ysartsadmin

26
Nov
2019

Gratitude for the Holidays

 

What does it take for a tiny Arts Council, on a tiny budget, to get everything done? Volunteers! Lots of fabulous volunteers.

How does our Arts Council keep a Gallery open, have a Permanent Collection, put together a Wheeling Gaunt Sculpture Project, an Art History Series, run an Open Studios event and have a Holiday Art Jumble and …well, just do so much?

We have a Board of volunteers and a few part time staff- but it’s the volunteers that make so much possible in Arts Council!

So who are these wonderful volunteers?

The Board. Jerome Borchers, Nick Gaskins, Matt Cole, Valerie Blackwell-Truitt, Tim Barhorst, Sean Devine and Christine Klinger

The Gallery Committee-

Mary Cargan, Kathy Moulton, Dianne Collinson, Theresa Mayer, Jonatha Wright, Mia Knight, Maxine Skuba, Angie Day, Talitha Greene, and Angela Smith

I call them the Glorious Gallery Committee because they are Glorious. We meet once a month.

They help plan what is coming up, one thing we’ve got planned for next year is a wonderful, goofy, interactive surprise for the community.

We discuss things that come through the arts council e-mail and how to answer it.

This past year we started an Art Blog on the YSAC Website, thanks to our newest member Angela Smith.

The Gallery Committee gives advice when I’m panicking-they get e mails titled Help!

They hang the members show and make the party happen for the reception.

They put together the Jumble in November, which is a lot of work sorting, cleaning, hanging, arranging and pricing the myriad of fabulous arty stuff that we get donated.

They plan special events and help host at receptions and bring yummy food.

Kathy Moulton makes individual name tags and wonderful reception games and beautiful signs for us.

She also painted (for the second time, she made our last one too!) a fabulous new Arts Council sign for the building.

The Gallery Committee shows up to scrape fences and pull weeds.

This past year they have put together a new program we are starting next year called The Emerging Artist Program. Dianne Collinson and Maxine Skuba wrote the details and designed a brochure.

The Stewardship Committee

Julia Cady, Kathy Moulton, Anna Arbor, Margrit Petrie, Brian Maughan, Bette Kelley, Pat Robinow, Debbie Chlebek, Nancy Howell-Koehler, Aaron Zaremsky, Christine Klinger and Paige Babbs is our Archivist

The Stewardship Committee was started to support and protect the Permanent Collection. The Permanent Collection is about the art and the artists of Yellow Springs.

The Stewardship Committee makes decisions about what, when and where the art is collected, keeps records of donations of art and struggles with how best to keep the collection safe and in view of our community. Kathy Moulton is making a wonderful book of pictures and information about each piece in the collection. For years she has kept a spread sheet record of the collection that grows ever larger as the collection grows. A couple of years back, Kathy made us a wonderful brochure for the collection with a map of where all the art is.

This past year we planned and hung and did the receptions for the “Timeline Show” and the “Nature of Things” show. These shows take place at the John Bryan Community Gallery which is the home base of the Permanent Collection. The Village Arts & Culture Commission partners with us in care giving for the Collection. Much of the Collection is still hosted by Antioch University Midwest. So there is a lot of moving of art between our 2 venues. Right now we are working on moving about half of the art from Antioch University Midwest to the John Bryan Center.

The Gallery Hosts

Mia Knight, Mary Cargan, Susan Harrison, Chris Hodgson, Brian Maughan, Holly Underwood, Margrit Petrie, Deb Henderson, Chris Zurbuchen, Susan Gartner, Christine Klinger, Mary Frost Pierson, Brian Millar, Luan Hite, Gayle Sampson, Talitha Greene, Marty Davenport, Angela day, Barbara Vandecreek, Nora Chalfont, Maxine Skuba, Harriet Dadras, Parviz Dadras, Jonatha Wright, Julia Cady, Bruce Parker, Sondy Kai, Lincoln Castricone

Gallery Hosts- We couldn’t have a gallery without them! They greet guests, take sales with our very primitive receipt system and are our early warning system that something needs fixing or changing. Like the toilet is broken, the lock box key has gone awol again or we are out of paper towels or please give us information about the artists, so we can talk about them to our guests. They come up with great ideas. And after sitting with the art for 3 hours, they tend to purchase art!

