tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-667513866691320832024-03-13T07:21:46.126-07:00Art in Athens, OhioA blog for artists and art lovers in Athens and vicinityUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-46404668159973534882009-08-07T14:55:00.000-07:002009-08-07T15:10:16.215-07:00I've moved to BaltimoreDear blog readers,<div><br /></div><div>Life happens when you you are busy making other plans. I started this blog with the intention of writing atleast for a year about "art in Athens." But it so happened that my husband and I moved to Baltimore unexpectedly and so as you can see, I will have to discontinue posting on this blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>I might post about art in general on this or a new blog but definitely the focus cannot be "art in Athens,"as I cannot talk to artists in the area anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div>That said, I must express how much I liked this blog and intereactions with local artists that it brought along. In some ways, I became one of "Athensians" by interacting more closely with the artists and the local community. Thank you all for reading the posts and encouraging me through emails and comments. I truly appreciate your response.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hope I keep seeing you in the blogosphere!</div><div>Ash</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-29416650453570361412009-07-17T15:58:00.000-07:002009-07-18T07:23:54.723-07:00Taking a trip down the creative route: how Bonnie conceptualizes her work<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><b>T</b></span>he thing that struck me about Bonnie was her enthusiasm for trying new techniques, testing new ideas. I think this passion helps to keep her work (any artist's work I imagine) fresh and satisfying. I could sense the adventure in her work, a desire to try something new, to get beyond the “expected.” Most of her fused glass work contains a “surprise” element. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I especially liked how she used bones as design elements in a series of decorative fused glass work.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So during my interaction with Bonnie, I tried to trace the inception and transformation of a creative idea. How does an artist's mind work? Bonnie shared with me this very very valuable but invisible process. She described how she incorporated deer bones as design elements.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">“I found the deer bones in the woods. And I thought they were a wonderful design element because there is something timeless about bones. Because they are so beautiful and usually unseen,”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> she explained. The theme followed in </span>a variety of decorative pieces, each piece displayed a new variation. Now she wants to continue that theme in three dimensional artworks. </div> <p class="MsoNormal">From creative stand point, Bonnie said, one piece leads to the next piece. She quoted her poetry professor at Ohio University who said “ ‘even if you’re working on this you are always working on the next one.’” Bonnie said that’s true of her glass art too.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“When I am working, I keep I my mind open to new ideas,”she said. Bonnie pointed out a seemingly obvious but a really important and interesting fact: When she is making a particular creative choice for a particular piece; she is also eliminating many other creative options. So as one design takes shape, she continues contemplating “what if I’d have done that instead of this.” And the creative journey continues.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“The more I work, the more ideas come to me: the vocabulary of shape, form, rhythm, repetition, color and light... the more choices you see, the more possibilities emerge,” she explained.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Here is a series of pictures wherein Bonnie used bones as the design element. With each piece she tried something new, something that she didn't do in the earlier piece. One piece emerged from the other. (pictures are not in the order of production).</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WGJc7CEKk9FBmIsmilHLI9Wd5qz2c3JS9Jm55yYPXdr-KYEafyiCHEwXPUquTiDU_71LQIediA0h8ak3-YqUiQZ7RBC3RHd8lljzZfKMo9IQguMumIs-x3jLgNBUeO13aQ2JivEzSg/s1600-h/DSCI0054.JPG"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WGJc7CEKk9FBmIsmilHLI9Wd5qz2c3JS9Jm55yYPXdr-KYEafyiCHEwXPUquTiDU_71LQIediA0h8ak3-YqUiQZ7RBC3RHd8lljzZfKMo9IQguMumIs-x3jLgNBUeO13aQ2JivEzSg/s320/DSCI0054.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359578252047877986" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmfiZjccK-V8LecWKM10PTAmRRZMhTvLFEwhLPHvnMTbx_Aa8FdjtpBAiqngxjCN-eeSHv_Vpp9DcUjcVcGcEElCq8D-qSzcbqXxPOUUSyo3yTCJMa19rguFWTVMvSKxqQtj-dOiKJA/s320/DSCI0053.JPG" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 320px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359574267460677634" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1yxKCnA-ZlgVJkNzA6pXKb6FEj7M5vc6LRrVcTd_HFxivApHUvMjzfYnXbveh1bfhfZOBLRuCNvtpA1tmAS9_xv-fQmMlQXu52x3uB4vIqVvjYYkFLkGBShz51jEocApEJZSzQEPDQ/s320/DSCI0055.JPG" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359574265285301474" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10_VTJQka1M8mneV-LHWcNrlQ9Ai1Pw0S49wnISntZhJzCc2VFFdcR5FOOyMFIRbqY4qgmXzXDFCUSAt4ngpR789fHVvM95Nk198T34jrXeE7yf0ljZ1QBe9ioH0YLwJ8XTXS5QQNIQ/s320/DSCI0050.JPG" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359574261040963426" /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The arrangement below is a crude reproduction of how these different elements are fused together to form the design. (That's where her vision comes into play!) The trace of bones is created using black glass powder. Other components such as the pattern bars, other glass items are placed and then everything goes inside the kiln with layers of glass on top and at the bottom (if) required. It could take many number of firings till the desired design takes shape!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJ7L1g4qx-XIqeJSpuQL3nc5U6uDcWJaZwHTsDNp2aDy7i-wN3XgFrFJr1XFqBhwgvTpQ-LacPlX7YsXNc0yC7CLlitWyqoyGUVFJPcJYLFnK3aP1h_jJTC35-13tTBWsdaM-mit8fA/s320/DSCI0072.JPG" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359574284684916002" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Be original...</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Originality matters to her. But that is not to say that she doesn’t keep track of what’s happening in the art world. There are some artists whom she respects and buys their books to learn new techniques. But rather than merely emulating, she incorporates those ideas in her projects in her own way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">She tries to imbibe the same outlook in her students. Bonnie is wonderful at sketching, so her stained/copper foil glass designs are original and inspiring. She encourages students to try new designs, even if they are not as accomplished as her in sketching. She showed me how anyone can create new designs using just a set square and a pen. She made a quick design on graph paper, simply letting one line lead to the other. An original design emerged before me within seconds.</p><p class="MsoNormal">She is also quite meticulous about taking notes while firing up pieces for fused glass work:detailed notes of what worked, what didn't. So, it's not just the creative instinct but also the discipline that lightens up the world of art with novelty.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXix80p0hVBs0YxyE7UtvY42J33fMi4zyGZFkQzVl8V2gKr1iibSa5r-rANdPwcaAVkgkYB7CfvYup-d739YHEyGLpkhsgROfsbfmWJSO_V8gZsbNeFlWn1KA2pK4v6IruMch95kQQPw/s320/DSCI0062.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359610098959747106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">The Notebook: what was right, what went wrong</span>!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; "><b>Limitless possibilities...</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; ">I asked her why she continued to work with glass. She said she always finds more things she can do with glass. “You could spend a lifetime but not explore all the facts,” the words revealed her true and limitless passion for glass. She also loves her teaching job. “Magic of teaching is that you are always learning,” she said." The questions from students broaden my horizon."</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Charming beautiful Athens...</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Bonnie enjoys living in Athens. “Athens is a very small town. But the food is very good, the music is very good, art venues are very good and the university culture is sophisticated,” she shared her love for Athens. She feels fortunate to be able to enjoy such "cultural sophistication." She goes back to New York to visit her family and when she misses big museums and Broadway.</p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">Bonnie exhibits her work also in a gallery in Marietta called “<a href="http://www.riversideartistsgallery.com/">Riverside Artists</a>”. She has significant amount of work on display there. When she has a day off from the school, she spends time in the gallery. It’s a co-op owned by 16 artists.</p></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can also visit <a href="http://www.bonnieproudfoot.com/">her website</a> to explore and buy her work.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y9dYeJQGT9xAbMoW5kiOQtzEHTeOD4WxIjXwtGQMeBobn-DzkfNaG9dlCOkFsa_hT74KpBD93TWjBzBxUu0AogKQ9Ha6CpL6Ylb9-yxQWaN9hZHXurehijIX89HVH8YAiUURVwhtSA/s1600-h/DSCI0052.JPG"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-7017699361359950382009-07-03T17:50:00.001-07:002009-07-17T14:43:32.052-07:00Artist's tool box: equipment for hot and cold glass art<div>This post contains pictures of tools that are used to create and repair glass art. Those tools in the masters' hands that help them translate their imagination to reality. The tools might be dull, mechanical, mundane but the art that emerges in the end is anyhting but ordinary. So check these guys out! I took these pictures in Bonnie's studio in Athens.