Call for Artists Submission for “Square Foot of War “Open Exhibition February 8^th 2013-March 8^th 2013

The Oxford Community Art Center (OCAC) is seeking submissions for “SQUARE FOOT OF WAR” from local and regional artists. All entry forms must be submitted no later than January 11^th, 2013.

Inspired by the book, Shade It Black: Death and After in Iraq by Jess Goodell with John Hearn, the Oxford Community Arts Center is accepting entries for an open exhibition, Square Foot of War. Shade It Black is a haunting book by former marine Jess Goodell and describes her service in Iraq with the Mortuary Affairs Unit. Her absorbing account raises issues of evolving perspectives regarding gender relations, service, violence, courage, loss and strength. The OCAC is seeking entries that relate to these issues and the multi-faceted, traumatic effect of war… not just the war in Iraq.”

Any medium, genre and style may be submitted. All artworks must be 12” x 12” or sculpture may be 1 cubic foot.  Entry forms are available in the OCAC office, at www.Oxarts.org , or by emailing chrissy@oxarts.org . There is no submission fee required. 

The exhibition will run from February 8^th through March 1st, 2013 and be open to the public.

The Oxford Community Art Center is a not for profit arts center that serves the Oxford community with art exhibitions, theater productions, concerts, ballroom dance lessons, children’s after school and summer education programs, adult education programs and workshops ,  artist studios, and a summer gardening program and many other events. It is housed in the historic building which used to be the Oxford College for Women and has undergone extensive renovation.

 The Oxford Community Arts Center is located at 10 S. College Avenue, in Oxford, Ohio. For additional information contact the offices at 513-524-8506, email info@oxarts.org, or visit the website at www.oxarts.org. Office hours are Monday – Friday 10am-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-2pm.

Photos above: Left-Jess Goodell,  Right- Xavier Pick 

Open Call for Entries

Square Foot of War

Oxford Community Arts Center, Oxford, Ohio

February 8 - March 1,  2013

Xavier Pick

Inspired by the book, Shade It Black: Death and After in Iraq by Jess Goodell with John Hearn, the Oxford Community Arts Center anticipates entries for an open exhibition, Square Foot of War. Shade It Black is a haunting book by former Marine Jess Goodell and describes her service in Iraq with the Mortuary Affairs Unit. Her absorbing account raises issues of evolving perspectives regarding gender relations, service, violence, courage, loss and strength. The OCAC looks forward to your entries that relate to these issues and the multi-faceted traumatic effect of war.

Artwork specifications

All artworks must be 12” x 12”  or sculpture 1 cubic foot, and open to all media.

Entry deadline: January 11, 2013  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & ENTRY FORM

The Oxford Community Arts Center Hosts the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati - Art Reach Presents: LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW.

Oxford, Ohio– The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati ArtReach will perform the Legend of Sleepy Hallow at the Oxford Community Arts Center on October 30th - 6:30pm .  The event is free and welcome to families and children of all ages.

Washington Irving's autumnal masterpiece tells the story of new schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane, his sweetheart Katrina, and the devilishly handsome Brom Bones. Written by award-winning Ohio Playwright, Kathryn Schultz Miller, this clever adaptation, loaded with hearty audience participation, is more funny than scary and comes complete with a Headless Horseman!

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is part of the Family Performance Series at the Oxford Community Arts Center and is supported by a generous grant through ArtsWave Presents.

The Family Performance Series is designed to bring families together to enjoy professional performances in a comfortable and safe in environment. Both children and parents will share laughs and be engaged in the performances.

After each performance families are encouraged to stick around for activities sponsored by the Oxford Early Childhood Center that will stretch your imagination and engage your creativity. Also, keep an eye out for the next performance of Rumplestiltskin presented by MadCap Puppets on November 16th at 7:00pm.  

The Oxford Community Arts Center is located at 10 S. College Avenue, in Oxford, Ohio. For additional information contact the offices at 513-524-8506, email info@oxarts.org, or visit their website at www.oxarts.org. Office hours are Monday – Friday 10am-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-2pm.