YS Open Studios Committee

Sara Gray, Dianne Collinson, Kathy Moulton and myself.

These volunteers are powerhouse women and artists, they created the YS open Studios and work hard on it every year. Karen Wintrow and Alex Scott from the Chamber work on this event too as partners.

And the wonder man is Nick Gaskins, of Bing Designs who volunteers his time to design the

YSOS Web Site, banners, brochures, rack cards, and ads.

Jumble Elves

I have a very soft spot in my heart for the Jumble Elves, because I love the Jumble and it takes a ton of people to make it happen- people donating and people getting the donations unpacked, sorted and cleaned and people who set up the Jumble, coordinate the Members Only Sneak Peek reception, and restock the Jumble daily and the ones who Gallery Host and do all the sales.

They are the Gallery Committee plus Susan Gartner (a woman of great heart and ingenuity, creating lovely things with bits of this and that. She designed gorgeous window scenes for the Jumble for a couple of years.), Sondy Kai,(who has also helped design and fix and refix our garden many times and for years was a member of the Gallery Committee) Holly Underwood (who has given us storage space for our left over arty stuff for a couple of years now-thank you, thank you!) and Julia Cady (who basically has done everything from cutting green boughs for decorating the tables to spending hours, gently untangling long strands of fiber art for a huge textile sculpture we were donated.)

Arts Council Shleppers

So whats a shlepper? It’s some one who moves stuff-art, boxes of Jumble arty things, tables and chairs for receptions etc.

Hays and Kathy Moulton answered an emergency, need-help-now kind of call to move tons of Jumble boxes this past year, Jerome Borchers our Arts Council President, is like the Ghost Busters- when we need something done”Who ya going to call?” He is a man with a van and a trailer and he is not afraid to use it. He is a shlepper par extraordinaire.. Holly Underwood, like superwoman, moves tons of jumble boxes into her attic and out of it each year. Julia Cady shlepps boxes of jumble donations to her home for overflow storage. Steven Deal is my husband and tends to pick up the pieces when I am desperate, he made up the shlepper designation. He has much experience in shlepping.

Gallery Host Coordinator

Mary Cargan is amazing- she quietly handles coordinating the Gallery Hosts- which can be a lot of communicating with people. She does many Hosting sessions herself and has personally pulled many a weed in our garden plots. All this besides being a member of the Glorious Gallery Committee.

Help with Advertising– Julia Cady was a well loved member of the Gallery Committee for years and still puts in our monthly gallery press on local internet calendars. She is also a member of the Stewardship Committee and bakes delicious cookies for our events! She gallery hosts and is storing boxes of jumble goodies and cuts greens to make our Jumble shop smell like the holidays. Nick Gaskins, of Bing Design is our Vice President and has designed our YSAC web site and the YS open Studios web site for us and updates them with Alex Scott. He designs our Brochures, monthly flyers, banners, 4 ups and ads.

Alcove Gallery Coordinator– Angela Smith is our latest member on the Gallery Committee. She moved to town 6 months ago and immediately started volunteering. Angela bowls me over with her answer to questions she says “I can do that.” And she can.

Art Shorthand Blog– Angela Smith said Yes and now runs our Art Blog.

I didn’t even add in all the volunteers on the Wheeling Gaunt Sculpture Project which is an amazing group on it’s own, with many wonderful partner organizations.

So that’s how a tiny Arts Council can do so many things. You are all appreciated greatly!

Thank you!

