November 2011 – Newsletter

Join OpenArts in celebrating Colorado Gives Day! Colorado Gives Day 2011 will take place during a 24-hour period on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011. Donations will be accepted through the online giving website http://www.givingfirst.org/OpenArts starting at 12:00 a.m. on Dec. 6th and running through to midnight. Community First Foundation and FirstBank partnered last year on the inaugural Colorado Gives Day, which distributed $8.7 million to Colorado nonprofits.

OpenArts has joined with Colorado Gives in 2011 to help raise awareness of the visual arts within Boulder and to raise some vital funds to support our ongoing mission. We ask that you consider making a donation on December 6^th as on that day only, an incentive fund will increase your donation, making this a perfect opportunity for your charitable dollars to go even further.

This is a perfect chance for you to join with hundreds of other supporters of the arts to affirm Boulder as one of the leading artistic communities in the country. Be sure to navigate to the OpenArts profile to be assured your donation will go directly to support OpenArts.

Give the gift of art to Boulder.

In order to ensure that your donation is earmarked to be received by OpenArts, please use http://www.givingfirst.org/OpenArts.

All donations are tax deductible.

OpenArts is proud to announce the launching of our new website!

Thanks to an incredible grant from Project FreshKicks (http://projectfreshkicks.com/ ), design firm, Wick Creative (http://wickcreative.com/), developed a beautiful new website for OpenArts in just 24 hours!

Project FreshKicks hosted a fun and frenzied event which saw 12 web development teams work overnight all in the same building designing brand new websites for 12 lucky nonprofits who had been awarded the much sought after grants. OpenArts was delighted and proud to have been selected. Executive Director, Jane Saltzman and Event Manager, Stephen DeNorscia spent the day at the Project FreshKicks office working with the dynamic team from Wick Creative, consisting of Creative Director, Scott Wickberg, Art Director, Scott Fassett and Lead Programmer, Justin Clark.

For the first few hours the OpenArts staff explained the many and varied programs and events which comprise the work of the organization. The Wick team then took their notes and found their home for the evening, nestled in at the top of a staircase on a narrow landing. For the next 20+ hours they furiously wrote code, designed pages, linked blog posts and chugged gallons of coffee. At the conclusion of the night, Jane and Stephen returned along with representatives from the other fortunate nonprofits. In turn each design firm presented the results of their sleepless night. New website after new website was shown side by side with the previous version in a “before” and “after” style. Again and again the audience was awed by the incredible work these tireless code warriors had produced in just 24 hours!

Please join us in thanking both Project FreshKicks and Wick Creative for giving OpenArts a brand new look! To see the results of Wick Creative’s work please visit http://www.openartsboulder.org. We think you’ll like what you see.

Winter Scene
Materials: Black paper, chalk pastels, hairspray, scissors, glitter and glue.
Technique: Artists draw a winter scene, i.e.; mountains, meadow, forest, etc., using chalks on a black background. Items in foreground must be lighter than in background. When finished, put a flower pot or bowl on top of drawing and draw a circle around it and cut out. Fix artwork by spraying surface with hairspray and let dry for a few minutes. Lay circle face down on work surface and color the outer edge of circle with chalk. Place circle carefully in center of a new piece of black paper and smudge chalk rim out onto new sheet, taking care not to allow picture to move. Turn piece over and glue picture in circle created by chalk smudge. Dab piece with glue and sprinkle glitter on top to finish off.

Snow Angels
Materials: Black paper, white paper doily, silver thread or silver pipe cleaner, tiny clothespins (painted silver), glitter, scissors, glue, black and white photo of “angel”, and cotton balls.
Technique: Fold doily in half. Fold in half again and again, creating 8 triangles. Open doily and cut in half, reserving one side while cutting remaining half into 4 triangles. Cut out face of photo and paste onto black paper. Glue the full half of doily on to sheet, retaining folds, to create dress. To make legs, cut pipe cleaner into small pieces or use pieces of silver thread, tuck ends under folds of dress and secure with glue. Add silver clothespins for feet. Glue remaining two doily triangles for wings. Use bits of cotton ball to glue above face for hair. Decorate with glitter. Create snowflakes by drawing shapes with glue and shaking silver and white glitter on top.

*Note: Feel free to substitute/add white lace, feathers, jewels, metallic markers, crayons or gel pens or anything else you might have lying around that catches your eye!

