Rick's B-Day Celebration

Longtime OFFCenter artist and volunteer Rick Hughart has his cake and eats it too along with a few friends who stopped by from the 19th Century to celebrate. You never know who will be making art in the studio so stop in when you get a chance and join the fun. Make art, buy art and meet new friends at OFFCenter!! By the way, that is a bottle of non-alchoholic sparkling cider on the table....

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.

Call for Entries: "Shelter: A Refuge..."

“SHELTER: A Refuge for Mind, Body and Soul”

Whether in a tent, in a friend’s company, or by reading a good book, everyone seeks refuge from the world’s stresses and dangers. Once sheltered, we begin the process of restoration.

• Calling for artwork in any medium exploring how we find shelter and restoration in our lives.



• No fee.
• Non-juried community exhibit.
• Limit 2 entries per artist subject to space available.
• Artists are encouraged to provide statements about their art work.

Accepting work on Friday, April 23rd and Tuesday, April 27th at OFFCenter between noon and 6pm.

Exhibit Opens on Friday, May 7th 5-8pm.

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

Sharie"s Studio Journal

Happy Easter Everyone WEll we kicked off the Easter weekend with a well attended opening of the current show Altars of Light. It is a very impressive and moving collection of artwork. I want to say I thnk it is great to see OFFCenter Board of Directors in attendance at these events and we had eight in the house Friday night. I want to say thank you to all of you who attended and to those of you who "popped in " I think it is important for others to see board members there supporting the community. Thanks to you all for being a part of OFFCenter and keeping it going.

If you were not able to attend the opening please drop in during the week and have a look it is a great show.

Don't forget to get your tickets for the upcoming House Tour you can get them online or go by the studio and pick them up The date of the tour is May 1 (May Day)

Have a great weekend----Sharie

Purchase your House Tour tickets online

This year you have one more option for purchasing your Albuquirky House Tour tickets -- you can buy them right online at our website, via Paypal. Paypal is very secure, and you don't even need a Paypal account. You can use a credit card or bank transfer, or your good old Paypal account.

If this is an easier way for you to get your tickets, just click the link or image below to go to our House Tour page, then click on the Add to Cart button. We can mail them out to you until about a week before the event on May 1 (see the web page for more details).

OFFCenter's 2010 Albuquirky House Tour

Of course, you can still call 505-247-1172 to order your tickets (you'll need to give your credit card info), or stop in and pick them up.

We're still here -- thanks you YOU. We appreciate your support.

Altars of Light Exhibition Opening

Part 1 of a 3-event series, co-sponsored by the New Mexico Art Therapy Association and OFFCenter.

The NMATA will host a 3 part series of events at OFFCenter in April to raise awareness of the aftermath of sexual violence – an issue that touches every person in our society in often untold ways.

The series includes this public art exhibit, a panel discussion and a guided art making session.

Exhibit curators: Rose Buffalo and a selected group of art therapists who work with those harmed by sexual violence.

The “Altars of Light” project was started in 2008 by Rose Buffalo in response to the widespread occurrence of sexual abuse in the military. This show is the 5th in a series of events inspired by Rose’s work to promote healing, raise awareness and end the violence of sexual assault in our society.

Exhibit opens on Friday, April 2, from 5-8pm

Many thanks to Winning Coffee Co. and Roma Bakery & Deli for donating refreshments.

OFFCenter in the News:KRQE's Offbeat Homes story

Many thanks to Deanna Sauceda and crew at KRQE for their piece this morning about our upcoming annual fundraiser, the Albuquirky House Tour.

To read the story and see the video, which previews two of our three quirky homes, visit KRQE's website story below:

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/krqe_mornings/offbeat-homes-more-than-living-space

The video is AWESOME and we're sure you'll want to pick up your tickets early for this wonderful event (tune in over the next few days for more info, or visit our House Tour page on our website NOW):

http://www.offcenterarts.org/housetour.htm

Thanks again to KRQE, and thanks to you for supporting OFFCenter's free programs.

Sharie's Studio Journal

Hello everyone I do appologize for my extended absence but the winter hours for the studio have not been good for me to have the time in the studio but hopefully soon I will be back in the studio. I do want to remind you all to watch Breaking Bad a series on the AMC channel (65) this Sunday night at 8 pm I think. Now please I am not promoting the program because I cannot condon making and selling drugs for any reason. I am reminding everyone who can to watch and look at the props used because last summer a member of their production crew a set director came into OFFCenter and purchased some art to use as props in this seasons program and she told me the story line when I told her I had never watched the show. I still cannot "get into the story line" but I will watch because she purchased a few of the Albuquirky House Tour "Little Houses" and some other pieces as well and so I will be looking for those (smile) Remember the 2010 House Tour is coming up May First May Day get your tickets you can buy online just go to the OFFCenter website of to the studio. If you have started a collection of "Little Houses" there will be new ones in the studio and if you don't have a collection it is not too late to start one.
See you around. Watch Breaking Bad Sunday 8p.m. ?? Get your house tour tickets before they are gone. Sharie

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.

Dual Exhibit at OFFCenter

DUAL EXHIBIT - MARCH 16 - 26
Dave Blecha's Drawing & Painting Class
with Tres Amigos

The Drawing & Painting Class lead by Dave Blecha that meets every Tuesday from 1 - 3 pm at OFFCenter, and Tres Amigos (an art collaborative that gathers and makes art at OFFCenter) are exhibiting together for a brief show in the OFFCenter Gallery.

2 members (from several regular attendees) of
Dave Blecha's Drawing & Painting Class:
Eva Casey & Diane Moody with Dave Blecha

Tres Amigos is a group of three special people and their avid supporters. Their show has a special tribute to Stephanie Anderson, an artist whose kindness was appreciated and who is sorely missed.






Tres Amigos Exhibit

Koffi Earns His Strings!

Today, Kay graduated Koffi after he completed 12 weeks of guitar instruction. Koffi cruised through his 5 song recital and received a new guitar for his efforts. Anyone can join iCreates Beginning Guitar class which is held weekly on Wednesday's between 3:30 and 4:15pm in the studio. Congratulations Koffi! Please keep the music coming...

Thank you, Rooster's Downtown

Special thanks to Rooster's Downtown, just down the road from us at 320 Central Ave. Rooster's will donate coffee and snacks for our upcoming First Friday Coffeehouse on Mar. 5

Which...
in case you haven't heard us shouting about it already...
will feature...

WAGOGO!

There, we said it Again!

Come on by from 5 to 8 for our First Friday (Artscrawl) Coffeehouse. Wagogo will play starting at 6:00. Gift shop and gallery, open of course.

FREE, but we won't turn down your donation when we pass the hat.

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!

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."