 

 

 

Posted by ysartsadmin in Art Shorthand Blog, 0 comments
14
Oct
2019

Getting Ready for Yellow Springs Open Studios

As a recent transplant to the area I have been looking for ways to connect to my local community. It was serendipitous for me to be able to connect with Nancy Mellon and join the Yellow Springs Art Council, and it was even more helpful when her blog, “How to Meet Other Artists in 10 Easy Steps”, came out.

So far some of the steps I have been able to check off are:

3. Join art organizations in the area.

9. Answer Calls for Artists.

10. Show Your Art

So far I have been able to join the Yellow Springs Art Council, so that I may connect with the local artist communities.  I have taken part in the Village Artisans “Art on the Lawn” event, and currently I am setting up for the Yellow Springs Open Studios for this upcoming weekend, October 19-20th. Most recently, I was able to showcase my photographic work at the Yellow Springs Brewery, where they have a wonderful rotating schedule of various local artists displaying their work in their taproom. All of this activity has inspired me for future artistic endeavors and for the upcoming Open Studios.

 

As a first time participant I have been trying to figure out the best way to connect with the visitors that may come.  Currently my studio space isn’t fully functional but the location of the space is still very open so that I am able to set up some of my work, some snacks, and have a demo ready to go for visitors.

Reaching out to several of the artists, that have participated in this event before, they said that showing the various stages of their medium was the best way for visitors to gain a better understanding.  Artist Sara Gray, Reflecting Whispers Glass Works, spoke about how different examples of her glass work is the best way to showcase the process and allows her to explain her use of molds for her intricate designs. She will also have her kiln on display for explaining the final steps of her process.

Bruce Parker, Azur Creations, is excited and will have plenty of his work on display.  He is working on displaying work that is in various stages as well, so that visitors can gain an understanding of how he formulates and makes his larger pieces. Eclectic, whimsical, sometimes kinetic his functional furniture and art made from interesting wood and reclaimed materials will definitely inspire visitors in his space.                                                                                     

Talitha Green, Talitha Green Studios, works with sterling silver, gold and mixed media for her jewelry. She will have pieces at different stages to show how she cuts many of her own stones and use them in her work.

                

Looking for a way to encourage visitors to participate at her studio Libby Rudolf, Libby’s Art, is going to be painting alongside those that stop by her space.  Having explanations of her process, her various paints, brushes, and more she is going to have a hands on experience for those who are interested in learning more about her painting process.

   

I, Angela Smith, am planning on showcasing printmaking works, photography pieces, and running a digital photography demo for visitors and their phones.  With photography being so present in our daily lives I will be marking interesting locations around my yard so that I can work with visitors on using the various settings their phone cameras may have and also help them gain a more discerning artistic eye.  Working on framing and composition can happen anywhere and at any moment, especially with our cameras conveniently in our pockets these days! So definitely swing by my studio to gain some insight into Digital Camera Photography this weekend.

               

18 Talented Artists  *  10 Local Studios  *  1 Incredible Event

Join us this upcoming weekend and connect with your local artists!

Yellow Springs Open Studios

MAP

 

 

 

 

 

 

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12
Sep
2019

Antioch University Midwest presents “New Paintings by Christine Klinger”

Salt Marsh Morning, oil/mixed media, 12″ x 12″, painting and photo by Christine Klinger

Antioch University Midwest, 900 Dayton St., Yellow Springs, OH, is presenting “New Paintings by Christine Klinger” from September 4 — October 31, 2019, in their Alcove Gallery.  Klinger, who lives in Yellow Springs, OH, will show her most recent and some of her older abstract and expressionistic work.  There will be an Artist Reception on Third Friday, September 20, from 3 PM – 5 PM.  Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to all.

Speaking about her work, Klinger says she is intrigued by painting’s many styles and challenges. “My paintings continue to evolve and change. When weather permits, I may paint outside in oils, so as to see and capture my impressions of the light. My themes are all Nature-oriented; painting, for me, is a meditation on Nature.