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWQLXSYOBTAFPI7LpwJFku7-o0I2CdSnZf6XM1666gwA6Ue6ta8Dn2XwSwjJSxc-LhWTXOy7euH14qY2h_D-0bWKvWUrUWbHWZ0c9CTg6ZqFIanH1IwwuU1sGuUGtgdSz-F0GmgrvQw/s1600-h/DSCI0080.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWQLXSYOBTAFPI7LpwJFku7-o0I2CdSnZf6XM1666gwA6Ue6ta8Dn2XwSwjJSxc-LhWTXOy7euH14qY2h_D-0bWKvWUrUWbHWZ0c9CTg6ZqFIanH1IwwuU1sGuUGtgdSz-F0GmgrvQw/s400/DSCI0080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354403655667450034" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">The machine that is used to make glass beads. Bonnie showed me how a glass bead comes to life. A star is born! The way it takes shape is marvelous..simply beautiful. </span><br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmSCObSS1IKj0zKF0xz5RUhnKrjIT0Tdz0tHzAxve5elQ1QCgwZHv7sFn_kEzUHD8_nRAvq57SN-y2cKM0iWYGK-4So4eBPOStpDSFb8ji0Hnnqisw8K4pL2QLDh9k9fp3CI48jFMZA/s1600-h/DSCI0078.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmSCObSS1IKj0zKF0xz5RUhnKrjIT0Tdz0tHzAxve5elQ1QCgwZHv7sFn_kEzUHD8_nRAvq57SN-y2cKM0iWYGK-4So4eBPOStpDSFb8ji0Hnnqisw8K4pL2QLDh9k9fp3CI48jFMZA/s400/DSCI0078.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354403651645264818" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">This is a handheld glass cutter. You put a clear glass on a shape drawn on paper and run the cutter on the lines. I tried my hand at it. It's amazing how such a tiny thing can cut quite a thick piece of glass. Enjoyed it!</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qq6BfuFX2k5oXoOSyuAK3J6IAEU-YAnH-T6n6lNgzfNhFfXYNJNJ2s-lH1wnW9J-XsI8EFasNn1w2TlRVCwQnPONiYYf-HKIjldWRL1lu90FfgO-eixVbFF4nOfeyUR4oWV2bp5IKA/s1600-h/DSCI0076.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qq6BfuFX2k5oXoOSyuAK3J6IAEU-YAnH-T6n6lNgzfNhFfXYNJNJ2s-lH1wnW9J-XsI8EFasNn1w2TlRVCwQnPONiYYf-HKIjldWRL1lu90FfgO-eixVbFF4nOfeyUR4oWV2bp5IKA/s400/DSCI0076.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354403648513263042" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">Take a look at the unassuming copper foil and the mundane solder that bring together eclectic glass pieces to form a design.</span> </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMK5oM-Z_71Pp3u3OABkYNM6hyphenhyphenE6te4kPEhnab5nwWbVu8R5KRZBtS1_uDLvX_90NVsbCW9z31o37TAhVHhcSHU5W1dzhc23dw5-Rvbud3hfyL9ua5ay-WV5JIlhoB9gOtRPvz6MwzEw/s1600-h/DSCI0071.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMK5oM-Z_71Pp3u3OABkYNM6hyphenhyphenE6te4kPEhnab5nwWbVu8R5KRZBtS1_uDLvX_90NVsbCW9z31o37TAhVHhcSHU5W1dzhc23dw5-Rvbud3hfyL9ua5ay-WV5JIlhoB9gOtRPvz6MwzEw/s400/DSCI0071.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354403641875708818" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">This heavey thing is used to pound glass pieces into fine powder that is used to create effects. Bonnie showed me fine powder of black glass that sparkled and shined.</span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKopxycmnjVG3uZ86x09hLG2Q_oo148OX6Bk4ix0iu5cH8mhpmkm1NgeVFqqvOwUpbREUQcXWwSBJwqZ85wssYlVX-FuWshaEwouaV50v-beTew8nk2b2GFfiHsnDkmhjf2NRH1pUebQ/s1600-h/DSCI0061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKopxycmnjVG3uZ86x09hLG2Q_oo148OX6Bk4ix0iu5cH8mhpmkm1NgeVFqqvOwUpbREUQcXWwSBJwqZ85wssYlVX-FuWshaEwouaV50v-beTew8nk2b2GFfiHsnDkmhjf2NRH1pUebQ/s400/DSCI0061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354403636196077922" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">Here is the big bad metal boy: the kiln. It is used to melt glass to create fused glass pieces. The kiln has a digital control panel and can handle temperature of upto 1800 degrees.</span></div><div><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-44909088850344073562009-06-28T12:13:00.000-07:002009-07-03T13:59:56.123-07:00Visiting the mystical world of stained and fused glass with Bonnie Proudfoot (Part I)<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXXaHbkWSU4JrDYrfYibJZMkESogyAQUW5mPoOWj6dGo3mrY7h78v3U0ADFH4FLEvRcx7lef43dhjLX7jP6txv8MgwvFQBTaGBRt4lNQFuUR_nFQOnYCXf4Oz3sDkduQyMJOep72gEg/s1600-h/DSCI0070.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 235px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXXaHbkWSU4JrDYrfYibJZMkESogyAQUW5mPoOWj6dGo3mrY7h78v3U0ADFH4FLEvRcx7lef43dhjLX7jP6txv8MgwvFQBTaGBRt4lNQFuUR_nFQOnYCXf4Oz3sDkduQyMJOep72gEg/s400/DSCI0070.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352530344330132562" /></a><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I</span></b> met Bonnie Proudfoot in her studio at her residence in beautiful countryside of Athens. Upon my request, we had decided to talk in her studio. Conversing with artists in their studios (where they can show me around) is fun and also educational. Talking with them in a studio has two distinct advantages. For a novice art writer like me, the context of studio helps understand “technical aspetcs of art” better because I can see the machinery (and exactly know what they are talking about). It also helps to bring out nuances of "work routines" of artists. So I am grateful to Bonnie for welcoming me into her creative space and sharing secrets of glass art with me, quite patiently.</div><div><p class="MsoNormal">As soon as I stepped into the studio, decorative glass art pieces on the wall caught my attention: a large half-circle shaped piece in the window, a bright colorful wall piece depicting a chicken and many other fused glass art pieces. The studio wore a busy look--it was full of materials and machinery required for Bonnie’s glass art. A huge white machine (which I later learned was a kiln) sat on one side. There were sheets of coloredglass arranged in a cabinet across from the entrance. I could picture Bonnie in the studio, engrossed in her work on a quiet summer afternoon.</p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczTbtjkBh6YT0jQLmHOzgRY2TPe4Ln6yk4SF3b-pyuuv9E6JwCNI7XrabKkzyWFQXrPXIkfhjiJ7NbJnGpoZcNTD_ZrP7TCZUQ9gvNgAM6oBCQPxKFJWZa59su_M55Go0t8cdG_ZY0w/s400/DSCI0073.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352460831177686402" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">The art piece by Bonnie Proudfoot installed in the window of her studio</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Bonnie has been working with glass for more than 30 years. Her love for glass started with a casual college job at a studio that made glass lamps and repaired stained glass windows in Buffalo, NY. “That looks like fun, I will do it,” Bonnie recalled her reaction as she began working in the studio. She did that job for a year and found herself extremely fascinated with glass. </div><div><br /></div><div>She mentioned that stained glass windows are being built since the 1100s’. In stained glass technique, colorful pieces of glass are fitted into channels made of lead and joined together to form different designs. Many churches have old stained glass windows and those often need to be restored, as over the years the lead stretches and the cement that holds the pieces together breaks down.</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPXNsE2oBZsSkGcyISvaQmaY-PD_Yubc-0lOuPBZi5Lrqfpxj7MHUy5YZ1p2HPXgiTGruT88MFqcq5yXd6p8dJYIXY99_rCvYYHEI76bHm-xZkM7GKFVIGfJf5PWN_prCiW58R7Mczw/s400/DSCI0066.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 375px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352571621171892546" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Another colorful and well designed art piece by Bonnie Proudfoot</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><br /></span></div><div>In the 1900s’, copper foil method, which tends to be more free and allows greater freedom to put more intricate designs together, was introduced. In that method, a copper foil is wrapped around the edges of the pieces of glass and then soldered together to make a design. Bonnie is an expert in that method as well and has made numerous lamps, windows, and other types of art pieces. She has exhibited her work at many art shows.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bonnie enjoys creating glass art for church windows. “Church windows are important because they are spiritual symbols,” she said. She showed me the pictures of leaded stained glass window project she completed for a chapel in a vey big church in Lynchburg, Va. <span> She also repairs stained glass windows to date.</span></div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Bonnie is an accomplished fused glass artist too. In fact, she is well known for using this technique to create decorative art pieces. Below, you can see an elegant art work created using that technique.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoBAvdOGb_1vHAY5ULtdE3p03evzREZBRG6XAIQRKyGeVaK_-XZsUa7U-C8bS5mkc-rNL8w0NIimDCAfbHEPRDp5G5_BTdyXyRI4Za8JrxshOgfmKng8nQVpTE27O6TX49AGmR4XTlQ/s1600-h/DSCI0053.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoBAvdOGb_1vHAY5ULtdE3p03evzREZBRG6XAIQRKyGeVaK_-XZsUa7U-C8bS5mkc-rNL8w0NIimDCAfbHEPRDp5G5_BTdyXyRI4Za8JrxshOgfmKng8nQVpTE27O6TX49AGmR4XTlQ/s400/DSCI0053.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352460840832233570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">Fused glass art work by Bonnie Proudfoot</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Apart from being a professional artist she also teaches full time, courses in art appreciation and communication, at Hocking College. It’s only fitting that she designed the glass program at Hocking College. She came to Athens in 1996 to pursue doctoral program in creative writing at Ohio University. After finishing her coursework, she accepted a teaching position at Hocking College. Her undergraduate degree is in art education and she has two masters—one in creative writing with a secondary concentration in fine art, and the another in English literature. