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!

Beeswax Painting & Collage Workshop

Art workshop with Lindy Hurst

Sunday, June 13, 1-4pm

Have fun painting & collaging with pigmented encaustic. The results are very exciting and beautiful even if you have never drawn or painted before!

Just bring some small sketches, drawings, and/or pictures and favorite embellishments and collage materials.

Cost: $35

Space is limited to 12 people, so call 505-247-1172 now!

Registration & pre-payment required.

Lindy has an MFA from UNM. She has been teaching all ages and levels in New Mexico -- from little kids up through college level and beyond for more than 20 years.

Mosaic Mirror Workshop with Lindy Hurst

Sunday, April 18th, 2010 1-4pm

Cost $35

All materials provided. (must pay and register in advance with OFFCenter -- 247-1172).

Embellish a small wall-hung mirror with ceramic mosaic and found objects.

Learn how to cut, set and grout mosaic.

Learn skills you can use on small planters, small murals, or walls at home!

All materials will be provided (tiles, grout, mirrors, all tools, etc) -- but if you would like to bring some favorite small trinkets, beads, etc to add to your piece, please do so!

Lindy has an MFA from UNM and has been teaching Folk Art workshops for more than 20 years in our community.

Sat. Altars of Light Panel Discussion & Art Making

Saturday, Apr. 10
Co-sponsored by the New Mexico Art Therapy Association

Pre-registration is required separately for the panel discussion and art making sessions. CEU credits are available for Art Therapists and Counselors. For more information and to register contact Sahnta at 505.264.3933.

PANEL DISCUSSION 10am-12pm
The panelists will use the images within the “Altars of Light” exhibit to focus on raising awareness, healing and making visible what has been lost as a result of sexual violence.

Panelists

• ROSEMARY IMHOF, Panel Facilitator – Art and Family Therapist at UNMH


• CYNTHIA COOK – Artist and Chicana Feminist


• DEBORAH GAVEL - Painter, Educator and Art Activist. Co-coordinator for site installations “Honoring Women”, “Women of Juarez’, and “Women of the West Mesa ”


• DOREENA TORRES - Detective with the Sheriff's Office of Sexual Violence.


• GWEN PACKARD - Native Americian Activist - issues of sexual violence.


• BEVERLY WILKINS – Director for Peaceful Nations Consulting, former Director ABQ Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence


• NANCY MANCE – Counselor with the Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center

ART MAKING WORKSHOP
Art and Family Therapist Rosemary Imhof will lead an art making session in response to the panel discussion and “Altars of Light” exhibit utilizing her training and experience to create an environment for participants to process through visual imagery, writing and sculpture.

Workshop runs from 1:30 to 3:30

From the Ninos y Mayores Art Making Playshops OFFCenter's outreach program with seniors and children at Barelas Community Center, these photos represent the collaging activities around the questions:
"Who am I?"
"Who are you?" and
"Who are we?"
The players will continue this project this Wednesday.

Silk Painting Class Photos

Claudia Fluegge taught basic silk painting using a variety of materials to a completely full class on Saturday. Here are a few photos of her "happy campers."

Intro. to Silk Painting with Claudia Fluegge

Saturday, Feb 20th, 1-4pm

Painting on silk is a playful and colorful adventure. If you have never tried it, this is your change to take an excellent class with the accomplished instructor and artist Claudia Fluegge. Claudia has won numerous national awards for her silk painting work and currently exhibits at Weyrich Gallery in albuquerque.

Class participants will start by stretching a white piece of silk over a fraeme. Then Claudia will lead you through an exploration of basic silk painting techniques such as salting, outlining (in addition to the gutta resist we will be working with soy wax) and applying dyes with a paintbrush.

Usually there is enough time to make two pieces. Finished pieces must be steamed to fix the dyes. Claudia will charge $2 per piece if you would like her to do the steaning for you.

If you have previously taken tis class, she would love to have you back to do more painting.

Art Making Playshops: Ninos y Mayores

Join us at Barelas Senior Center for a new program for elders and school age children.

Classes begin this spring at Barelas and culminate in a show at OFFCenter.

Contact Ron at OFFCenter (247-1172) or Roberta Marquez (269-0829).

This project made possible in part by a grant from the New Mexico Arts, Dept. of Cultural Affairs, State of New Mexico.

Just click anywhere on the image above about the Children and Elder Art Making Playshops to see the info larger...

Valentines Art Making Gathering

Wednesday, February 10^th, 2010 5-7pm Free

Come join in an evening of art making with others from the OFFCenter community of artists!

This Wednesday night from 5-7pm.

Choose from a variety of materials to create cards, gifts and other unique Valentine gifts. Bring along your friends and family.

Friends and Dragons

Our 2010 occasional Wednesday night workshops are proving to be popular and fruitful this year! Last Wednesday was a Chinese paper dragons intensive, in celebration of Chinese New year, led by longtime OFFCenter friend and art teacher Ann Dunbar.

Next Wednesday evening, it will be Valentine Gifts. Stay tuned for more info here, or check our OFFCenter Calendar on our main website. Come on by! All ages are welcome.

Wednesday Night Workshop -- Chinese Paper Dragons

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 5-7pm

Get ready for this year’s Chinese New Year!

Join Ann Dunbar who will lead this structured workshop to create your very own Chinese Paper Dragon!

It will be a concentrated two hours of cutting, folding and gluing resulting in a delightful paper dragon that you will cherish.

Children under eight may need adult help to finish on time. All ages welcome!

$5 donation requested per dragon

Experimental Art Klub begins Wednesday Jan. 20th

Experimental Art Klub begins Wednesday, January 20th, from 5-7pm

Continues every third Wednesday of the month until June!