“Sometimes I work in a more abstract, expressionistic style. I find it is often the weather, my mood, and the various themes I choose to explore that dictate my work. In my more abstract work”, Klinger says, “I revel in spontaneity. Each piece begins as a spark or an idea – something that intrigues or surprises me but can evolve into something else as I work. These concepts come from a place in my subconscious, a place of mystery.  I begin to understand my work best when it is finished, when I can look for patterns in theme and style.”

Radiance, oil/wax/gold leaf, 18″ x 18″, painting and photo by Christine Klinger

Klinger is a Yellow Springs artist and art educator. She is also a member of the YS Arts Council Board of Trustees. She has taught painting, sculpture and photography at colleges and art centers in Ohio, South Carolina and California, and currently teaches in Yellow Springs. She has shown in several solo and group shows, including the Yellow Springs Arts Council, the Yellow Springs Brewery and the Winds Café in Yellow Springs, and the Meadowlark Restaurant, The Contemporary Dayton and at 5th/3rd Center Gallery in Dayton (currently, through August 30, 2019). She is also showing at Bar Granada at Main and Monument in downtown Dayton from 9/3 – 10/15/19.

Klinger has won awards for her artwork and is in several private and corporate collections, including a large-scale commission for Dayton Children’s Hospital in Springboro, OH, in 2016. She was Artist in Residence with South Carolina State Park Service in painting and photography in 2011, and received a Visual Arts Fellowship from the Montgomery County (OH) Arts & Cultural District in 2009/2010.

She owned and operated Springs Gallery in Yellow Springs and was Gallery Coordinator for Rosewood Arts Centre in Kettering, OH, for over nine years. Klinger has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH, and a master’s degree in Photojournalism from Ohio University. She has written and photographed for newspapers and magazines for several years. 

For more information on the exhibit at Antioch University Midwest contact Rhonda McArthur, rmcarthur1@antioch.edu, 937-769-1800, www.antioch.edu/midwest; or Christine Klinger via www.klingerart.com, 937-767-2346.

Heaven and Earth, oil/mixed media, 36″ x 48″, painting and photo by Christine Klinger

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12
Sep
2019

YSAC Open Studios

We are heading into push time for the Yellow Springs Open Studio. The brochures are designed and at the printer, I’ve noticed some of the artists have the cover of the brochure on their FB sites and are already inviting people to come visit their studios on the Open Studios weekend. Theresa Mayer mentioned she was tickled her piece was on the cover of the brochure. It looks wonderful Theresa!

An inside view of Kathy Verner Moulton’s studio

I’ve been writing some of the press for the tour and starting to send it out. Plus I’ve been looking through my picture files for what I should get reproductions made from. I had such fun seeing again some of my “Crazy Dog” series that it made me want to do some more. This is the first time I am on the Open Studios tour. (But it’s not my first venture onto a studio tour, I had the pleasure to be on Lisa Goldberg’s YS Studio Tours some years back.) This year, Kathy Moulton invited me to be a guest artist at her studio (Nancy Mellon). (She has invited me every year and this year I surprised her and said yes. I think she is just hoping, I will talk to everyone while she demos:) Kathy calls herself the “Not So Vocal Local” (She really does beautifully talking and showing people how she creates her funny and charming art!)

Karen Wintrow, at the Chamber is writing press too, with Nick Gaskins, designing the ads for Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Springfield and more. The Yellow Springs Chamber partners with the YS Arts Council to put on this event. And a wonderful YS Open Studios Committee of 4 artists-Sara Gray, Kathy Moulton, Dianne Collinson and moi have been working on this annual event for 4 years now. Dianne, a ceramic artist decided this year to visit the tour, instead of be on it. We will miss her lovely studio and art. But it will be fun to have her come by and chat. That is the one thing all the artists say after it is over, “I wish I could have visited the other studios!”

Artists are checking their studios for what needs to be cleaned up. Beth Holyoke has said the best part of YS Open Studios is it gets her to clean up her studio! But I think the best part is seeing what characters will inhabit her ceramics this year.