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">More about this wonderful artist and her artistic endeavours in the next post.<br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-13236607459475357272009-06-12T08:43:00.000-07:002009-06-12T12:44:29.550-07:00Running an art store: an art?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC24W-lXwPHkqnKHYGeNhKE_0MyD8vn9PLsmJpF5jbEbd2AqC2Be9Pi2I2n3HKb0BI7zr-4hAi-DeeXcD_nBwsRlzm-W1cdNM9XbA_HpCi9RgOARrsTnSTU7eW-bwvuCn3qFl8Z-U0kg/s1600-h/DSCI0154.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I</span></span></a></b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC24W-lXwPHkqnKHYGeNhKE_0MyD8vn9PLsmJpF5jbEbd2AqC2Be9Pi2I2n3HKb0BI7zr-4hAi-DeeXcD_nBwsRlzm-W1cdNM9XbA_HpCi9RgOARrsTnSTU7eW-bwvuCn3qFl8Z-U0kg/s1600-h/DSCI0154.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: none;">n this post, I continue my conversation with Gloria, the owner of Court Street Collection </span></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC24W-lXwPHkqnKHYGeNhKE_0MyD8vn9PLsmJpF5jbEbd2AqC2Be9Pi2I2n3HKb0BI7zr-4hAi-DeeXcD_nBwsRlzm-W1cdNM9XbA_HpCi9RgOARrsTnSTU7eW-bwvuCn3qFl8Z-U0kg/s1600-h/DSCI0154.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">(in the picture below)</span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC24W-lXwPHkqnKHYGeNhKE_0MyD8vn9PLsmJpF5jbEbd2AqC2Be9Pi2I2n3HKb0BI7zr-4hAi-DeeXcD_nBwsRlzm-W1cdNM9XbA_HpCi9RgOARrsTnSTU7eW-bwvuCn3qFl8Z-U0kg/s1600-h/DSCI0154.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">:</span></a></span><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUjx9KIyft9Ro6TFQcQ3oVLq5OQFWncTU88UcQFatpOQGCMa2dCzKkYEtR0E5A9iaX2bnNDuiOuqNGpFg3hbWw2tIgsfCD2AD8BvOwpLi04DJq-YTPt4Lf_Q0sLiU1PCjxQbgWT60Jg/s400/DSCI0036.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346478566458995250" /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Challenge of running an art store</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When I asked Gloria what was the most difficult part of managing an art store, she said economy is posing a challenge and she is trying her best to keep the business afloat. She also said that the local community has been very supportive, especially since the downturn, and has been helping the store by buying locally. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But I saw Gloria doing her bit for the community too.The two times I was there in her store, she gave away two art pieces for local auctions, proceeds of which would be given to charities in the area. The requests typically come from OU students, representing various on-campus organizations.</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Artists and the OU connection </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">Gloria knows most of the local artists very well and has developed rapport with them over the past number of years. The artists display their work in the store and get paid when the art work gets sold. This kind of an arrangement is not very common in the market and is a testimony to late Sue’s and Gloria’s goodwill among the local artists.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Gloria went to Ohio University between 1970-75 and majored in English. At that time she also took the glass blowing program offered at OU. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Most of the artists who showcase their work in her store are more than 50 years old and have settled in this area. Gloria said many of the artists who went to school at OU in the 70s,’ decided to live in and around Athens. At that time the land in and around Athens was inexpensive and they found Athens to be a fun place. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">I wonder what has happened since. (Probably I should talk to someone in the OU art school.)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><b>Selecting an art piece</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">I was curious as to how she picks artworks for the store, particularly when the customers always expect to find something unique . She said she looks up the internet,travels and reads magazines to keep abreast of new trends and new artists. Sometimes the artists test their new creative ideas by exhibiting one or two pieces in the store, to gague audience reception.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Some of the popular art pieces in her store are stain glass works of John Matz (<a href="sunflowerglassstudio.com">Sunflower Glass</a>) and ceramic cats by Mary Dewey (<a href="http://www.deweystudio.com/">The Dewey Studio</a>). Their artwork is exclusvely (in Athens) available at Court Street Collection.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC24W-lXwPHkqnKHYGeNhKE_0MyD8vn9PLsmJpF5jbEbd2AqC2Be9Pi2I2n3HKb0BI7zr-4hAi-DeeXcD_nBwsRlzm-W1cdNM9XbA_HpCi9RgOARrsTnSTU7eW-bwvuCn3qFl8Z-U0kg/s400/DSCI0154.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346516367347776610" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">Ceramic cat by Mary Dewey, sitting on top of a cabinet in the store</span></span><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Gloria's favorite</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">What was her favorite art piece? I asked her in the end. She showed me a basket of thin silver wires. At first I didn’t quite understand the magic that basket could create but when Gloria held it in the sunlight it shimmered, reflecting the sunlight, and looked incredible. It is made by a local artist, Cindy Luna, a good friend of Gloria. Cindy sells her art all around the country.</p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGsCLCTwD-8IVS1jS_LVJTmw0BQzXzjGJyFBA04iJv88C1uANV3fbIPuvN0MqBQobTXjE4STSRDYi9QGTNdMFSoWqtQrCrZC8QeI8V6IIDp5GM0Kry6XTu2n6LVJQizo9QMtNda7hYQ/s400/DSCI0157.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346474579598901538" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">Shimmering basket by Cindy Luna</span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Being an artist herself, Gloria brings a unique vision to the art store. Coupled that with the community spirit, Court Street Collection is<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>an important stroke on the local art canvas.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><b>And one of my favorites ! </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">I will end this post with a picture of one of my favourites: sea salt lamps. And besides looking pretty, they are also supposed to soak up the negative energy around..(Don't know how true is that?) These lamps are not locally made though.</span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamlXDr5q5T2GbhrgvLJon6QKsLjyQiDZl6tKx1beYIYDrkys-ax5V41vMOZcYk41C5OiL089lwNeEHm1zHMw1Q7BXAy2yHzKDppKAerD-nYNs1gYMZziBp3krnXUiDUowNxImR8yG7g/s400/Lamps+copy.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 322px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346514784379897410" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">My favorite lamps, sitting pretty on the shelf</span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p></p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-24447686055414848262009-06-07T05:29:00.000-07:002009-06-07T06:05:43.581-07:00Priceless Art?<div style="text-align: left;">Josephin you asked about the prices of artpieces at Court Street Collection. I was wondering about the prices too! (Tell me..what can grad students really afford? But I really hope I (we all) can start earning enough money soon to own at least some of those wonderful art pieces in the world..what say? )</div><div><br /></div><div>Although I don't have the complete price range I know the least and the most expensive pieces in the Court Street Collection. </div><div><br /></div><div>The jewellery by Billie Sarchet under the Bird Girl label is priced at about $25 (makes me feel better! she also has jewellery on sale sometimes that's even cheaper). The most expensive art piece is the glass art by Bonnie Proudfoot at $ 575. But don't be intimidated, there are many itmes that fall under below $100 category. Both the artists are from around Athens.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmqXTDcvrKvnRVRoiuS4R7AYdztcAXJIL3ad4RLZHd7hy7FnsWF-2LCN5fEdw3n5I_Hj9-VvaEMZPCcBAQJBYONU-LGihyc9hhgJY5itRLZ-mVE0jf2U_8Z1mndWhDmxnF_vWpE5wdQ/s400/DSCI0148.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344566586198415970" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">Art piece by Bonnie Proudfoot...isn't this gorgeous?</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sPpxjhHqOLPnHTPvC3B9hCvYMUQ2zh6zdDbl5U0p9zPI_5UiI38T7khXAkS0cARMS9DJCk8K-kjClL9vQs406OkjZt6g6F4_TicOFVTYuTkzNsA9JxOCvIN8trd-Jih3RL4aPmjoEw/s400/DSCI0147.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344564097930829506" /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>B<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;">ead and stone jewellery (Jo.. for you !)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#660000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">More later..Enjoy the beautiful sunshine!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-77392464529245716652009-06-02T19:45:00.000-07:002009-06-02T23:14:19.909-07:00Art Wonderland : Court Street Collection<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Court Steet Collection, an art gallery/store that showcases and sells art and craftwork, is truly a wonderland for me. </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As the name suggests it’s on Court Street, in uptown Athens. (To be precise, the address is 64 N. Court Street.) As soon as you set foot in the shop, you will be amazed by the art work on display. The shop presents an eclectic mixture of ceramic art (vases, cutlery, and sculptures), scarves, pillow covers, frames, lamps, jewellery, and many other really interesting pieces of art for sale. There is also a variety of glass art made by using different techniques like fuse glass, stain glass, and blow glass. It’s a riot of colors, shapes, and textures. And I really like the "gallery like" feel of it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Court Street Collection in my mind is a place that represents many artists’ passion, unbridled imagination, and creativity, under one roof.