OFFBags at Form & Function - 516 Arts

The OFFCenter artists and designers, who created and continue to make OFFBags, are being recognized for their work for exploring sustainability, reuse, decoration and innovation in designs and production of these one-of-a-kind, unique creations at 516 Arts' Form & Function exhibit.

OFFCenter will be at 516 Arts with about a dozen other artists and designers showing work in this vein. There will be a selection of OFFBags (made from recycled materials, lovingly gathered by OFFCenter artists) available for purchase at FORM & FUNCTION. Also at the exhibit, the new satchel models will be unveiled and available for purchase. Proceeds from sales will mostly benefit OFFCenter with a small amount to benefit 516 Arts, a non-profit whose vision "is to be an active partner in developing Albuquerque's cultural landscape...and offers programs that inspire curiosity, dialogue, risk-taking and creative experimentation, showcasing a mix of established, emerging, local, national and international artists from a variety of cultural backgrounds." We're proud that 516 Arts has chosen OFFCenter as one of their many collaborative partners toward achieving these goals.

FORM & FUNCTION
Exhibit at 516 Arts, 516 Central, SW
Public Opening Reception: Saturday, February 6, 6-8pm 516 Arts Member Preview: 5-6, Music by Soul Calypso
Artists: AREAWARE, Eliana Arenas, Angelo Arnold, ART GENS, Roger Atkins, Julia Barello, Sonya Cramer, Roberto Gallegos, Welmoed Laanstra, Cal Lane, Maria Michails, OFFCenter, Beth Rekow, Joan Weissman

A Heart Day's Night -- Valentine Art Sale

MAKE ART ~ BUY ART ~ MEET NEW FRIENDS
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Sunday, February 7
10am -- 2pm

Come visit OFFCenter's
Annual Valentine's Day Gift Sale
featuing a dozen of OFFCenter's studio artists.

Stop by and pick out some special artwork for that special someone!

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

Call for Entries: The Art of Devotion

Artists reveal through their art their devotion: people, places, things, ideas...

What's your devotion? Art you devoted to -- your lover? Family? Spiritual guides? Landscape? Animals? The artistic process? Squiggles? Lines, circles or squares?

Share your devotion with the world and specifically the OFFCenter community for the St. Valentine's month show "The Art of Devotion."

Please submit your artwork in any medium to OFFCenter by Jan. 29th. Show opens Feb. 5th.

This show is open to everyone, but please, one entry per artist.

Last Call for Holiday Gift Shopping!

OFFCenter studio and gift shop will remain open on Tuesday, Dec. 22 and Wednesday, Dec. 23. After that, the studio will close for a two-week holiday break, opening again on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Did you know that 80% of your purchase price goes right back to the artist who produced it? Yes, it does. Did you know that the 20% retained by OFFCenter goes right back into open studio opportunities for other emerging artists? Yep. So your purchase helps the OFFCenter community sustain our mission of providing economic development opportunities for local emerging artists, some of whom could really use that 80% commission at this time of year!

Now is your almost-last chance to purchase holiday gifts for the unique, edgy, cozy, community-loving, quirky, fan of handmade and recycled art and craft person in your life. (Maybe that person is you!)

Our gift shop features original paintings, assemblage, tin work, beadwork, brooches, earrings, purses, altered and recycled household items, along with brilliant and quirky creations by emerging artists from all around our community. We also sell lots and lots of handmade greeting cards in a variety of styles.

Lots of wonderful artists are represented in our shop, including the highly collectible work of Mark Garcia, Marcia Sednek, and Joey Goss. We still have a couple of small paintings on wood by Jesse Reno and of course we have a variety of our studio-produced OFFBags, our sturdy & stylish market bags made of recycled plastic.

Won't you find some time to stop by this Tuesday or Wednesday? And thank for all of your support throughout the year, too.

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.

RANA Float wins Neighborhood Cup in Twinkle Light Parade!

