OCAC INITIATING A LOCAL AND REGIONAL  AUTHORS’ BOOK PROGRAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH SECOND FRIDAY EVENTS

The OCAC is initiating a local and regional authors’ book program next year in conjunction with their second Friday events.  Applications are now being accepted from regional authors to be considered for the inaugural 2012 OCAC authors’ program. 

The OCAC is committed to introducing published books from different genres and authors from the Oxford Region.  The authors and their books will be selected annually by a volunteer committee. The OCAC is inviting published authors to submit an application before January 16 for consideration for the 2012 calendar year. 

The books can be from any genre and for any age group.  The OCAC will strive to showcase a diversity of books and authors for the program.  The books do not have to be published in 2012 but should be reasonably ‘newly’ published or pertain to a relevant or timely topic.

The OCAC invites local and regional authors to participate in this endeavor by submit ting a brief proposal.  The applications are due by January 16 to be considered for 2012 dates. Notification of selections will be made to the authors and announced to the community in February.   To receive an application, contact Caroline Croswell at (513)524-8506 or caro@oxarts.org.   

The OCAC is a 19^th century building which was originally built as the Oxford College for Women. It has since been transformed through a collaborative community project into a center for visual and performing arts.  The OCAC hosts an open house every second Friday featuring artists, musicians and their work. The OCAC is happy to expand the second Friday program to include regional authors and their books.

A preview author event was held at the OCAC in December with local author Terri Spahr Nelson and her latest book, “The Moment I Knew:  Reflections from Women on Life’s Defining Moments”  published in 2011 by Sugati Publications.  Spahr Nelson read excerpts of some of the essays in the book—featuring 30 authors and six countries.  The event was standing room only generating much interest in the addition of regional authors to the second Friday programs.  Spahr Nelson donated 25% of sales from the event to the OCAC.

As a follow up to the December event, Spahr Nelson will be facilitating a book discussion group later in January.  It is her hope that other authors in the OCAC program will also have book groups in the month preceding their event. For more information about the book group, contact Spahr Nelson at tsnelson01@yahoo.com.   Loaner books are available from Spahr Nelson or the books can be published online at Sugati Publications.  The book discussion group is open to anyone.

Oxford musicians Lisa Biales, Laurie Traveline Neyer, John Kogge, John Bercaw, Susan Pepper, Vicky Agee, Sirenz, and special guests gathered in the Oxford Community Arts Center’s beautiful ballroom on Friday, December 8th to perform their favorite holiday music as a benefit for the Art Center. The group raised almost $1,500 to support music programming at OCAC. 

You all ROCK!

Viking River Cruises selects OCAC Studio Artist Marcia Waller’s painting  "Moscow’s  St. Basil’s Cathedral" to grace their holiday greeting cards.  Congratulations Marcia!

WOODTURNERS EXHIBIT WORK AT OCAC

Linda Suter, Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild

Artisans from the Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild return to the Oxford Community Arts Center with an exhibit that opens on November 11, 2011.  OVTG  boasts about 230 members from the southeastern Indiana-northern Kentucky- southwestern Ohio region. 

This special exhibit will open at 6:00 pm on November 11 during Oxford Community Arts Center’s regular Second Friday celebration.  Forty-three pieces from nineteen artists will be on exhibit until December 2^nd.  Items will be available for purchase and may be picked up after the show closes, just in time for holiday gift-giving.

Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild is a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners.   The organization strives "to provide education, information, and organization to people interested in the art and craft of woodturning."  Their other goals and efforts include: Promoting woodturning as an art form and craft; sharing ideas regarding woodturning, including lathes, tools, turning materials, turning techniques and design of turned objects; hosting international professional woodturners’ demonstrations of methods and techniques; and providing woodturning mentors to new members.

