings happening. WE can do it all together:)

Board of Directors Retreat 2009

Sharie's Studio Journal

Greetings to all: The Board of Directors met this past Saturday in "Retreat" lol I think it is funny to call it a retreat because we worked. We met because we as individuals truly believe in OFFCenter and what it offers and stands for in the community. This was a time for us to become better acquainted with each other and learn a little more about each other. I think this is important because I see the board as a team and our purpose is to make sure OFFCenter continues to be an important part of the community as well as the safe haven it has become for so many artists. These board members are in the studio either making their own art or for a meeting working on the next project to promote OFFCenter. If you know who they are and would like to meet any of them ask Marcia or Ron to introduce you or point us out to you and come talk to us. We truly want OFFCenter to be the best it can be and if you have questions or concerns or suggestions please let one of know.

I also encourage you to attend and participate in the Emerging Artist Meeting on Thursday at 5:30 pm. That is an excellent place to learn more about OFFCenter and how things happen there.

Hope to see you and or meet you soon.

Sharie