THANK YOU AGAIN to OFFCenter for making the RANA Twinkle Light Parade float banners.... and Guess What? - THE RANA FLOAT WON The Neighborhood Cup!!! (the first prize for neighborhood association floats)

Thank you, Craft Punk Fashion Show vol 2

Many thanks to Evolution Body Piercing, Crystal Sims and all the volunteers behind the Craft Punk 2 Fashion Show, held at the Launchpad on November 13th, for donating the proceeds of their event to OFFCenter.

Your wonderful generosity helps us to continue our work in providing a creative, supportive and safe environment for the whole community to make art, to attend workshops, and for our artists to sell their work in the Shop, and participate in gallery shows.

In total, the Fashion Show donated a whopping $2,800 to OFFCenter. Thank you so much!

Red or Green? RANA Twinkle Light Parade Float

WoW- the RANA (Raynolds Addition Neighborhood Association) Twinkle Light Parade Float looked great thanks in large part to the great banners created at OFFCenter. Thankyou OFFCenter for contributing to our neighborhood association float!! Washington Middle School kids (dancers, choir singers, and mariachi players) had a blast on the float during the parade. Check out these pictures...

Take OFF! with your OFFBag (c)

Shopping ~ Travelling ~ For Work or Play~

Every OFFBag is totally unique, made with recycled materials,
lovingly gathered by OFFCenter artists.

You can get your unique OFFBag in Albuquerque and Santa Fe:

OFFCenter Shop 505-247-1172

808 Park Ave SW ~ 8th & Central SW Downtown ABQ

Mama's Minerals 505-266-8443

1100 San Mateo NE at Lomas ~ Ace Courtyard, ABQ

Earthprints

100 E. San Francisco at La Fonda Hotel, Santa Fe

Visit OFFCenter for edgy, cool, handmade & affordable gifts

First Friday Coffeehouse and Bonnie's Birthday Bash

COME TO THE PARTY!!

Have you been to a First Friday at OFFCenter lately? There is a big one coming up... This Friday, December 4, 2009 come celebrate OFFCenter's Anniversary and Bonnie Bluhm's birthday bash and the Holiday Gift Show at our December First Friday Coffeehouse. OFFCenter's unique gift shop is chock full of locally made art and you never know what handmade treasure you'll find there! There will also be great music and some fun snacks to enjoy - Join the party from 5-8:30 pm!

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: Twinklelight Parade

Greetings: Well the holiday season is upon us again--The stores have all their Christmas decor out, everyone is shopping or planning their shopping trips and lists and just generally getting ready for Thanksgiving and the Friday Sales in all the malls etc. OFFCenter is preparing to help out in this area. We have work shops coming up to help relieve the stress and pressure so watch the calendar and join our family friendly gift making workshops and wrapping paper and gift bag making workshops in the coming weeks. Again watch the calendar for the dates and c'mon down and join in the fun and spirit of the season.

An OFFCenter potluck Thanksgiving meal will be shared with and by artists and friends of OFFCenter this coming Wednesday November 25 from 1 til 6 PM. Join us with your favorite dish and what you are thankful for this year.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have been involved in the creation of OFFCenter and to still be an active participating artist. I cannot even think of how different my life would be without this organization and the many opportunities to explore my creative side. Today was one such opportunity--Several of us created canvas banners to be displayed on the sides of a float for RANA (Raynolds Addition Neighborhood Association) in the upcoming TwinkleLight Parade. The Parade will be this coming Saturday November 28 at 5:15pm traveling from Central and 3rd St. to the Botanical Gardens. Washington Middle School students are participating by playing mariachi music and singing carols on the float and a WMS dance troupe will even follow the float along with other RANA neighbors. This is one more way that we at OFFCenter build our community involvement and get support from and give support to the neighborhood. Those of us that worked on these banners had a great time together getting better acquainted with each other as well as meeting new friends as they joined us in the creation of the banners (see photos)

I look forward to seeing you in the studio in the coming days and weeks as the holidays approach. Happy and safe Thanksgiving to you all---Sharie

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