When I was talking to the lovely Kathryn Pitstick, at Village Artisans, an art co op she is part of in Yellow Springs, she said she is thinking about what she could demo. Kathryn is a printer and it conjured up in my head, an image of her carving and showing how her different tools work. What ever she does it will be cool to see.

From the “Crazy Dog” series by Nancy Mellon

Theresa Mayer is already promising on FB to do more bead making demos. If you haven’t seen her making beads-with the fire going and the glass melting and at the same time, Theresa calmly explaining what she is doing- you’ve got to make sure to go to her studio this year. It’s unforgettable!

On Friday, Talitha Greene was up at 6 am creating jewelry, and it was her birthday! She almost forgot to come for our traditional lets-go-pick-out-a-slice-of-fabulous-Current Cuisine-cake to celebrate, because she was in the zone, working on art for the tour.

Giving each other matte boards and advice, loaning art racks or card racks – just like a bee hive, the artists are buzzing around making art and choices, cleaning and preparing for the YS Open Studios.

There is a list of the artists and a short description of their art and some pictures of their work at: ysopenstudios.ysartscouncil.org Come visit with us October 19th-20th 11-5 pm.

Yellow Springs Open Studios

Free, Self Guided Tour of Yellow Springs Artists Studios

October 19-20th

11 am-5 pm

18 Artists, 10 Local Studios, 2 Great Laid Back Days.

Visit our web site ysopenstudios.ysartscouncil.org to use the interactive map on your mobile device or your computer to find participating studios and plan your visit. Some studios are within walking distance of our vibrant downtown, some will require a short drive in the colorful countryside.

Printed guides will be available in Mid-September at Yellow Springs Station on the bike trail, YS Arts Council, Gallery, at 111 Corry St. and various other locations around the village.

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17
Jul
2019

This and That

“This and That” showing at the Alcove Gallery at Antioch University Midwest

“This and That”

Yellow Springs Art Council- Gallery Committee

Alcove Gallery

Antioch University West

July 5-August 31

Reception: July 17th, 5-7 PM

Angela Day * Nancy Mellon * Mary Cargan * Kathy Verner Moulton

Diane Collinson * Theresa Mayer * Angela Smith

With summer in full swing and celebrations a plenty, come and celebrate the talented artists that volunteer their time to help the YSAC Gallery Council. A little bit of this, and a little bit of that is what goes into the varied mediums that each of our artists work with. With backgrounds in all types of mediums the show highlights the fun, and curiosity that goes into the art making process. The importance of art and community is meaningful to our Gallery Council, and this is a moment to share more of our artistic talents with our community.

As a recent transplant to the Yellow Springs community I have been looking for a way to become more acquainted with the local art community.  Joining the Yellow Springs Art Council has been a wonderful way to connect with local artists and recently I was able to gather some insight to our artists and their artistic practices. Alongside the short interview below, come visit with the artist at our opening to pick their minds with your own questions and join in our celebration of our talented artists!

Please join us for the Reception on July 17th from 5-7 PM at the Alcove Gallery located at Antioch University West, 900 Dayton St, Yellow Springs, Ohio. If you would like to show at the Alcove Gallery or have any other questions feel free to contact Angela Smith, Gallery Coordinator, at asmithysarts@gmail.com.

 

   “Why Art?”

Nancy Mellon: I need it for my peace and to help me know who I am.

Angela Day:  Since childhood art has been my steady companion.  Making art allows me to focus on the visual and meditate on abstract shape, color, and light variation.

Theresa Mayer: I like being able to express my feelings and loves through art.

Nancy Mellon, “Five At the Aviary” Acrylic on repurposed canvas.

    “What is your dream project?”

Nancy: I’ve already had the pleasure of doing quite a few dream projects with my art partner Corrine Bayrakraroglu.  We called ourselves the Jafagirls.  Working with another artist where you ping off of each others ideas, enthusiasm and creativity is such a exhilarating experience.  You feel very alive.   Corrine moved to Phoenix a year and a half ago, so our time of doing dream projects together is probably over, but, my goodness, it was fun!