Artists with pieces on exhibit range from Arnold Ward who turned his first pieces, a chess set, on the lathe in high school 30 years ago and Ralph Mckee who has been woodworking for over 45 years and whose work is made from down trees from his  farm that he saws into lumber on a Wood-Mizer saw mill, air dries then kiln dries in a home built solar kiln,  to Dave Wright who has been turning wood for about three years. Often their attraction to wood and woodworking came at a very early age.  When asked about his infinity to wood and woodworking, Vaughn Solomon said, “In the home of my grandparents the floors I played on were cherry, cut from my grandfather’s orchard. Even today some of that same wood embellishes my workbench.” 

Many of the artists produce their art for pleasure and offer it for sale as a means of sharing the beauty and keeping down the clutter in their studios and homes. Still others “find great joy in seeing what lies inside each broken and rotting log – sort of like opening a Christmas present and anticipating the surprise to come,” says Mary Carol Meinken. 

Sande Raabe has always been a “maker of stuff.”  She has tried everything from macramé in the 1970s, silver smithing in the 80s, quilting in the 90s and before taking up wood turning.  “I love it,” she says. “I find myself in the garage at the lathe when I should be cleaning the house.  I like going out to the woods, dragging a piece of wood back to the house and seeing what I can make. I have especially enjoyed all the positive people I have met in my wood turning journey”

Bruce Gibson considers himself “an amateur woodturner introduced to the hobby about 13 years ago.”  The artistic pieces he creates are generally one-of because, “for me, the fascination is in the creative process.  The wood itself often dictates the final outcome of my creative process because hidden imperfections and wood grain subtleties dictate the flow of the work.  I find pleasure in releasing the natural beauty hidden beneath the bark.” 

The group’s show at Oxford Community Arts Center opens on Second Friday at 6 p.m. and lasts until 10 p.m.   The reception is free and open to the public, as are all Second Friday events.   Second Friday Arts Evenings, occur monthly and feature live music, exhibits of visual art, and a reception for the artists.

The Center is located at 10 S. College Avenue in Oxford, Ohio. For additional information about Second Friday or about the Arts Center itself, contact 513-524-8506, emailinfo@oxarts.org, or visit their website at www.oxarts.org. 

Jim Tingey, The Flat Taxidermist, Brings His Fishy Art to OCAC’s After School Art Program

Jim Tingey, is a retired teacher, an avid catch and release fly fisherman and a watercolor artist from Winnetka, Illinois, who calls himself a “Flat Taxidermist.”  Jim had been angling and painting for over 50 years when he brought the two together to create “Catch and Release Artwork” an alternative to killing and mounting a sportsman’s catch for memorabilia.   Jim’s paintings memorialize a trophy catch by capturing it in the form of a beautiful watercolor print, complete with a hand written section containing the date, size, and location of the catch.

   

When asked how he learned to create such beautiful paintings and who influenced him, he responded, “I’m a doodler, you know, self-taught. I just kept at it, drawing was something that I like to do and I’d take a class or something but I just kept at it and eventually, I started selling art from time to time.”

But Jim’s “fishy” artwork isn’t just for fishermen… His work has been juried and exhibited in art shows, sold in galleries and even fishing stores around the world.  He also donates his artwork …and his time to non-profits to help raise funds and influence his favorite causes; conservation, fishing and programs for children.   To that end, Jim spent Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at the Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC) working with the children in After School Art. 

Diane Stemper, After School Art Coordinator & Educator at the OCAC welcomed Jim to the ASA program this week.  “Part of my goal with After School Art is to introduce professional artists to the kids and to demonstrate that professional artists make their living in a number of ways” says Diane. “Jim will show the kids examples of his artwork which include watercolors of fish that he and other fisherman have caught. Jim has recently retired from teaching fourth grade education but still has a passion for introducing and teaching children about the different expressions of art.”  Another goal of Diane’s is to bring in professional artists that specialize in a unique style. “The artist adds tremendously to the breadth of ideas and techniques that the kids are exposed to,” Diane said. “Jim will provide the kids with the materials and instructions to paint a fish using the medium of watercolor.”

Some of the paintings created this week will be open on display during the After School Art show October 14th, and will remain on display until November 4th. 

After School Art is funded in part by The Oxford Community Foundation, a Target Store Grant, and the Talawanda Miami Partnership, as well as the Kiwanis Club and Oxford Youth Empowered to Serve. 