Glittery Votives
Materials: Glass votives, small tissue paper pieces, glitter, Mod Podge*, water, small jar or container, brushes and tea lights.
Technique: Cover work space with newspaper or plastic cloth. Pour some Mod Podge into a jar or container and cut with water to create a buttermilk consistency, mixing well. Turn votive over and begin brushing on Mod Podge mixture, covering sides of votive thoroughly. Place tissue paper pieces on votive, covering with additional mixture. Experiment by layering and overlapping different colored pieces. Be sure to always apply a top coat of diluted Mod Podge. When completely covered, shake surface with glitter and allow to dry- Mod Podge mixture will harden to a clear sheen. Add tea light and enjoy!

*Note: Mod Podge is a type of adhesive that may be found in most craft and fabric stores.

Susan Douglass, winner Best 2D, 2011 Open Studios

If your art could move someone to take action, what would you want that action to be and why?

It would be great if my art could be a part of the increase of someone’s trust in their own intuition, and resulting life(art)-expression.  Picture a few people becoming Swiss cheese beetles, with colorful shells that form temporary barriers to external judgement, while moving patterns of holes allow for the push and pull of ideas and free expression.

I consider the connection to intuition to be a very real action, because in my experience, it is, and forever will be no small task.  The more I have been able to connect with my own intuition, the easier it has been, to both publicly express myself on community issues, and to include more meaningfulness and fun in my abstract art.  Now I know that when I am able to let my guard down and show folks some of my true wildness, it can be wonderfully reciprocated.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your chosen media and how do you overcome it?

The two-dimensionality of painting.  The feelings and thoughts which inform my abstract landscapes are far from two-dimensional, but that’s how I express them.  I think it has been a natural part of my development process to become increasingly aware of related ideas for three-dimensional constructions, installation pieces, etc.  Rather than being conflicted or torn between which form of expression to incorporate, I keep a sketchbook and when more sculptural or text ideas come to mind, I draw and describe them in some detail, knowing that their time will come.

If your art were gifted to a world leader with a message, who would receive it and what would the message be?

Considering that the future is created through each of our individual actions, we are all world leaders.  I offer the following message: The idea of “timelessness” is frequently visualized as a beautiful landscape that connects our past, present, and future.   That this “land” would remain essentially unchanged, always provide for us physically, and serve as prime nourishment for our imagination and desires, has often been taken for granted.  I suggest that the very notion of timelessness is a major component of individual and collective imagination.

As a society, some believe that the land can adapt to our increase in disruption of its natural processes.  My concern is that by changing the earth’s temperature, topography, and chemistry, we are not just causing physical damage, but also inadvertently narrowing the breadth of imagination.

Marie Channer, winner People’s Choice Award, 2011 Open Studios

If you could convey one thing about why you believe art is vital to our community what would you want people to know?

Art brings many different people together to share their ideas, talents, and passions.   As my husband, Dennis, says, ‘It gives others an opportunity to view the world through different eyes.”

If your art could move someone to take action, what would you want that action to be and why?

I would want someone to take time to enjoy the beauty and wonder of our world whether it is in the silhouette of a horse running in the moonlight, a ballerina performing, a child playing in water on a hot summer afternoon, or looking into the eyes of a sleepy child.

I participate in Open Studios because…

As an artist, I spend many hours isolated in my studio. Open Studios is a wonderful opportunity and venue to meet other artists, interact with the community, and share what I do with others.

I would like to say thank you to all those who are involved in making Open Studios so successful each year.

Roger Reutimann, winner Best of Show, 2011 Open Studios

I first realized I wanted to be an artist when…

I begun playing the piano at the age of five, later went on to study classical music at the conservatory and performed as a pianist throughout Europe. At an early age I loved to paint, draw and build sculptural objects from all kinds of different materials. At that young age I never thought of myself to be an artist. This artistic communication and expressions of emotions seemed to come natural to me and it was something I found so much more powerful than words. I believe what we are all much more connected to our artistic side as a child than as adults or as Picasso put it: “Every child is an artist. The challenge is to remain one once we grow up”.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your chosen media and how do you overcome it?

To work in bronze presupposes working in many other materials starting with clay, silicone-rubber and plaster (for mold making), then wax casting and finally welding and chasing of the bronze. All those materials have entirely different properties and require unique tools and techniques to learn. The most challenging aspect is to preserve the form of the original clay model in every detail throughout the many steps of the process, which may get partially lost during the transformation to the finished bronze. Most artists give the clay model to the foundries and let them continue all steps to complete the bronze. I like to perform all work myself, which has the advantage to be in complete control of the work and to be able to continue to make changes during the transformation through the different materials.

What do you believe the role of the artist is within society? What would you like it to be?

Most of my work embodies a social commentary, which in my case is inspired by human and cultural scrutiny. Infusing art with a message provides with the ability to communicate an idea on a deeper, emotional level. To me it is the meaning, the soul of the piece that provides the intellectual capacity to transcend and transform.