 SECOND FRIDAY BRINGS FANTASTIC TERRORS 

 Alysia Fischer and Kate Currie have created all new work for their exhibition, Fantastic Terrors, which opens with a reception at the Oxford Community Arts Center on Second Friday, October  12^th at 6 pm.  This seasonal exhibit was inspired by the life and work of Edgar Allen Poe and the theme serves well as a juncture for Fischer and Currie’s two very different styles of work.  Fischer transforms discarded inner tubes into sculptural forms, while Currie combines woodworking and drawing into engaging kinetic objects.

In addition to “Fantastic Terrors”, an exhibition titled “Photo Unrealism” will also open on Second Friday.  This group show includes work by James Bear, Bryan Meyung, Tiffany Pacileo, Ben Feallock, Carol Burke, Nellie Bly Cogan, and others.  These amazing images are the product of the artist’s creativity and (sometimes) their ­­­computer skills.

At 8 pm the “Jericho Old Time Band” will take the stage in the ballroom.  Jericho, a group based in Oxford, Ohio, presents an eclectic mix of American roots music including lively old time fiddle tunes, different banjo styles and great harmony singing; members include Judy and Warren Waldron of Rabbit Hash String Band, Dale Farmer, Amy Clay, Susan Pepper, and Jonathan Bradshaw.  

The OCAC After School Arts program’s Fall Exhibit will also be on display.  The children participating in the program range in age from 6 to 14 years old and have created a number of pieces using different mediums.  They are eagerly looking forward to showing the community what they can do.  A reception for the children and their guests will begin at 6 pm in the North Parlor.

OCAC’s Second Fridays Art Evening is a celebration of the arts.   From 6 to 9 pm this free monthly event features live music, exhibits of visual art and a reception.  OCAC’s third floor studio artists host Open Studios, and the Art Shop Cooperative opens from 5:30 to 9 pm, giving guests the opportunity to view creative art space, as well as purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from the artists. Ballroom Dance, with Nancy Sturgeon and Janet Holmes offering gentle instruction, begins at 8 pm, with open dancing between 9 and 10pm.  (There is a small $5 fee but no sign-up is required.)

For more information contact the Arts Center at 10 S. College Ave, Oxford, 513-524-8506, info@oxarts.org or www.oxarts.org.  

7^th Annual Sandy Hormell Book Celebration

 The 7^th Annual Sandy Hormell Book Celebration culminates with the arrival of young adult author Shelley Pearsall.  The award-winning author will give a public presentation at the Oxford Community Arts Center at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 20, followed by a reception, book sale, and book signing at the Oxford Lane Library.

            

On Friday, the author will spend the day at Talawanda Middle School.   In addition to student assemblies, she will facilitate a writing workshop for interested students.  Talawanda Middle School students read Shelley Pearsall’s book All of the Above as an all-school read aloud and will discuss it before her visit with members of the Miami University Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education.    

           

Fifth graders in ETC classes at Bogan, Kramer, and Marshall will discuss the book with community seniors from the Knolls and the Miami University Institute for Learning in Retirement and enjoy lunch together at the Knolls. 

The event honors Sandy Hormell, a longtime Talawanda and Miami employee, whose love of books and education made her a beloved teacher and colleague.  Although her life was claimed by ALS in 2004, her love of reading lives on in this event. 

For more information, contact Ruth Pettitt at 513-523-1530.

DORKESTRA; LAWRENCE WELK FALLS IN WITH A BAND OF GYPSIES

 The Molly Franklin Dorkestra, a collaborative effort of many talented local musicians who love to play imaginative music, will perform at 8 pm on September 14^th at the Oxford Community Arts Center. 

Headlining the OCAC’s September Second Friday event for the third year in a row, the ever popular “Dorkestra”, brainchild of Oxford native, Molly Bowers Franklin, is composed of 17 talented musicians, and combines original songs with swing, country, rock Broadway and gospel.  

In describing the kind of music the Dorkestra presents, Molly says, “The only way I could describe it would be if Lawrence Welk were to fall in with a band of gypsies!”  “Actually,” Molly comments, “there is a wealth of talent and creativity in this eclectic mix of professional musicians and ragtag neighbors and family members which will inspire as well as entertain you, and keep you smiling.”