A Call for Artists… Artistic Ensembles Mixed Media Productions

A Call for Artists…

         Artistic Ensembles

                      

                   Mixed Media Productions

 Artists have been exploring the use of mixed media for years.  As our culture grows and changes, so does our understanding of “media.”   As our society changes, new items enter the market and new terms enter our vocabulary.  “Old “items, though they may have been “new” only recently, obsolesce.  This constant change can be disconcerting, but it also provides growth in the variety of materials used for artistic expression and encourages viewing objects around us in new ways.   

   Louise Nevelson, for example, constructed fascinating  boxes or “crates.”  Jasper Johns used the U.S.  flag motif in innovative ways.  Mike Nelson creates spaces and whole buildings from found or constructed objects. 

 The Oxford Community Arts Center is calling for works of art that have been constructed from an array of materials or media, found or recycled objects, or items used in ways other than the purpose for which they were intended, for an exhibit from September 9, 2011 through October.  7, 2011.   

Please email photos of your artwork to info@oxarts.org with the “Artistic Ensembles” in the subject line no later than August 18^th .  You may submit as many pieces as you like for selection, but not more than 2 pieces will be chosen for the exhibit.  Include your contact information and a brief bio and description of your work/concepts.  All experience levels and any medium will be accepted.  Artists will be notified by August 29^th.  Please email with additional questions. 

Art chosen for the exhibit must be turned in to OCAC between August 1 and August 5^th.  All artwork must be ready to hang or display and labeled on the back with the artists name and contact information, title, description, and price (or NFS if the piece is not for sale, in which case an insurance value must be included).  OCAC receives a 20% commission on all sold items.    

After School Art To Offer An Additional Class And More Art

After School Art To Offer An Additional Class And More Art

Oxford, Ohio – July 25, 2011 -The Oxford Community Arts Center has become known as a place for the Oxford community to enjoy music, theater, family performances and to partake in a variety of arts classes for all ages. For the past three years, the Oxford Community Arts Center has provided an After School Arts program for elementary school children in the Talawanda District.  The After School Art program gives Talawanda School District students the opportunity to enhance and deepen their involvement in and knowledge of the visual arts.

Once a week for nine weeks children come to the Oxford Community Arts Center to create art, use their imaginations, learn about art themes and tools, view works of art and talk with professional artists. This upcoming fall, younger and older elementary students will draw, paint, and enjoy a visit from a professional watercolor artist, Jim Tingey. Older elementary students will also learn to carve a linoleum block, make prints and create a graphic novel. Middle school students will take a walking tour of uptown Oxford murals, plan and paint a large size mural, learn about printmaking and make prints with a local artist. OCAC recently completed an arts education room and this fall the program will offer two elementary age groupings on Tuesdays and Thursdays 4- 5:30pm: Kids-1^st and 2^nd grades; and Youth-3^rd, 4^th and 5^th grades; and a middle school group, 6^th to 8^th grade, which meets Mondays 3:30-5pm.

After School Art is designed with working families in mind and offers bus service for children to travel directly from a Talawanda District elementary school to OCAC. Children are given a small healthy snack and enjoy the company of their friends, new and old. An art show gives families and friends a chance to admire the talent of our youth.

            The fall program begins September 12 and continues until November 10, 2011. After School Art is generously supported by the Oxford Community Foundation, the Talawanda-Miami Partnership, the Oxford Kiwanis Club, and OYES (Oxford Youth Empowered to Serve). Registration for the fall program begins August 19^th. The class fee for nine weeks and materials is $60.00. There are scholarships available, just ask! More information and registration forms are available from the OCAC website or by calling OCAC at 524-8506.

Get An Entire City Building Kinetic Sculpture!

OCAC has a Pepsi Refresh Project which will fund the Oxford Kinetic Festival, workshops leading up to the festival, and a week of kinetic sulpture projects in the Talawanda Schools with a nationally know artist.