Free!

A collaborative project led by Mary Lambert and Micaela Seidel.

Learn about new artists, try new materials and techniques, and within the time limit bring a work of art to completion. Every month Micaela and Mary will choose a new artist or type of art for inspiration to create a work of art for the month.

Participants will have a monthly “show” to share what they have done and exchange some of the challenges/rewards from that month’s experiment.

Join the experiment! Just drop in.

The January artist is Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Check out the following web sites for more info.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedensreich_Hundertwasser
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundertwasserhaus

Another OFFCenter event for Girl Scouts

OFFCenter is an ideal place for special event art workshops or birthday parties. On Saturday, December 12th, 26 young girls earned their Girl Scout Jeweler badges at the OFFCenter Community Art studio. Pictured above, instructor and former scout leader, Beverly Lazar presents one of the badges. Check the Trails of Fun calendar for more upcoming badge events in 2010 at OFFCenter. If you are interested in scheduling a special event call 247.1172 for more information.

Free Holiday Arts Nights in December

Free Holiday Art Nights in December

FREE Holiday Art Nights on Wednesdays in December
5 to 7:30 pm (open late for these special event nights)

• Free and open to anyone.
• Bring your family!

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Gift cards and RECYCLED PLASTIC PLACEMATS
Wednesday, December 2nd

Roberta Delgado will demonstrate a simple printing technique to your produce beautiful personalized cards.
Marci Sednek will also demonstrate how to produce laminated recycled plastic placemats using the same process used for our signature OFFBAGs.

• Both products are great ideas for the holidays.
• Bring your recycled plastic to use and share.
• Free and open to anyone.
• Bring your family.

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Ornaments and GIFT CLOTHING AND SCARVES
Wednesday, December 9th

Susan Tische will be on hand to show how to turn recycled fabrics into the coolest attire.

Also we will be producing pass-around ornaments. What is this? Small groups of artists will sit around a table of materials and work for 5 minutes on an ornament design and then pass it to the next artist. The ornament is passed around the group until it returns to the originator in its finished glory! Great spontaneous fun!

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Holiday gift bags and paper
Wednesday, December 16th

Our last Holiday art night this year will feature decorating paper and folding gift bags using stamps, paints, markers, glitter and anything else you can find in the studio that touches your spirit!

Sharie's Studio Journal: Girl Scouts revisit OFFCenter

Hi everyone: Last weekend I was privileged to be a part of a couple of workshops held at OFFCenter for Girl Scouts working toward earning badges. I watched as these talented young ladies moved from one activity to the next as they participated. I was impressed as they helped each other by explaining the next project and how to use the materials provided. It also brought back some very fond memories of my own years as a Girl Scout.

There were two sessions and two different age groups for the day. Yes the girls had fun and made some beautiful art and jewelery to take home with them as well as earning their badge; but OFFCenter made some new friends as parents who attended with their daughters and granddaughters found a new resource for family activities and maybe a new way to study art for some who home school. One of those memories was of the "Friendship Circle" at the close of a troop meeting we joined hands and sang a song entitled "Make New Friends" I have to admit it warmed my heart when at the end of the day the girls and their parents and leaders joined hands and sang that same song.

There will be more such workshops and I hope to be a part of them. It is another great way for the community to be a part of OFFCenter and vica versa.---TTFN Sharie

Repujado Workshop Oct. 24

Repujado is an old European metalworking technique -- called "repousse" in French, where special tools are used to add dimention and texture to metal. This technique can add a beautiful lustre and antique finish to metal.


Come join us on October 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The $60 course fee includes all materials. Please call OFFCenter at 505-247-1172 for more information -- your payment must be received at time of registration to confirm your spot in the class.




Jolanta Feliciano is a local repujado expert, who we're happy to have back at OFFCenter for another workshop.

Is OFFCenter *your* muse?

Here's an interesting perspective from one of Dave Blecha's talented drawing class students:

"Often we think of a person when we think of a muse ...and very often a person is. But this center has been a "muse" for me. A creative energy infuses this place. The intentions of so many people who have passed through here has fed the positive energy here. So much so that the creative energy has become an entity in and of itself......available to anyone who wants to tap into it."

--Eva

Thank you, Eva, for allowing us to share your insights here.

Dave's free drawing and painting classes are on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Twenty-seven Days til the Folk Art Festival

Won't you join us? Make puppets, dance, sell your art, make art in the kid's tent, stroll the park and listen to great music. Click the link for more information: http://www.offcenterarts.org/folkartfest.htm

Workshop: "Taking Flight" Parade Puppets with Wings

Saturday, August 29th

morning session 8:30am – 11:30am

afternoon session 2pm – 5pm

Free parade puppet making workshop!

Participants may make animals such as birds or butterflies or angels or other winged beings.

There will be two 3 hour sessions; 8:30am -11:30 am and 2pm-5pm. We will take a long break at lunch to allow the papier mache to dry.

The following Saturday, September 5th, participants may work on any unfinished pieces.

Workshop leader Sunny Birklund has been making and performing with puppets for over 20 years. She especially loves giant puppets and has helped many people over the years make their own characters with papier mache to participate in festivals and parades.

NOTE: These photos were taken at previous years' We Art the People giant puppet salsa parades, by Albuquerque photographer Deanna Nichols. See more of her photos on Flickr Thank you, Deanna, for allowing us to share them here.

P.S. The We Art the People parade is an annual event sponsored by OFFCenter to kick off our Folk Art Festival. This year's Festival is only a few days away -- come join us in Robinson Park, Sunday, Sept. 13!

Please contact OFFCenter to register for this workshop -- 505-247-1172.