</span> According to Gloria, the owner of the store, about 70 percent of the art work is sourced locally from the artists in and around Athens. That’s why it became the next stop on my journey to discover the art and the artists in and around Athens.<br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDcpfjoRTfp0-zF0O6YYrHJD7YMC2HTEFbf-oSUCX1LTh91BGgl9dJjmS9hyphenhyphenilRx-I2se6UrnpHswTaYX06lqdwnZDXZNwVbhJsLpT1wRFWpeeJ6GL4vJtaWpIfFawQfbibXY66YJVA/s400/DSCI0043.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342967389561249858" /><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><br /></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1vrOpf9pOQGdDQuNYEOOWZl8VNEPjgseDDrWciUv2gnwfXXDUxjoe52kZ25Df8jlzZx2SYTcTWT6SdD38DodkqW0_hsCosbmiddY8Pke9Tr9A-ky4CjUn0CIFOhctqlKQl-SbCp1Mw/s400/DSCI0041.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342965291628806530" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDB_EqbgWAyV0hgOz-DCqhQIKlIf5XuBh4xsvLcJqABbUe9pdihAcVlq-gTJTJVeYw-N1lfwiYJ2YEpJxlRfjMwQ2LoVRXRMCSUu4OmWMdFxTInvF5LCbsu6o3_pWm23LZellNpGeSCg/s400/DSCI0040.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342965285489181730" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">History</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; ">I talked to Gloria to familiarize myself with this wonderland. Gloria gave me a peek into the history of the store. It was established in 1980 as a co-op by several artists in the area, to showcase and sell their art work. The artists ran it themselves. They owned it for about two years. After that the store was bought by Jim Gleason and late Susan Gleason. “Sue really made it into the store that it is today,” Gloria said.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; ">Though not an artist, Sue had a great taste and she loved American craft. Gloria mentioned the Gleasons attended art and craft shows in New York, Boston to bring American craft from different parts of the country to Athens.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; ">Sue and Gloria were good friends. Gloria used to exhibit her own work—blow glass work—in Court Street Collection. That’s how she knew Sue. If the Gleasons were going for a vacation, Gloria would step in to manage the store for that time. After Sue’s death in 1998 (a battle with cancer), her family ran it for some time. Gloria managed it for them for a couple of years, before buying it from Jim Gleason two years ago. </p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfouM4uwsNt96tp3RVJpv9Xr3EjhUq8NtIdd4MtTu77Ow_2TBXc361S4jSUXlOW9TP4DDQn-G7XQ5v3z6PJpWGQR_m1hK280dM7vsH0anDL_xG_ibae50qu_S6hJzhZ8UXgab09-wbg/s400/DSCI0032.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342972895754223826" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; ">There is an article on the wall that pays tribute to late Sue, recalls her artistic vision and captures the journey of Court Street Collection since its early days.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; ">Though it’s a store, it doesn’t feel like a “commercial” space at all; may be because of Gloria’s artistic vision, and her warm nature. More about the store, the owner, and the artwork in later posts.<br /></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-77570384117700880122009-05-27T10:53:00.000-07:002009-05-27T11:27:38.279-07:00Art program and “good food” for the school kids in Nelsonville - York School District<p class="MsoNormal">Sara Gilfert , the art director of Paper Circle mentioned that the current executive director of <a href="http://www.papercircle.org/">Paper Circle</a> Barb Campagnola started the art program for children. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sara said in <a href="http://www.nelsonvilleyork.k12.oh.us/">Nelsonville-York School District</a>, no art is taught in the schools. So Barb along with her colleagues, inaugurated a unique art program for the kids in the area. It’s held every summer. They also collaborated with other studios on the Square so children can enjoy sculpting, painting, papermaking, theater production and many different arts. To me it looked like an intensive but fun experience for children to learn about arts in thier summer vacation.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:center 3.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Food and fun<span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Soon Paper Circle artists took their community service to the next level. They also included a “good food” program for the school kids. “There is a real need in the area to learn about what good food is,” Sara said. “This is an economically depressed area and children here are not aware of good food.” </p><p class="MsoNormal">So they added the food element to the art program. They employ a chef to make food available to children. Also, older students do the “kitchen duty” where they learn how to make nutritious food and how to make it available in large quantities. Older students also get paid a little for their “kitchen duty.” The meals are provided free of cost considering the low income profile of the area.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Changing Artists<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Another innovative and thoughtful program offered by Paper Circle is the “Changing Artists” series. Through this series, they invite an artist working with another medium to spend a year at Paper Circle. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sara mentioned that currently Nancy McCauley, who makes bronze sculptures (and also a painter,) is exploring the world of paper art at Paper Circle.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I think it’s a great idea to have artists working with other mediums work with paper because it facilitates a crossover of different skills and points of view. The experience can enrich the artist by introducing him/her to a new medium and probably also inspire work in his/her original medium. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sources of funds for Paper Circle<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Paper Circle is a not for profit organization. It gets grant from the <a href="http://www.oac.state.oh.us/">Ohio Art Council</a>. They also accept donations. Proceeds from the sale of paper art made by the Paper Circle artists, and a token fee for the workshops, are other minor sources of income.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(This is the last post in the series that covered Paper Circle.)</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-2673721200147325092009-05-27T08:35:00.000-07:002009-06-03T08:25:58.754-07:00Paper mache tree and colorful paper bowlsPaper Circle offers paid/unpaid internship program that lets interns use the studio equipment, and showcase and sell their work. Currently Susie Thompson is the Paper Circle “artist in residence.”<br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Susie explained me the process for creating paper mache tree that sits in the studio.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(153,0,0)"><a href="http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/papermache/a/051500pm.htm">Paper mache</a> tree created by Susie </span></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340529611741701954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudf16fmQoTmssbuy1h18cjiDMPtS7IozhEq83ucs7aXgnlSGQ74k42G_y4ssN8WnknR_t6HOkfNkL4DjXWT-eBHHZvDucVcsUruWiaj2uRT9dS47psokYEzgmmqAhr1-fITtGIDx34g/s400/DSCI0027.JPG" border="0" /> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The process:</span> (as told by Susie Thompson)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># The structure inside the tree was made from foam core and cardboard.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># Susie cut out 2, two dimensional tree shapes; and interlaced them.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span>#Then she wrapped it in window screen.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># Like “frosting a cake”(I liked the analogy) , she slapped paper mache on it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># She used real branches for the ends.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># Originally she used paper made of banana peels and abaca..but didn’t like the result.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># So then she started covering it with pigmented dark brown Japanese tissue paper.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span># She moved her fingers through the bark to give it the bumpy, uneven look.</p><p class="MsoNormal">She also mentioned that paper mache is really versatile can also be used to make masks etc. Susie said the tree is the first sculpture she made and now wants to make “the whole forest.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Colorful paper bowls</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">I saw those colorful paper bowls in the studio and asked Susie the procedure.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(153,0,0)">Bowls made by Paper Circle artists.</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340535717275957106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4g_nBpFckcX916cp3OhiRsnrBypbUJ-xHonSXWzS7FXN6FivBjeHDNbwndOmtzRKFLDSLxOp6AF__XvynfP787Hba3WbXG0QFNaXi5lCO9vomKk5LFYOGqvZZe-GobSnh_7p9GpFYAQ/s400/DSCI0028.JPG" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The process:</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"># Susie said the bowls are made of recycled paper.They ripped the paper apart and turned into pulp.