818 N. Sang Ave., Fayetteville, AR (479)442-8585
www.communityimaginationstudio.org

JULY EVENTS

SATURDAY STUDIO HOURS
YouthCAN!’s Community Imagination Studio invites you to Saturday Studio Hours every week from 10-4! Please join us at the Community Imagination Studio, 818 N. Sang Ave. in Fayetteville. During Saturday Studio Hours, we open our doors to community members of all ages to come, use our studio space and art supplies to paint, draw, make collages, or get creative with clay. Staff artists will be on hand to help guide you .

Featured projects for Saturday, July 12th: Passport to Art!  Join us this week as we travel through art to visit Turkey and China!  We will be weaving rugs and painting ceramic tiles.

Featured projects for Saturday, July 19th: Passport to Art!  This week’s theme is Japan! We will create netsuke, or miniature Japanese sculptures, origami, soft sculptures, and rice paper lanterns.

Featured projects for Saturday, July 26th : Passport to Art!  This week we’ll visit Italy!  Stop by and paint upside down like Michelangelo, learn to make figure sculptures and figure drawings.  We will also be making Arte Povera, or “poor art” out of rocks sticks and twine.

JULY’S ARTIST WORKSHOP SERIES

The Community Imagination Studio invites all of the Northwest Arkansas community to participate in the Saturday Workshop Series. The Workshop Series will be held on the 3rd Saturday of every month and involves a demonstration of the facilitating artists’ methods, guided instruction, and a chance for participants to get feedback on their work.

Join us for July’s Saturday Workshop and learn basic knitting techniques with Alison and Amy.  The workshop will be July 19th  from 2-4. Relax this summer vacation and start knitting gift items for the Holiday Season! The Saturday Workshop Series will be $10 per participant. The Community Imagination Studio is located at 818 N. Sang Ave., in Fayetteville.  For more information about this program, please visit www.communityimaginationstudio.org/ or contact Alison Carter at alison@communityimaginationstudio.org or call 479-442-8585.

MOMMY & ME ART CLASSES!
Mommy & Me Art Classes at the Community Imagination Studio
For Parents or Grandparents and their little ones ages 18 months-5 years of age. Together, you will explore art in all its wonderful messiness! Art teaches developmental and cognitive skills such as problem solving, cause and effect, color mixing, and many more! The masterpieces that you take home will be treasured for years! Class meets once a week on alternating Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 10 to 11 am. Cost is $10 per class, per child. Register for whole month and receive a $5 discount if you have more than one child.

Featured Projects for July 8th: This week’s theme is Heat Survival!  Come to the studio to create tools to help you beat the summer heat.  We will be making elephant squirt toys, silly sunglasses, water purses, and sponge balls!

Featured Projects for July 16th: This week we will be reading “Black Meets White” by Justine Fontes.  We will be creating tape and paper resist paintings and interactive collages.

Featured Projects for July 22nd:  This week’s theme is Passport to Art!  Come to the studio and visit Italy and Japan.  We will experience what Michelangelo felt like as he painted lying down.  We will also paint landscapes and make paper lanterns.

Featured Projects for July 30th: Vroom! Clatter! Smack!  During this class we will create art that moves!  We will make a balloon car, noisemakers and kites.

Beginning Web Site / $225
Mondays 14, 21, 28 and August 4 / 6 pm–8 pm

Beginning Illustrator / $225
Tuesdays 15, 22, 29 and August 5 / 6 pm–8 pm

Fall Makeshops include Photoshop, scanning and D.I.Y (Do it yourself) recycled CD packaging, schedule to be announced

Calendar:
www.newdesigncenter.org/calendar.html
Descriptions:
www.newdesigncenter.org/makeshops.html Read the rest of this entry �

ddp gallery presents Dreadful Objects: Shane Richey and Jason Clinton Barnes. The exhibition is from July 9 – August 9, 2008.  A reception for the artists will be held on Thursday July, 10 from 5-8pm. The gallery is located at 7 East Mountain Street, between Fayetteville’s historic Downtown Square and North College Avenue.

“Dreadful Objects”, an exhibition sure to provoke discussion, features works on paper and video installation by Jason Clinton Barnes and Shane Richey, recent graduates from the Masters Program at the University of Arkansas Art Department. Barnes’ intense analytical eye for detail, coupled with Richey’s pithy sense of delivery join in providing a startlingly clever and endlessly entertaining summer showcase.

Both artists work in the medium of ideas, each pushing the boundaries of the artist/viewer relationship while confronting the notion of fact. Barnes’ large-scale drawings on paper (the largest at 8 feet by 8 feet) display his personal struggle with American history as presented in textbooks. The work, elaborate combinations of painting, pencil and marker, seamlessly combine American heroes with modern day pop culture icons in a graphic retelling of the quest for the American Dream. Richey uses mounted televisions, looped video feeds and sound to involve the viewer. His belief is communication, especially in modern journalism, is telling a story– influenced by agendas and advertising dollars. Richey’s installation invites a critical dialogue between artist and audience about the true nature of objective broadcasting.