Molly is an Oxford native who has spent years expanding her musical skills to involve many styles.

OCAC’s Second Friday is a free event that includes an opening reception at 6 pm for two new exhibits;  “Treasures Lost”, featuring new work by artists Laura Livingston, Carol Burke, and Chrissy Collopy and “Images of Lasting Appeal”, Digital Art by Ben Feallock.  The Art Shop and select third floor artist studios will also be open.  Ballroom dance begins at 8 pm.   

OXFORD ARTS TRIO PERFORMS BENEFIT CONCERT

September 9th

The Oxford Arts Trio will present a benefit concert of American music, poetry and prose at the Oxford Community Arts Center on Sunday, September 9^th, at 3:00 p.m.  The program will feature works by American composers in tandem with the spoken word highlighting different eras of American culture.

     Members of the trio are Christine House-Shumway, violin, Joanna Klett, cello, and Jerome Stanley, piano.  They have been presenting local and regional concerts since their formation in 2010.  Their concerts have included a variety of music from both the classical and popular repertoire.  For the September 9^th concert they will be joined by guest, Benjamin Smolder, who will present the poetry/prose works.

     The program will include a new composition (2011) by Ohio composer BRIAN JOYCE.  The work is based upon American hymn melodies from the early nineteenth century, one of which was published in Cincinnati in 1825.  Mr. Joyce holds an undergraduate degree in music theory and composition and a graduate degree in musicology. Several of his compositions have been published by Cimarron Press, Solid Brass Music and Latham Music, a division of Lorenz. 

     Violinist, CHRISTINE HOUSE-SHUMWAY, is Director of the Virginia Pierce-Glick Young Musicians' Program at Miami University. She is a native of Okemos, Michigan, and received the Master of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Camilla Wicks. A student at Interlochen, Meadowmount, and the Music Academy of the West, she has also performed at the Bedford Springs Music Festival and served on the faculties of the New England Music Camp, the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Miami University Chamber Music Institute.          

      Cellist, JOANNA KLETT, completed her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees at Western Michigan University and Miami University, respectively. Her principal teachers include Jonathan Chenoweth, Bruce Uchimura, and Pansy Chang. Ms. Klett has attended Encore School for Strings, Meadowmount School of Music, and the National Orchestral Institute. In addition to her work with the Virginia Pearce Glick Young Musicians’ Program at Miami University, she maintains an active piano studio at West Chester Academy of Music in West Chester, Ohio, and is the church pianist for Seven Mile Presbyterian Church.

     Pianist, JEROME STANLEY received a PhD from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is an emeritus professor from Miami University’s Department of Music, where he taught for more than thirty-five years. His career included instructing students in studio piano, music theory and ear training. Prior to his position at Miami University, he operated a private piano studio in Missouri while attending Washington University in St. Louis. As a young musician he won the St. Louis Symphony Young Artists Competition, which led to a debut solo recital and an appearance as concerto soloist with orchestra. He has performed as a piano soloist, chamber musician and accompanist, performing in both Europe and the United States. Most of his career has been devoted to teaching. He has also authored two books on music, one of which explores relationships between visual arts and music.

     The concert will be held in the Ballroom of OCAC, 10 South College Avenue, in Oxford. The group is offering the concert as a benefit for the Center. Entrance is $5 at the door with all proceeds to benefit the Oxford Community Arts Center.   For additional information contact the Art Center at info@oxarts.org or 513-524-8506.    

                       

Things are HAPPEN’N at the Oxford Community Arts Center this summer! We are proud to announce the arrival of HAPPEN inc. to the OCAC .   On August 13th, 14th, and 16th HAPPEN inc. will be bringing creative workshops to the OCAC. These sessions are free and open to the public.

Monday and Tuesday sessions, (August 13th and August 14^th) are from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.

During this time children explore different areas of art while creating their own masterpieces.    These sessions are recommended for children from 6 to 12 years old.  Children under six MUST be accompanied by an adult.  On Thursday, August 16th, from 10:30 to 11:15 AM, children and parents work together to strengthen their bond through creation of art.   

HAPPEN inc. is a non-profit organization based in the Northside neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mission is to create a positive environment where parents and children can come together through art-related activities and experiences that are designed to strengthen both the family structure and the community as a whole.

