Sharie's Studio Journal

Hello everyone!! It has been a while since I have been able to "blog" You know the old saying when it rains it pours?? Well it certainly has in my life this year so I have not been in the studio as much as I would like to but the Saturday hours have helped. On one such Saturday last month I was talking with my friend, artist and former board member Juanita Sanchez. Since her retirement from Sandia Labs she has done several things to stay busy and most recently she has been driving a group of Senior Citezens to various places to preform musically. This summer they traveled to Las Cruces to compete in Senior Olympics. Wel-l-l-l-l Juanita competed too and came home with two Gold Medals. One medal was for reading an original poem that she wrote (she is a published poet). The other medal was for her musical talent she played an original composition on a Native American flute. Juanita is a multi talented person witty and funny and I consider myself priveledged to know her and to be able to call her friend. Congratulations!!! Juanita, on your two Gold Medals.

Call for Submissions!

Craft Punk 3 Raises $3000 for OFFCenter! OMG!

After hearing that OFFCenter Arts was going to be the beneficiary of Craft Punk 3 for the second time this year we felt a little numb from the remarkable generosity and support shown towards OFFCenter and the many artists who use and benefit from our free community studio. We were fascinated by the passion and creativity of the Craft Punk artists and send our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in the event at the Launch Pad on Friday, August 13th. Our special thanks goes out to Crystal Sims of Evolution Body Piercing and her capable team whose vision and dedication made this year's Craft Punk event a smashing success!!
http://www.evolutionpiercing.com/

A Shout Out toTerry Begay

Terry epitomizes the spirit of OFFCenter's community art studio. Passionate and capable, friendly and funny, Terry alternates as a teacher and student who constantly experiments in his work blending traditional and modern into his unique artistic expressions. Hungry to learn and eager to share his knowledge, Terry is a positive influence on every artist in the studio. Today we honor Terry's acceptance into the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe where Terry will pursue his artistic development through higher education.

Reminder: OFFCenter Closed July 1-3

OFFCenter will be closed Thursday July 1, Friday July 2, and Saturday July 3. Have a happy and safe July 4 holiday weekend and we'll see you again on Tuesday July 6!

Summer fun at OFFCenter and Downtown Grower's Market :)

Summer is in full swing at OFFCenter with our new Saturday 10am- 2pm hours, coinciding with the dates of the Downtown Grower's Market. You can find great OFFCenter art and support your local artists at the OFFCenter table at the Downtown Grower's Market at Robinson Park (just across the street from OFFCenter) every Saturday morning from 7 - 11 am this summer. Then after 10 am you can come across the street to create your own art too! OFFCenter... Make Art, Buy Art, Meet New Friends!

Ninos y mayores, Children and elders final exhibit

exhibit - Children and Elders intergenerational workshop

runs through June 18th

This exhibit features a series of collaborative art works produced by neighborhood children and elders over the last several months.

The project brought children and elders together to interact, share and explore each other’s lives in a variety of exercises facilitated by educator Roberta Marquez at the Barelas Senior Center .

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

Call for Art: Things in the Air

Things in the Air
Entries due July 9th and 10th.
Exhibit Opens Friday, July 16th 5pm –8pm

Is it a bird? a plane? a UFO? a kite?

Unleash your imagination and let it soar using this year’s theme for the “We ART the People” folk festival!

• A call for art in any medium for a non-juried community art show.
• Entries limited 2 pieces per person please.
• All work should be dropped off by Saturday, July 10th . no entry fee.
• For further information call 247-1172.

OFFCenter Proud to Host Senior Project Art Exhibit!

Sandia Prep Senior Project

Daisy Santistevan

Traditional & Digital Photography Exhibit

Exhibit Opens June 9th, 5 - 8pm

Up through June 12th

Daisy told OFFCenter:

"Daisy Santistevan is a recent graduate of Sandia Preparatory School committed to bringing her artwork to life. This photo show is a portrait project meant to show different sides of a person in black and white film versus color digital. She did all the work by hand in a photo lab at her school for A Senior Project in order to help her graduate. The senior project is something all the seniors do; the senior class takes the last month off of school to work for 30 hrs/week for no pay in order to prep themselves for the work world they are going to enter right after high school if they're not already in the world of work. "I anticipated a lot of work," recent graduate says, "but i definitely didn't anticipate THIS much." Daisy Santistevan is going to go to the University of New Mexico this fall and is looking forward to many art classes, including: ceramics, photography and illustration. Anyone and everyone is invited to enjoy her show, Opening June 9th at 5pm and up through Sat. June 12th at 2 pm.

Special "thank you"s go out to Michael Hudock, Ellen Santistevan (*mom), Artisan art supplies, Sandia Prep, Cody Rixse, Joshua Chappell, Mark Santistevan jr, Chelsea Huff, Corey Norman, Jeremy Maloy, and Joseph Gonda."