Angela: Rather than a dream project, I have goals of painting more landscapes on location and full figure portraits in interior settings. 

Theresa: I don’t know if I have a dream project. I have loved learning to use different mediums over the years, right now I’m enjoy mixing and combining them. I am working with glass, watercolor and ink now, seeing how they can work together is fun.

    “Why are design elements important?”

Nancy: I love lines, where they lead you, how they loop and twirl so gracefully, how they create emphasis,I adore color and the impact and beauty it provides, and I work at balance and weight and where the eye is led around a piece.  Why are these important?  Because they make the piece work, they give you that “YES” moment. My art is very visual, not about the idea as much as the process and being in the moment, the way it looks and often the giggle it gives.

Angela: The balance of shape, color, and value among other visual elements determine the overall harmony of a composition. The success of a drawing or painting is decided by the effect of the components of design and whether the result is pleasing or not.

Theresa: Depending on what medium I am working with affects what I think the most important design element is. Sometimes it may be a line when I’m using ink, when I’m using glass it may be getting chemical or color reactions between the glasses I’m using or when I’m using watercolors the colors and interactions of the paint.  

Angela Day, “23 and One” Acrylic on Canvas

    “What memorable responses have you had to your work?”

Nancy: Corrine and I had many conversations with passerby’s  that tickled us both as we installed our yarn bombs and textile art pieces.  Half the fun was watching people react to them.  One of our favorite was a blind man who asked us for a tour of them, he loved to touch them.  We were also told that they were the reason a couple of people moved to town- and one couple chose to get married under the Knit Knot tree, how cool is that !  It was amazing to both of us that the Jafagirls were featured in 7 books (And I love books!), were interviewed for radio shows and the Art Show on TV, had 2 of our public art projects go viral on the internet and in news papers around the world, had the wonder of being asked by 2 art museums to do art projects for them, had cartoons created to spoof us by a wonderful local artist, did a 6 week artist residence at a new Dayton Library and generally had a blast.

    “What are aspects of your work or your process that are important for the viewer to know, or that might  surprise you?”

Nancy: I work all over the place, in my studio, on the kitchen table, on the floor of the parlor in my house, in the garage on plastic work tables, on a fence or outside on the streets of Yellow Springs.  You can make art anywhere with anything. I believe that everybody creates art.  Anytime you make decisions with the material stuff around you to make it beautiful or comforting or useful, you are creating and adding joy to the world. 

Angela: Sometimes I work right in my living space even if it is not set up as a studio. Recently I painted a still-life of a bouquet of flowers in my living room. In the middle of working, my cat ran right across the wet canvas and made footprints on the furniture and floor. There is little separation between my life and my art.

 

 

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22
Jun
2019

How to Meet Other Artists in 10 Easy Steps

Hi, I’m Nancy Mellon. I’m a mixed media artist. For the past 7 years, I’ve had the pleasure of being the Gallery Coordinator for the Yellow Springs Arts Council. I love living in Yellow Springs and think it’s a great village to be an artist in. This post is about how I started meeting other artists when I moved here.

How to Meet Other Artists in 10 Easy Steps

Maybe not Easy steps (or even 10 steps) but don’t you love titles that promise that?

  1. Talk to people. Walk around the village, when you see a studio, (art in the yard is a good sign) take note, (they are all over the place) when you see the artist out and about, introduce yourself as a new artist in town or another Yellow Springs artist. Ask about their art. Invite them to stop in at your studio sometime or if you work on your kitchen table ask them over for tea.
  2. Ask people:”Are you an artist?” Sounds simple but it usually will start a conversation and you will be surprised at how many will say yes. The meter reader said yes when I asked her yesterday. And it turned out that her Grandmother was a famous artist in our village. Ask the shop sitters or your waiter at a local restaurant if they are artists. Many in Yellow Springs are. Now you know another artist.
  3. Join art organizations in the area. Go to the meetings. When you are there, talk to people.The Fairborn Art Association has great meetings with an artist talk and demo as part of it.