</p><p class="MsoNormal"># Pigments were used to get different colored pulps. They used the fabric dye called RIT.</p><p class="MsoNormal">(Susie recommends applying thin coat of vaseline on the insides of plastic bowls.)</p><p class="MsoNormal"># The next step was to drain water from the pulp and to press the pulp on the insides of the bowls.</p><p class="MsoNormal">(Pressing with sponge helps to get rid of excess water and hardens the layer.Thickness of the bowl can be adjusted through the quantity of pulp used and how hard it is pressed.)</p><p class="MsoNormal"># Different colored pulps were used to create patterns.</p><p class="MsoNormal"># The paper bowls need to dry in the plastic bowl: either in the Sun or could be set in front of a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>fan.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Susie said it takes about a week for the bowls to dry. Then the paper bowls start popping out of the plastic bowls. Even after taking out from the plastic bowls, the paper bowls may still need to be dried for some time. </p><p class="MsoNormal"># She spreaded glue to make a protective coat.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Susie said the bowls should not be used for eating but are great for decoration. She uses the bowls to organize her desk. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-49079032276325601022009-05-17T17:46:00.000-07:002009-05-19T10:23:47.562-07:00Art related events at OU this week<div style="clear:both; text-align:LEFT"><a href="http://thepost.baker.ohiou.edu/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=28442&TM=47949.73">Checkout this week's are related events @ OU</a> (From The Post)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-49732552178716225152009-05-16T22:29:00.000-07:002009-06-03T07:46:27.718-07:00Sara Gilfert: an artist unstoppable!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">No doubt I was excited about the paper making experience at </span><a href="http://www.papercircle.org/about.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Paper Circle</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, the paper and book arts gallery, at the historic Square in Nelsonville. But even more than the excitement, I was amazed by the enthusiasm of Sara Gilfert, the founder and art director of Paper Circle. Sara will turn 80 this June, but her energy and love for the paper art and the community, remain boundless. I interviewed her in the studio, and she generously shared with me the story behind Paper Circle and as mentioned in the previous posts, gave me a demonstration on handmade paper making.</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336962142859318402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IBhOiu6UU_uV4kuqP0bB6tudUweQb-ed1T9lp_aFnbZeOb7sP9RkQVGIf95I6PyEGmtIt4Pfhe2Zhato7IGHLGxOuUBdqPK5xiuF2U5XOEPnHg_a49TYRB9ZshfpF0NYbAN4_07ffg/s320/DSCI0009.JPG" border="0" /> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The beginning</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Before being “infected with the love of paper” Sara worked with fabric. She taught fiber art at </span><a href="http://www.ohio.edu/"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Ohio University</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> from 1980 to 1985: weaving, knitting, dyeing, crochet, batik, all the differnt things related to fiber. Her art studio at home was built around these fabric art techniques which she had learnt 10 years before that. She also owned a yarn shop at that time.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Introduction to paper making</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Sara said she became interested in paper art in the late 1970s'. A friend introduced her to paper making at that time. As the luck would have it, in 1980 she had the chance to learn the art of Japanese paper making when she joined her husband on a visit to Chubu University in Japan, for three months. While in Japan, Sara had the opportunity she described as “god sent and wonderful,” to visit the studio of a Japanese paper artist. From him, she learnt the traditional Japanese method of paper making.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >After returning from Japan, she slowly turned her fiber art studio into a paper art studio. In 1985, Ohio University closed the fabric art department, a nationwide trend at that time. As her interest in paper art grew, she let her lose the fabric art materials. She began using paper as the medium for her art; using paper for creating all kinds of imagery and forms.</span></p><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336980433533497026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 292px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WTLkkFCuYPH3-cp1Cppp2jDDsBAJT_F5LbfscRWgYM6OJwysM6qE9OOMwtu6I72GKJ4jFQ8HOL_X5bPm3u5HUAx_ZSCHrAEPznFpkjn-0eEkaJiXvxApQ54bsQGd0CZHnu1kQ3R_vg/s400/DSCI0018.JPG" border="0" /> </span><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(153,0,0);font-family:georgia;" >Art work by Sara Gilfert. The colors you see in the <span class=" transl_class" id="15" title="Click to correct">work</span> is not paint but are obtained from using colorful paper. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(153,0,0);font-family:georgia;" >It's a pretty big piece and is mounted on one of the walls in Paper Circle studio. </div></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Next <span class=" transl_class" id="0" title="Click to correct"><span class="transl_class" id="0" title="Click to correct">10 </span></span>years or so she found herself to be extremely busy, helping her husband set up his engineering business. Though an artist at heart, Sara taught herself double entry book-keeping and learnt to run a small business, to help her husband. She smiled recounting how she learnt book keeping "the hard way." The accountant in me empathised with her.</span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Through this period, she intermittently worked in her studio.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Paper Circle: the concept </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >After almost 11 years, she longed to get back to the “full-time artist” job. "I better return to my studio becuase that's where I have my health," she recalled her thoguhts at that time. In 2001, the idea of the public funded “paper art gallery” was lingering her mind. Sara said she was thinking of a space where she could work with her fellow artists and share her knowledge and the eqipment for making paper, and her in interest paper art, with the community. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Then in 2001, a friend from ‘<a href="http://www.ruralaction.org/">Rural Action</a>’ joined her in her studio at home. She was Sara's first intern. They used to get together every week and Sara taught her the skills she knew. Within a year three more apprentices joined her. They brought together different talents and experimented with paper art in the studio. Sara also shared with them her "vision" of Paper Circle.</span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">"Paper Circle" is born<span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> </span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Sara's studio at home was built for one person, so for four artists they needed a bigger place. Sara definitely had the “concept” of Paper Circle in mind that was bigger than just a studio and started to put the word out. They started looking around for a new place and that’s when they found the current place at Nelsonville’s historic Square. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Paper Circle<span style="color:#006600;">—“the circle round the Square,” </span><span style="color:#ff0000;">(I used "The Circle Around the Square" phrase as a descriptor for Paper Circle but actually it is a name of the program offered by them for children) </span>was inaugurated in 2003, with <a href="http://www.ruralaction.org/">Rural Action</a> as a fiscal agent. Sara moved the equipment from her home studio to the new studio. </span></span></span></span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">I think with so many other art galleries and studios around, the Square seems to be a perfect venue for Paper Circle artists to continue with their artistic endeavours. </span></span></span></span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Paper Circle: then and now</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">When they moved, the place was in a bad shape. Sara recalled that walls were dark gray, ceiling was balck and the floor was a mess. "It took months of rehabilitation work," sara said " to convert it into a workable area</span>."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >Paper circle is now a nice space divided roughly in three sections. As you enter, there is a professional gallery area where exhibiitions are held. Then you step into a small section where art works of the Paper Circle artists are displayed. Here you see differnt types of handmade paper, leather bound books, colorful paper bowls and other wonderful art works, made from paper, pulp and paper mache. Further inside is the studio space where paper making equipment and other accessories are placed. </span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Mission</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">P</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">aper Circle is a non profit organization with public funding. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">The organization's Web site sums up its mission very well: “</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Paper Circle</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> is dedicated to the celebration, preservation and advancement of the paper and book arts.” </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-family:georgia;" >More about the artists and this hub of paper art in Southeast Ohio, in the next post!</span></span></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-39485485006777036862009-05-12T18:17:00.000-07:002009-05-13T09:02:39.519-07:00Fun papermaking video seriesFound these cool youtube videos. It's a complete series that takes us through the process of handmade paper making step by step. It's fun to watch and also helpful if you decide to dabble in papermaking this summer! Totally doable at home. Check it out. <div><br /><div>Intro to handmade papermaking</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeQa70ZLJI&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeQa70ZLJI&feature=related</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Hnadmade papermaking supplies</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJZCmLeQDDU&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJZCmLeQDDU&feature=related</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Making pulp</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kBmhga6suo&feature=channel">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kBmhga6suo&feature=channel</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Mold and deckle setting</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWiaB39c7Sw&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWiaB39c7Sw&feature=related</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Paper drying</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeQa70ZLJI&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeQa70ZLJI&feature=related</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Paper flattening</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV5II_czDpw&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV5II_czDpw&feature=related</a><br /></div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>Also, OU offers a course in papermaking and is being offered this summer too. It's taught by <a href="http://www.finearts.ohio.edu/art/faculty-staff/haviland.htm">Melissa Haviland </a>. Take a look!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-48134608712904224062009-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:002009-05-11T09:38:32.013-07:00This week's art events @ OUCheckout this week's <a href="http://thepost.baker.ohiou.edu/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=28310&TM=45255.97">art events @ OU</a> (from <a href="http://thepost.ohiou.edu/">The Post</a>)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-8751926007149961032009-05-10T20:03:00.000-07:002009-05-10T20:19:11.796-07:00Handmade papermaking 101<div style="text-align: left; ">I met Sara Gilfert, the art director of <a href="http://www.papercircle.org/">Paper Circle</a> on Final Friday in April. And as I said before, that was my entry to the world of paper art. Sticking to my artistic pursuit, I requested her for an interview. During our conversation, Sara mentioned that they make the handmade paper used to create books, greetings, folders available in the studio. In fact, they hold workshops to teach how to make handmade paper.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">When she said that, I couldn't believe my luck. I am a huge fan of handmade paper. The textures and hues of handmade paper give it a classy look. And I also like how we can see the colorful fibres in the paper. Handmade paper looks "earthy" and "close to nature." Also it is definitely environment friendly, when it is made from old clothes, waste paper etc. </div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">So I almost instantaneously asked Sara if she would show me the process of making the handmade paper. Sara has been making paper for more than 30 years now. She is also a specialist in making Japanese paper and learnt the technique from a paper artist in Japan. She regulalry conducts workshops to teach how to make Japanese paper.</div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">MinaTakahashi, the editor of </span><a href="http://www.handpapermaking.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">Hand Papermaking</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "> magazine listed Paper Circle among one of the few facilities in the Midwest, where artists, who use advanced techniques and pulps, can work. The list was published in the global access guide in summer 2008 issue of the magazine.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; ">When I requested Sara, she was making paper for folders for the graduation announcement of her grandchildren. She enthusiastically showed me the process of handmade papermaking;</div><div style="text-align: left; ">how she turned dark green OU T-shirts into textured handmade paper. </div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">That was an interesting transformation! </div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXt9Ctv1jS1OYl9mUqUgGq4vI19L06b05Lzw5zlp3Ah3yuwXTXsbwnK8BCb1hm02dFLLtbrHq1VC6jbgN7uzewpFBgEvc8X5QTofp9o9TjfyssWZ6VU0HCIIeTmDkTbJwv1yNVBWtng/s320/DSCI0086.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334332889397873426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Beating</span></div><div style="text-align: left; ">Sara told me she cut the green T-shirts in tiny pieces and put them into "<a href="http://www.handpapermaking.org/beginner/beg44.htm">Hollander Beater</a>"- the machine that beats the mixture of cloth bits and water into pulp. This big machine gets its name from the country of its origin. The "bed-plate" in the machine can be adjusted to determine the texture and the tinkness of the pulp. The technique of beating (how hard and for how long) differs in western and oriental cultures, basically leading to variations in the thickness of the pulp. </div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOj-MAS4bY9Qg5iE4szhGhHbHJKfyhJ4Sj4AjD1OmgJEECTZIt6IcXW1BTiDMmAD76k5Gy615aQ2wf6K7BXLL9eqaJuw0TbUllnfaAEMnmEYGnDxzGpAGv9td21VgxyymfpGpzXcw-Q/s320/DSCI0009.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332904675309859186" alt="" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center; " /><div style="text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">Sara near </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">he machine: </span>"<a href="http://www.handpapermaking.org/beginner/beg44.htm">Hollander Beater</a>" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">for making paper pulp</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><div></div></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Interesting tid-bits</span>: </div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">Sara said the machine hasn't really changed since the 1600, when it was introduced. The paper mills use similar machines, only bigger in size.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">Traditionally, in western countries, paper was made from fabrics such as cotton and linen, that being the nature of clothing during earlier times. In eastern countries, hemp, <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_4810384_make-mulberry-paper.html">mulberry branches</a> were used to make paper. The branches of paper mulberry have to be "cooked" and "cooled" before the "beating" begins. Now ofcourse, wood is used to make paper in mills.</div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; ">The next step was to mix enough water in the pulp so the mixture could be strained using a "mold and deckel." The Mold is like a sieve that is used to catch the paper fibers from the mixture of water and pulp. The deckle is a wooden frame, to keep the paper fibers from sliding off the mold.</div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fNUJD_m2PuQwuSwbWJh7Gj3fqLfQLn5bsvld4G04xudbYqLku9ilpinAMcpdMTaxX_a-vyWkQDKEjuWFtl84Zjif-FgQ5rPxhsTbrUULD3_h_f8xCmna0zPoC5SgPXl-HJnrcB9Muw/s320/Container++with+green+pulp+and+water.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333465471702061794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">Container with green pulp-water mixture</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Sieving</span><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxDWgrR0fi0m14erBKyCa9S8kh-Vq7Ob9PkV-OyR5-QlzUD6sHefUpp16HzGxlly5gtvaXg2OZPNH0rYuavcbNZLcngsXrHhbf8y4bQVryvbHwNiP2Qado1BCY9gFIEgDFCqm0iNHeA/s320/DSCI0012.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332902234483213186" alt="" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">S</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">ara dunked the "mold and deckle" into the pulp-water mixture. </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span">The "mold and deckle" have to be moved in such a way that the pulp settels on the screen evenly. The technique of moving the "mold and deckle" differs in the oriental and western traditions of papermaking.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYKMQUL7LBMz_3XaiUIDuYJeECTMkcKUlzXbIlb31xlM6a6CEaOSFRj3v0CIKp8JZBPHg9BpB0hOtDZxcmb2zczQ25xoE5dBB95q4YnfovwVaAWUEBcDH9Sijb2FLYaKh3NVo1upUcA/s320/DSCI0020.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332904690306009842" alt="" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">Sara rested the 'mold and deckle" to get rid of excess water</span></div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppwLBWJrupv5XpZxAdSeshXBQF77G577Rcpf4gGW6RZcieJAcX-hMgFStyXPfpTPSAFsL0HA3nbPESVblI5491M2JYh3umXirkuR-cANRweAWjFBMJ2KDHzEmtKbg7t06KKzBvqMgYw/s320/Pulp+on+the++deckle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333856160036745858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">The fresh, green but "wet" paper :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF3LB7CWverl8LxO7e-xOnU1o1SoxXmDS0ETkjB_zvxkFiFrpnDDRJvnPxZZMUEZgfwyjixiQcgKypnpLPpKTdZxs3zBkcmLG_b8G0g1hoWX24a55mts4TfZREPAufOsuP_G-TMk5vA/s320/DSCI0021.