Congratulations Daisy! We're proud of your hard work in art and photography and wish you a long, creative and productive future! OFFCenter is proud to host this event.

Marci's Cuttin' it Up! Albuquerque the Magazine!

Kudos to Marci!

OFFCenter shop manager and artist-extra-ordinaire Marcia Sednek keeps finding new audiences with increasing popularity and interest in her unique "RE"creations.

Ashley M. Biggers of Albuquerque the Magazine recently interviewed Marci for an article as Albuquerque's "Creatives" highlight (photos by Liz Lopez) for the June 2010 issue.

Get your copy now!

http://www.abqthemag.com/current/7.php

OFFCenter at the Downtown Grower's Market

Yeehaw! OFFCenter will have a booth this year, every Saturday, at the Downtown Grower's Market.

We'll be selling our great one-of-a-kind quirky handmade crafts, recycled and repurposed goodies for your home, and gifts for your loved ones. As usual, a huge chunk of the selling price goes right back to our artists, so you know you are supporting our mission -- which is to provide economic development opportunities for emerging community artists.

Stop by and say hello when you go the market.

Here's the where and when of it all:

2010 Opening Day entertainment by Joe Daddy & the Fat Cats/ Higher Ground Bluegrass.
Jun 5, 2010 (and every Saturday through October!)
7:00 to 11:00am

Robinson Park 8th & Central S.W.Albuquerque, NM 87102

(right across from OFFCenter!)

Folk Art Festival 2010 -- CALL FOR ARTIST VENDORS

We ART The People Folk Art Festival and Giant Puppet Parade
September 12, 2010 (Sunday)
10am - 5pm
Robinson Park - 8th and Central SW

Heads up Fellow Artist and Crafters – OFFCenter’s upcoming "We ART the People" Folk Art Festival will be accepting applications for booths starting on JUNE 1st, 2010.

Please note: Only handcrafted work made by the booth artist will be accepted and displayed in our annual Folk Art Festival.

We heard your suggestions last year and we are assigning booth space this year. Booth reservations are on a first come, first served basis. So if you know the spot you want you will need to do the following:

1. Come to OFF Center starting on Tuesday, JUNE 1st. (No early applications will be accepted.)
2. Ask for Marcie.
3. Please bring a sample(s) or photo(s) of your handcrafted work that you will be displaying.
4. Fill out the application in person.
5. Choose you booth location(s)
6. Pay via cash, check or credit card -- booth fee is $30.00

We have a large map at OffCenter that has the park divided in 117 booth spaces. There is a perfect one for each and every one of you!

We look forward to your participation. If you have any questions please call Marci for more information at 505-274-1172.

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.

The most common blessing, a poem by Tani Arness

Albuquerque poet Tani Arness, who read at OFFCenter a few months back, sent us this excellent poem today:

The most common blessing

I.
The long-tailed birds are calling to me.
They are calling me into the coppery
brambles of winter. They keep promising
a pretty treat, a shree, a pretty treat, a feat. . .

II.
I have wrapped the sun under one arm
and the moon under the other
and I am prepared to carry them
as far as necessary—

III.
Reflections of yesterday and tomorrow shadow
the smalls of my eyes—
photos of birds on a wire,
songbirds balancing ecosystems in their beaks.
Birds are the most common blessing—
we forget to etch with ink their eyes—deep black.
I want to find, in art, my healing. . .
the first etching—a bird on a pole,
the last etching—a war song of sparrows.
Each moment the crows call to each other.
Each moment we listen or we don’t listen.

IV.
The ripple, jagged with affection,
is not right or wrong,
it simply loves us.
Can you understand
such a thing?
The mountains surrender their form to horizon,
The wind whispers over flickering black stones.
When will we let the world love us?


V.
All our relations,
each crane, each goose,
restores
a piece of the living.
I Feel it in the hollow of my bones,
the blue dusk. . .
Nothing more is necessary.
The stars fold the sky
into my direction.

VI.
I race with black-tipped wings
and white face into the curve
of canyon. The sky a path of rivers—

June First Friday Coffeehouse with Jasper!

Friday, June 4

Come listen and dance to the popular eclectic rock and roots band trio JASPER.

JASPER features Frank McCullough III on electric guitar and banjo, Terry Bluhm on stand-up bass, and Jefferson Voorhees on drums and percussion. All three members contribute vocals.

Special guest: Singer/songwriter George Page

~Singer-songwriter Bonnie Bluhm hosts.
~Doors open at 5 pm. Music starts 6 pm and ends about 8:30pm.
~Ongoing art exhibit is SHELTER.
~Admission is free and coffee and refreshments will be available.
~The OFFCenter Art Shop will be open featuring the work of over 100 local folk artists.

All ages welcome! A community art making table will be set up for you and your family to make art throughout the evening. See you there! Big Fun Tonight!!

A Pass The Hat Production.