OCAC's "Get An Entire City Building Kinetic Sculpture!" 

project is competing with 

ONLY 7 OTHER PROJECTS!

Using the number from a yellow cap on Pepsi products 

will allow you to vote up to 

10 times a day!

VOTE NOW! ...and vote daily!

Since our project is in the special Pepsi Challenge category we are only really competing against 7 projects in the $25,000 division as one Pepsi Challenge project will be funded from each monetary level. We are only behind one other project in our division. It is completely possible that we could get funding but we need everyone's help everyday in June to get there!

 Power Votes are key to our success. Yellow caps on bottles of Pepsi and Diet Pepsi and inside cartons of cans allow an extra 5 - 100 votes to be cast for our project up to ten times a day per person. This is a far cry from the regular one vote per day. We are collecting bottle caps at the OCAC, the City of Oxford Municipal Building, and the TRI pool for people who don't want to take the time to vote themselves. Please spread the word and keep voting!

www.refresheverything.com/oxfordkineticsfestival

OCAC - a place for the Oxford community to enjoy music, theater, family performances and to partake in a variety of arts classes for all ages.

The Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC) has become known as a place for the Oxford community to enjoy music, theater, family performances and to partake in a variety of arts classes for all ages. For the past three years, the Oxford Community Arts Center has provided an After School Arts program for school children in the Talawanda District.  The After School Art program gives Talawanda School District students the opportunity to enhance and deepen their involvement in and knowledge of the visual arts.

The 2010-2011program enrolled 114 children from all three Talawanda elementary schools and the Talawanda Middle School. Two nine week sessions, fall and spring, accommodated enthusiastic 1^st to 8^th graders once a week (Mondays/Tuesdays/Thursdays). Diane Stemper, artist and arts educator, coordinates and teaches After School Art; Jim McWilliams and Hilary Stevens taught the middle school classes; Caroline Croswell is the Executive Director of OCAC; and the program had volunteer support from 24 Miami University students, and numerous community members.

Children engaged in hands on art projects, learned about genres of art and themes in art. They learned about and used new tools, exercised their art knowledge, visited artists’ studio and met professional artists. Art projects included drawing and painting, recycled materials sculpture, pastels, weaving, paper-making and paper mache sculpture. Visiting artists included Roy Johnston (local painter), Robert Mullenix (local painter), Kathy Baxter (local papermaker) and Debbie Brod (Cincinnati mixed media artist). Unique aspects of the program such as visiting artists and the inspiring environment of OCAC’s historic building are all important resources and contribute to the success of the program. Transportation, however, is vital to the on-going success of the program and funding from the Talawanda-Miami Partnership for bus routes addresses the practical barriers that many working families face when considering whether to enroll their child. 

One parent commented, “Andrew loves After School Art. He has learned a lot of new techniques and enjoyed the unique opportunity to work with different media. He loves the ability to focus on a project in a great environment.”

We gratefully acknowledge all the funders: Ohio Arts Council, Butler Rural Community Connections, the Oxford Community Foundation and the Kiwanis Club and in particular the Talawanda-Miami Partnership for providing continued support for After School Art.

Diane Stemper,

After School Art Program Coordinator & Educator 

Heart of the Arts - 2011 Gala Event

The experience of art holds a special place in our hearts. It is out of this passion,
shared by so many of you, that the historic Oxford College is transformed into the
Heart of the Arts in our community.

The evening opens with a social hour featuring dinner by the bite, a silent auction, and performances by Gary Scott and Dalia Garcia, Doug Hamilton and the Wildwater
Band, Karen Addie, Laurie Traveline Neyer, Rohit Menezes, Randy Runyon and
the Oxford Arts Trio.

Help us continue to provide arts classes for
children, studios for local artists, and concerts and performances open to all. Join us for an evening of festivities and celebrate the community that sustains the Heart of the Arts in Oxford.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Time: 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $75.00 per person
Tickets on sale at the Arts Center office
Office Hours: Mon - Fri 10:00-6:00
Sat 10:00 - 2:00

Current Newsletter

2011 Winter Newsletter