‘Dreadful Objects’ was co-curated by Dede Peters, the gallery owner, and Robin Atkinson, best known for her work with Art Amiss, Inc. ‘Dreadful Objects’ promises to be the most entertaining, challenging and delightful art showcase of the season.

For more information about ‘Dreadful Objects’ or the DDP Gallery, or to schedule and interview with Dede Peters or Robin Atkinson, please call Dede at 479-442-0001 or email at dede@ddpgallery.com

BY SUSANNAH PATTON, Northwest Arkansas Times

The city of Fayetteville has long held the philosophy that if you help an event get started, it will grow into a full-grown festival one day and be able to support itself.

Marilyn Heifner, executive director of the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission, said events are typically funded in the beginning with the hopes that they will not have to be funded every year.

“Normally, the philosophy we’ve had is to give them some seed money to start and then they ought to be able to stand on their own,” she said.

Bikes, Blues & BBQ was once a fledging festival, nurtured by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and the Advertising and Promotion Commission. It has since grown into the city’s most successful event, attracting more than 350,000 people last year and handing out $100,000 to local charities.

However, not every festival grows at the same rate. Some struggle to stand on their own two feet and often fail while others continue to seek support from their benefactors.

But as resources decline and more programs and events fall victim to budget cuts, festivals may not be able to rely on city funding.

Such may be the case for the Fayetteville Arts Festival. Organizers are aggressively seeking funding for the twoweekend event held in the fall.

On Monday, the A&P Commission will consider a resolution passed down from the City Council urging them to contribute $35,000 to the festival.

Heifner said the commission will hear the request, but she’s not sure what the conclusion will be.

“The commission really doesn’t have any unallocated funds right now,” she said.

Heifner said the Fayetteville Town Center is cooperating with the festival as much as possible. The visual arts component of the festival will be held at the Town Center, as well as the art party held the evening before the festival. Heifner said she’s also working with festival organizers on ways to raise money for publicity.

“We’re giving all the help we can,” she said. “We’re hoping that will be at least a start in the right direction.”

The festival received $35,000 from the A & P Commission last year but did not reapply for funding in 2008. Daniel Keeley, board president of Fayetteville Downtown Partners, the organization responsible for putting on the festival, said the board didn’t apply for funding this year due to a lack of paid staff members.

Last September, when its three-year funding agreement with the city ended, the board let go its two paid staff members and became a volunteer-based organization.

Volunteers have been working since February to raise money for the event but admitted to the City Council last month that they could use some extra help.

Providing extra help isn’t something the city is prepared to do. Budget cuts last year forced the city to cancel its annual Red, White and Boom festival held on the Fourth of July.

Last year officials announced the cancellation of the city’s annual air show, Airfest, due to the overall expense of putting on the show.

Autumnfest, which began in the early 1980s, faded out in 2006 when attendance and sponsorships began to decline.

Fayetteville is not alone in its difficulty in funding annual events.

The Springdale Chamber of Commerce announced earlier this year that the annual FeatherFest would be canceled. Attendance and revenue have been declining over the past few years, according to Chamber officials.

So what makes some festivals more successful than others?

Bikes, Blues & BBQ started out as a chamber event. According to Bill Ramsey, the festival was born in 2000 when the chamber president at the time, Steve Ward, had a conversation in the alley between the Chamber building and the Fayetteville Police Department with then Police Chief Richard Watson.

In Ramsey’s first year as president in 2001, the festival was still being supported by the chamber.

“It wasn’t anything like it is today,” he said. The proceeds of the festival were split between the chamber and the Washington County Council on Aging.

The festival brought 4,500 bikes and 14,000 visitors to town that year.

“It kept doubling every year,” Ramsey said.

In 2003, the festival attracted nearly 45,000 bikers and 125,000 people. The number reached 300,000 in 2005 and kept growing.

Toad Suck Daze in Conway is run by a committee of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. The 26-yearold festival occurs the first weekend in May and is run almost exclusively by volunteers, including the local police and fire departments.

Other successful festivals in the state started out with funding from private groups.

Riverfest, the state’s largest music and arts festival, started in 1978 when the Junior League of Little Rock brought in the American Wind Symphony. The event was called The Summer Arts Festival and was held at Murray Park. The following year, the event was renamed Riverfest and Riverfest Inc., a nonprofit, was formed to operate the festival. In 1983, the event moved to Julius Breckling Riverfront Park. In 2002, it expanded to the North Shore Riverwalk in North Little Rock.

Now, more than 245,000 people attend the Memorial Day-weekend event. Riverfest Inc. has invested more than $700,000 in Riverfront Park and the River Market District, including the Riverfest Amphitheatre and the Riverfest Pavilion at the River Market.