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333856161408006962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">The wet paper landed on a bloating sheet. </span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div style="text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "> Depending upon the size of the "mold and deckle," paper sheets of differnt sizes can be made</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><br /></span></div></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AatA3hKhrE0QSYJwWBMinEgXVjtYmI_yuQp7pZqOJNZE87O-6RC-sSheq4x3IK51piYW6MWsLu24aoyDBdu7aJAo_TuBUxsQBGuPjYqPpw3yjcJTweyLEbvO3dWcBib1zQEVDL9OvA/s320/DSCI0026.JPG" alt="" border="0" /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">A stack of bloating sheets with wet green papers on each of the sheets</span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Pressing</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08gWtPBoIGItgyDxSFLjJSjXSoXHCm7ZjeNwnwI4iz4WpcllCVp_-6TvL-M0CD0pAcdFBJK-cxTCM1hkU0BDRhgAP4p4iQF6Fidyw3jxvnCSwpPIf6IkkSs7HfReygt5kpcq2pui4BQ/s320/DSCI0023.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333856161992914290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">This hydraulic press squeezes out the remaning water. The stack of bloating sheets went in it with a wooden plank at the bottom and on the top of the stack</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Drying</span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2ZknBWt3dottbwYv5SOXmKQropU5RyJJKbboGNrDK55xVH9tZJCCQeLaHDnmBBEuSscPY1ekIYHqwirQARlUTsbFJhEffxfHX3wjd1WPCUI3XUOV10vrrssw4Xq4NcFSvZCbdRIsKQ/s320/DSCI0025.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333862186626594642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">There is a fan behind the stack, for drying up the paper completely. Another 24 hours may be!</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; "><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332908693543041298" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrA-xlsyV7Ib0hDdiRG8Xfdf7uFjEvKQkz1A6UAUKvCbRlByl90T04Y7uqzPBYT_PvBPOv091unWRctLP2cJDi2tTyt4QCsYx1zbQfdqkO7xT-tspJGjHfulquwZMLIu-rg-gr-CAWkw/s320/DSCI0015.JPG" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; width: 320px; height: 214px; text-align: center; " /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">F</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); ">rom T-shirts to the handmade green paper</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thanks Sara! That was pretty amazing. </p><p class="MsoNormal">You can check the next work shop at Paper Circle @ <a href="http://www.papercircle.org/workshops.html">http://www.papercircle.org/workshops.html</a> </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-87714541152496453422009-05-06T09:12:00.000-07:002009-05-06T18:31:23.313-07:00A chance to win bright "passion flower"<div>The students in the Communication and Development Studies program at OU are organizing a Mother's Day Special Raffle for <a href="http://www.passionworks.org/about/index.html">Passion Works Studio</a> , a local organization that supports artists with and without developmental disabilities, through production of artwork such as jewellery, ornaments, greetings flowers etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a service learning project for students to help increase Studio's exposure and community engagement, in Athens.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>So here is our chance to win the colorful creations of the Passion Works artists. </div><div><div><br /></div><div>The raffle ticket is $2. The tickets are available at the Baker Center fourth level entrance (across from the Scripps Hall) today and tomorrow, from noon to 4 p.m. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The winners will be declared Thursday at 4 p.m. at the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Verdana;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"> Passion Works Studio Gallery Shop located at: 20 East State Street.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">First Prize: Passion Flower </span></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27PoTxUjaxLKyKsxxZCJiw_GYQrMaF_xA2jPLiYPtj4pR3J5CknNKzagCdSPR9KvywbVF0Z7Ur_zeZY9UNwUrBwqX1_-ooHPwETjUFXy044dbwkxsMcpwL5_x4mSkT-kduboSGrZNgA/s320/First+Prize.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332751476374857490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Second Prize: Paper Flower Bouquet (2 winners)</span></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lF82aXSgJLWjpLE4EsCsBTq-LzGroKKgNxCykNBh5Uo-7mUqQnGG11iIGd9ar0AOkUq14ZYPGX0G8lWNKWMSGK5snuGpuGz3J5W8GzGQIBH_Y6A77M4u-ynBGMxzjwko_wBiIcXMRQ/s320/second+prize.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332752689472925586" /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Third Prize: Mouse Pad (3 winners)</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsb3PlyBolVLClI6wH4BOj7_O7VD58i5-FRL7WNm2nmJ0tHE5FcM1czz4StnVlCKsfpQ-DXfl22eP7VGN433BZ0HZDt26ecnsvOH6il1EsOmDXEcM-ICUrExWaAfr96vUEvVfcdPWiw/s320/Third+Prize.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332752692722841666" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-88172452249788392132009-05-05T04:41:00.000-07:002009-05-05T04:52:08.194-07:00Art related events at OU this weekHere is the link for <a href="http://www.thepost.ohiou.edu/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=28184&TM=27597.83">art related events</a> at OU from May 4 to May 11 (from The Post)<div><br /></div><div>I think graduate thesis presentations in photography, ceramic and sculpture will be pretty cool.</div><div><br /></div><div>Leave a note if you attend any of those.. </div><div><br /></div><div>I want to definitely visit the sculpture one!<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:7px;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:6px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:7px;"> </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-22006997336330244492009-05-03T08:02:00.000-07:002009-05-07T04:52:24.287-07:00History of Final Fridays<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So excited I was with my experience of Final Fridays, I decided to ask people about what they thought of the concept. I started with my neighbour, Steven Richter, the very next morning. </span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He said he had been to Final Fridays and liked the event. In fact he wondered if a similar event could be started in Athens. Steven is a cartoonist and a musician and has lived in Athens for many years.</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The history</span></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Encouraged by his response, I called the "</span><a href="http://www.athensohio.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Athens County Visitor's Bureau</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">" last week to know more about the history of Final Fridays. They pointed me to Ann Judy, a well known ceramic artist of </span><a href="http://http//www.starbrick.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Starbrick Clay</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, a gallery at the Sqaure. She said Final Fridays began in April of 2002.</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was the idea of Aaron Smith, the then art director of Foothills Art School, which is also at the Square. Ann said he was inspired by the art events he had seen in Columbus and other cities, and wanted to start something on those lines at the Square in Nelsonville. </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></span> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ann explained that at that time many art groups had settled in the Square area.The Square is also a pedestrian friendly area making it appropriate for sidewalk entertainment. And thus came along the Final Fridays. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></span></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think Final Fridays is a superb idea, a bridge between common people and the artists in the area. When I asked Ann about her thoughts, she described Final Fridays as a great "showcase" for the artists. "It's an opportunity to get more people to come enjoy art," she said. </span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sara Gilfert, art direcor of "Paper Circle," a gallery that exhibits paper art, said that the closest art museum for the people in Nelsonville is in Athens and then in Lancaster. Final Fridays is a perfect event to fill this gap.</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Evolution</span></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ann mentioned that when they started Final Fridays in 2002, they didn't expect it to grow to the present scale.The event evolved over a period of time. A group of business/gallery owners at the Square, decides on the Final Friday themes for each month, and tries to keep the event fresh as well as fun. </span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></span> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As I mentioned in my previous post, each month, the galleries present a new show. Artists come over from Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland to exhibit their work in different galleries at the Square. The art shows continue for a month, till new exhibits are unvailed on the next Final Friday.</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ann said Final Fridays may move under the auspices of Nelsonville Area Chamber of Commerce next year but the planning will still be done by the group of artists and retail business owners at the Sqare.