    The Monday Morning Artists meet once a month at the Presbyterian Church in Yellow Springs. Join the Springfield Art Museum and be in their Member’s Show. How cool is that to be in a museum show?

  4. Join an art co-op. I joined Village Artisans when I first moved to Yellow Springs and immediately had 20 artists I knew.
  5. Volunteer. There’s lots of different sized jobs needed to make an art event work. There’s got to be something you would enjoy, have time for and be great at. Believe me, volunteer, show up and help out and you will make friends.
  6. Show up at art openings. Ask to have the artist pointed out to you. Find something in their work to ask them about and then go talk to the artist. Artists are pretty nervous at openings and appreciate questions about their art to answer.
  7. Take local art classes and workshops. Use art opportunities in the village-get your ceramics fired at the YS JBC Pottery, join Arts Council and apply for a show. Put work in the YSAC Members show. Be a Host or a Guest Artist in the YS Open Studios.
  8. Read the “Art Around Town” Section in the Yellow Springs News.
  9. Answer Calls for Artists, bring a piece to add to the show. Many of the local non profits have Calls for Artists and Village Artisans does Community Shows.
  10. Show your art. Do group shows, apply for shows, ask the local restaurants-The Winds, HaHa’s, the Emporium, The Spirited Goat and the Yellow Springs Brewery and the realtor-The Chris K Gallery to get on their list for a show. Talk to people about your show and talk to people when they come to see your show.
  11. Go to the library and get out an art book with a luscious art filled cover, carry it with you, read it and talk about it with other artists you meet in the coffee shops.
  12. Do public art. Bring your art journal or drawing pad to the local coffee shops or to the benches in town and draw or doodle. Paint public murals-sign them, yarn bomb-include a tag on it saying who you are, leave free art around town with a Free Art tag on it with your web site. Talk to the people who stop to talk to you about it. They will.
  13. Start an art group or host a regular live model drawing session at your studio or home or school or at the Arts Council (hint, hint.) Present an art class proposal to the library (they will even pay you for it!) or volunteer to hold an art class for the Senior Center, (they are looking for artists to teach) This is maybe the hardest thing to do. But not impossible. You can advertise in the paper and through the art groups you have joined (like in YS Arts Council’s regular e mail blast.) Or just invite artists you have met and want to spend more time with. You can meet at a coffee shop, at your home, or at a space you scrounge or rent as a group.
  14. When invited to an artist get together or on hearing about open artists’ get togethers- go to them. Show up and talk to people, ask about their art, if they have a studio, what are they working on now.
  15. Wear a name tag. I know it sounds goofy. My husband wanted a gift made for him, a couple of name tags, made out of metal that have magnets to attach them to whatever he is wearing. I got them online, they were not expensive. Make it easy for people to remember your name. Make your name in felt jewelry and wear it in a necklace, or collage it and wear it in earrings or make pins with your name on them and wear them on your hat. In fact cover your hat with pins that make art statements. Be walking art. More than likely other artists will then come up and talk to you.

    So there was a lot of “talk to them” in my list. You probably are thinking, “it is very hard for me to talk to strangers.” It is for me too. Do it anyway. How will they get to be friends if you don’t start a conversation? If you are interested in them you can get a conversation going. What do you talk about? Their art is a great place to start. Ask them if they have any pictures of their art on their phone. Pick out one you like, and tell them why.