Mayor Dan Coody thinks Fayetteville could have longrunning successful festivals on a similar scale as Riverfest.

“Fayetteville is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the cultural tourism that a well-run festival program would bring,” he said.

Coody’s idea is to hire a full-time, year-round employee that would coordinate volunteers and plan events.

“We spend money every year throwing money at the problem,” he said. “Yet every year it’s a new ball game, another set of problems, because there’s no consistency, we’re spending money without a real solid vision of what it is were trying to accomplish.”

Festivals need to be a longterm vision, Coody said, with the goal of increasing by 15 percent each year.

But should the city take on the roll of putting on festivals?

“Only if we care,” Coody said. “ We’re missing an opportunity. Cultural tourism is more important than ever.”

Not only does it bring tourists and money to town, but it also enhances the cultural opportunities for local citizens as well, he said.

Coody acknowledged that hiring a festival coordinator is probably not realistic.

“I don’t think the majority of the council would see the importance,” he said.

But Coody sees the city competing with such wellknown festivals as the Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas.

Publication:Northwest Arkansas Times;     Date:Jul 6, 2008

The application deadline for artists interested in exhibiting and selling their work at the Pinnacle Hills Art Festival has been extended until August 1, 2008.

To be held September 5 - 7, 2008 at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Northwest Arkansas, the Pinnacle Hills Art Festival is a juried fine art show and sale featuring exceptional artists from across Arkansas and the USA.

For more information, visit the Pinnacle Hills Art Festival website at www.pinnaclehills.info

Art Exhibit “Euphoric Recall–Old & New Works”, featuring the art of Jane Peoples will be on display at the Fort Smith Art Center, located in the Historic District of Fort Smith, Arkansas, at 423 North 6th Street.

Jane’s unusual assemblage (or found object) art will be on display from Thursday July 3rd thru Saturday July 26th, with an opening reception, Thursday July 3rd, 5 - 7 p.m.

These works reflect the artist’s passion for combining used and totally dis-similar objects to form singular, thought provoking compositions.

See more of Jane’s work:  http://community.webtv.net/jainsart/Jainsart

Contact: jainsart2@webtv.net

THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sarah Mesko, a 2008 graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, is emerging as a promising young artist on both operatic and concert stages. During the spring 2008 semester, she won first place in two prestigious national singing competitions.  In March she was declared the winner of the Franco-American Vocal Academy’s Grands Concours de Chant, singing both concert and operatic literature in French. She received a $5,000 award.  In May, Sarah won the $10,000 first prize at the national singing competition of the National Society of Arts and Letters at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. Read the rest of this entry �

FAYETTEVILLE – Amory Lovins, the nationally-known physicist and sustainability expert, will speak at the Fayetteville Public Library on Monday, June 23 at 9 a.m. as a partnership with the University of Arkansas’ Applied Sustainability Center.

The event is free and will be in the library’s Walker Community Room.

Lovins has advised industries, the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense and 19 heads of state on advanced energy and resource efficiency. He is the cofounder, chairman and chief scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that creates abundance by design. Lovins has been published in 29 books, including Small Is Profitable, an Economist book of the year in 2002, and Winning the Oil Endgame, a Pentagon-cosponsored book published in 2004.

Adult Classes (beginning & intermediate) are ongoing & limited to the first 8 paid registrants. $ 169 covers a total of 6 classes, plus $ 1.50/lb material fee for works that you want to have fired (includes studio glazes & firings). The largest selection of tools & equipment are provided.

Each class will be given demonstrations, and shown different working techniques along with personal instruction. You choose the projects that you are interested in. Glazing will be covered as each student is ready to glaze. Let’s have fun!!!

Flat Rock Clay is now offering on Saturdays 10a-1p, a series of 3 hr topical classes for only $49 ($44 members). Most of these sessions will be lead by David Johnson. David’s training was based on principals
passed down through the Bauhaus, a tradition traced back to the 15th century in Germany. With over 30 years experience as a production potter, he offers answers for all levels of clay enthusiasts.

• June 7, 2008: Mug Shots, an important piece to add to your rap sheet.
• June 14, 2008: Round out your life - get into shape, let’s go Bowling.
• June 21, 2008: Splash back to back splash… Tiles. - Kelley
• June 28, 2008: Is the air getting tight? Have a donut. Throwing using trapped air. This one will not burst your bubble.
• July 12, 2008: Hitting the bottle may lead to necking. Some do’s & don’ts in clay etiquette. Don’t kiss this one off.
• July 19, 2008: Flat Rock not Mo-Town. If there is too much on your plate make a platter.
• July 26, 2008: Keep your hands on the wheel handbuilding - Kelley
• Aug 9, 2008: The Valdez oil spill was slick but these oil candles and lamps are no accident.
• Aug 16, 2008: For the Birds: wheel thrown, slab, and extruded pieces to appeal to our feathered friends will be discussed and explored.

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