</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Community spirit</span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had seen Lorraine Wochna and Diana Nichols, librarians from the Ohio University, at the Square. I asked them later what they thought about Final Fridays. </span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Lorraine said she likes supporting art in Nelsonville and likes seeing all the people. She enjoys the different art shows going on at the Majestic, and the differnt artworks at all the other businesses.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I love going to Starbrick Clay, I have a pottery 'thing'," she said. </span></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Diana shared similar feelings. "I enjoy art, and there is always a new exhibit or performance to see. What's really nice is that Final Fridays is a community event, so I almost always see someone there I know." </span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse;font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Both of them try to attend Final Fridays every month.</span></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you decide to head to the Sqare on</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> n</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ext Final Friday, mark the date in your calendars:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> May 29</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(0,0,102)font-family:arial;" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. </span></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-76429038252437794462009-04-25T17:23:00.000-07:002009-05-04T05:30:05.137-07:00Final Fridays in Nelsonville combines food, fun, and fine art<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As I started to look around for events/galleries that promote local art, I remembered some references about Final Fridays in Nelsonville. So as part of my ongoing art expedition, I headed to Nelsonville to explore Final Fridays on April 24, with my husband. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Final Fridays is held at Nelsonville's Historic Public Sqaure on the last Friday of every month, except December. Through <a href="http://www.athensohio.com/whattodo/index.php?page=156">Athens County conventions and visitors web page</a> I found that on Final Fridays, art galleries and other businesses around the Sqare remain open for visitors until 10 p.m. People can walk around the Square, enjoy live music on the streets, visit different shows in art galleries, shop at the street stalls and watch plays and musicals at the Stuart's Opera House. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That sounded like an excitng package.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Square is home to many art studios and galleries like Gallery 1879: Stuart's Opera House, Hocking College Student Gallery, Majestic Gallery, </span><a href="http://www.nelsonvillepottery.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Nelsonville Pottery & Gifts</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span><a href="http://www.athensohio.com/whattodo/index.php?page=101&item=173"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Studio 4 Art</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span><a href="http://www.starbrick.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Starbrick Clay</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> etc., and many other small retail businesses. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASpw5Uw4nPbww1By7S9bgaCS9b2g3fKm1Eb1GFRd5iaz90t7nOvalUqz5p1TqSfrduy1u1EOKUVs5_miBl_N4_WtU_Xt-aHrw5YsoDHO2VZIdIUTfE0CV59MuQ0C69bIdkw0JO8E_1A/s320/DSCI0003.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328831958631329602" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Great Friday evening</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">While we were at the Square, it almost seemd as if we were in a different world. With its fair-like appeal, the place looked very diffferent from the usual scene in Athens. The vehicular traffic was closed at the Square.There were a few sidewalk stalls selling bead-jewellery, baked food, and such other items. Families with kids enjoyed strolling around. Street musicians played upbeat tunes. The "community" spirit was quite palpable.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKGjLZqpHfZIY9YmSlFly3M6ktabpWuO1IyQN0CYsTHkDP28Uy-LCsPYlEntkYCC0FM4sseK6G4L-orZo7-_CzodWGRP_9Y-o05TQcgO_TB5544wEr9d2GT7O0zFqqTOS6jFDEdGczQ/s320/DSCI0030.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329202925371446306" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Paper Circle, the gallery at the Sqare is hosting an exhibit of intricate Origami works by artists of "Ohio Origami." <br /></span></div></span></div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We went to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.starbrick.com/artists/index.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Starbrick Clay</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> which had a brand new exhibit of clay and ceramic work, and </span><a href="http://http//www.papercircle.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Paper Circle</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> , a hub for everything "paper art." Both galleries welcomed a steady stream of enthusiastic visitors through the late evening. Susie Thompson, an artist with the gallery, Paper Circle, attributed the enthusiasm of visitors to the pleasant weather. Paper Circle, like other galleries at the Square, inauguarted an exhibit by Ohio Origami that Friday. That was my introduction to the world of "paper art." I spent more than an hour in the gallery talking to Sara Gilfert, the art director of Paper Circle and Susie and learnt many facinating things about paper art.(more about that in the posts later.) </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div></div></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8se_A77SY4usgjEK4SXo-tj-WwA24o-Q-uhUOdxRxpTq08O_mypStKMMDIcU4IFv-pAol2Aqbfj_QewKkQB7RVC8YwRsF080RJOwdkF4g-W77t26G3AOQqqUUC43xfHSwpUrbnB-DA/s320/DSCI0006.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329200312659649090" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> People enjoying a sunny day at the Art Square and the street stalls</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwK4CXHUu9YXvgb7gHFF37K8ngTd5LNmvxl2Cxr15Q8ckbY_DJRbrczZ4BVHlz0EusdStqecqxc1vE_dvd-5mc7_6O86jWad-uLc0QJUyGuV2HJ8Z6Vjjhg0wir4tvLFn9PA-nghQFg/s320/DSCI0007.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328832652509910306" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Stuart's Opera House </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On Final Fridays, Stuart's Opera House shows a free film in the 130-year-old</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> theater</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The food finale</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We ended our mini art excursion with equally pleasurable food and music expereince at </span><a href="http://www.hocking.cc.oh.us/rhapsody/index.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rhapsody,</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> the fine dining restaurant at the Square, run by the Hocking College culinary arts and hospitality students. Food there is pricy for what graduate students can afford, but worth every penny!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My first step into the world of art was a memorable experience! </span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Share with me your Final Friday experiences and things you like about Final Fridays.</span></span></div></span></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66751386669132083.post-44099189027275876882009-04-25T16:42:00.000-07:002009-05-21T11:12:56.791-07:00Introducing "Art in Athens"<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dear blog readers, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Through this blog--"Art in Athnes" (</span><a href="http://artinathens.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">http://artinathens.blogspot.com/)</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, I set out to explore the rich art culture in Athens, Nelsonville and vicinity.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am a journalism student who like many of you, enjoys the diversity of colors, sizes, shapes, textures and patterns in everyday objects.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So I am combining my "journalistic" curiosity and my "laywomanish" love of art, in this blog project.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My plan is to meet with the local artists working with different materials such as paper, glass, fabric, wood etc. and understand the process behind creation of the art work. I have always wondered about how these artists come up with such fantastic ideas and how the ideas are then transformed into works of art.</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I hope to find out answers to these questions.</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Another striking part of Athens and Nelsonville community is the presence of a number of art galleries and showrooms. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Those will be on my list too.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These galleries are simply exciting because we get to enjoy work of different artists and in different mediums, all at one place.</span></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I am thrilled about this project, and I look forward to your comments and suggestions. Feel free to comment and correct. </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you know an artist I could talk to, please let me know and I will be happy to get in touch with him/her. Hope you enjoy reading the blog!</span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ashwini (Ash)</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2