Cheers,

Nancy

Another Yellow Springs Artist

Posted by ysartsadmin in Art Shorthand Blog, 1 comment
08
May
2019

Influential Women of Yellow Springs

My colleague, John Day, had shared with me a picture of some banners that the city of Athens, Ohio had put up around Memorial Day to celebrate the city’s veterans.  I shelved the idea at the time, as my students were currently invested in a different project. The banners were always in the back of my mind, however, and in October when I contemplated what to do for my unit on the experience of women in U.S. History, I decided to go for it.  The project’s goal was to enlighten students and, via the banners, the community about the parallel nature of U.S. history and Yellow Springs history. I reached out to the Yellow Springs Arts and Culture Commission they were fully supportive of the project. I solicited research subject suggestions from the Yellow Springs Community via Facebook and was overwhelmed by the outpouring of recommendations; I ended up with over 100 names.  By happenstance, Superintendent Basora forwarded an email to the district around Thanksgiving encouraging teachers to sign up for an “Artist and Writer Residence” program offered by the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Long story short, I applied, was awarded the grant and was provided with an experienced artist with a background in education for 3-4 classroom visits, and 1 field trip to the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

    Our artist in residence, Jay DeFazio, came four times over the course of two months and helped students expand their creative thinking and understanding of digital media.  Along the way, the project grew to include the creation of a newspaper article that the students would write to provide context for the woman/group of women researched. After a brief delay, the students’ creations were sent to the printers and were erected along Xenia Avenue on March 8. With the aid of a grant from the Yellow Springs Community Foundation and the unwavering support of the staff of the Yellow Springs News, students’ articles were juried and utilized to create a supplement which was published alongside the March 21 edition. There were so many folks to thank who helped out with the project and it truly was a collaborative effort.  I hope that next year’s crop of students will take up the charge to research those names on the list that were not researched to build upon this year’s work. I am pleased to know that the banners had such and impact on the people of Yellow Springs and encourage all who were affected to let the students know. They will will be on display once more during Yellow Springs High School’s Exhibition Night on Thursday, May 16. Stop by for one last look before they come out again next March!

Link to digital version of the supplement to the YS News:  Here

Link to the non-published student articles: Here

Posted by ysartsadmin in Art Shorthand Blog, Featured, Inspiration, News, Projects
03
Dec
2017
HEARTSTRINGS HOLIDAY CONCERT

HEARTSTRINGS HOLIDAY CONCERT

HEARTSRINGS HOLIDAY CONCERT!!

YSAC community gallery

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9th

$10 Suggested donation- all proceeds benefit the YS Arts Council

Doors open at 6:30pm • Concert begins at 7:30pm

This four-woman group (Mary Beth Burkholder, Sarah Goldstein, Linda Scutt and Carol Van Ausdal) performs both vocal and instrumental music with a signature blend of acoustic instruments including fiddle, harp, guitar, flute, banjo, concertina and hammered dulcimer. Their repertoire draws predominately from Celtic and Appalachian traditions with tastes of traditional music from other cultures, and will include festive holiday music in the concert.

 

Posted by ysartsadmin in Featured, 0 comments
31
Jul
2017

4th of July Parade, Wheeling Gaunt Float!

 

“I was in Yellow Springs, Ohio for the annual town reunion week! A fantastic Idea that should be adapted everywhere. And I was fortunate enough to be a witness to a wonderful small town 4th of July festive parade. In the parade, there was a float in this man’s honor (Wheeling Gaunt) and banners mentioning the project to erect a statue in his name. Clearly an individual that people of this town believed should be honored with his statue. I’m all for celebrating local heroes but realized that where I felt very close to the spirit of Yellow Springs, OH, I had no Idea that this man was such an integral part in the Ideals of what Y.S. is and should always be about. Kindness and community. So many of us are born in places that are entirely not anything like this. No wonder we are so drawn to a place that for the most part exemplifies those principals. Yellow Springs suffers a bit for the tourism that is continually at their steps. And yet they greet all who come their way with banners at each entry to the town, emblazoned for all to see ” KINDNESS”. I know that as for myself, I learned the significance of this very thing at the hands of the people from this town. Sometimes you need a simple thing like friendship and community to open your mind and your heart. Wheeling gaunt certainly understood this and has helped us all that way. If there is a proper way to contribute to this man’s cause, I for one would be and am honored to participate.”

-Steven Speir

Posted by ysartsadmin in Past Events