During Monday's “Trash to Treasure“ session,  no object gets over­looked as Happen’s Junkman shares his collection of drawing materials that turn junk into a masterpiece.   Just imagine, you turn everyday junk into works of art!  During the second half of this session Happen supplies found objects and you supply creative talent to build your own robot, inspired by the work of artist Nam June Paik.

On Tuesday, have a close encounter of the fun kind when Eno the Alien drops by to teach one-point perspective.  "One Alien's Perspective" allows you to experience another dimension and lose ALL perspective.    Later "Eno Is Lost In Space!"  Eno the Alien has been on vacation through space and time.  Explore Eno’s discoveries, learn about artists Salvador Dali and Edgar Degas, the importance of respecting other people’s space, and receive your very own HAPPEN sketch book straight from beyond the stars!

 Thursday's HAPPEN session:  “Let’s Play with Clay”, is a “hands-in” experience for children and parents (or grandparents, or a borrowed adult unit) Clay is special stuff!   In celebration of Native American traditions, we explore ways to use clay every day, including for cooking.  Don’t miss this special session to make and glaze your own pinch pots.

 

These special children’s art sessions are free and for kids of all ages. (Children under six must be accompanied by an adult.)  Early registration is highly recommended.  A child may be registered for one or all sessions.  Parents can register their children at the Oxford Community Arts Center located on 10 S. College Avenue in Oxford, Ohio or call the office at 513-523-8506 during normal business hours;  we will be happy to email you a registration form.  Registration forms are also available for download at www.oxarts.org.

This special art opportunity is made available through an “Arts in My Own Backyard” grant from ArtsWave.  

MICHAEL SEELEY  - “PROVISIONAL ARCHITECTURE”

Michael Seeley

Oxford, Ohio - The Oxford Community Art Center (OCAC) will feature the paintings of Michael Seeley in an exhibit titled “Provisional Architecture”.  This exhibit opens at OCAC on August 10 from 6 to 10 pm, and continues through September 16. 

Michael Seeley is a licensed architect and principal at THP Limited Inc., in Cincinnati, an architectural/engineering consulting firm where he has worked for over 30 years.  He earned his Master of Architecture degree at Miami University, and is currently enrolled in the MFA program in Painting, also at Miami University.

In the course of visiting construction sites during his career as an architect, Michael has been fascinated with visually arresting compositions and textures in the incomplete work that are frequently more intriguing than the completed building.  Within the controlled chaos that is common during the construction of large institutional and commercial buildings, there are interesting temporary conditions that can occur.

Seeley’s paintings usually start with the use of documentary construction progress photos, which are then edited and cropped as source material.  The results can be a surprising and unexpected mix of layered light and spaces.

Seeley’s exhibit, along with a group exhibit titled “Abstractions” featuring work by Lydia Dildilian, John Sousa, Rebekah Powers, Laura Livingston,  Tiffany Pacileo, Jacqueline Keller-Ridenour and other artists, will open with an artist’s reception at the regular Second Friday event at OCAC on August 10.

 OCAC’s Second Fridays Art Evening is a celebration of the arts.   From 6 to 10 pm this free monthly event features live music, exhibits of visual art and a reception.  OCAC’s third floor studio artists host Open Studios, and the Art Shop Cooperative opens from 5:30 to 9 pm, giving guests the opportunity to view creative art space, as well as purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from the artists. Ballroom Dance, with Nancy Sturgeon and Janet Holmes offering gentle instruction, begins at 8 pm, with open dancing between 9 and 10pm.   Come meet the artists, and enjoy a free evening of visual art, music, entertainment and refreshments.    

POCKET MONSTERS, TRANSFORMATIONS

AND THE DOT SERIES

ON EXHIBIT JUNE 8TH - JULY 5TH

The Oxford Community Art Center’s (OCAC) June exhibits  “Pocket Monsters”  by Elise McWilliams, with additional work by Jim McWilliams; “Transformations” by Elizabeth Birch and “The Dot – Part 4” by Marta Wendt , open with an artist’s reception on  June 8^th at 6pm.  The exhibit continues through July 5th.

Elise McWilliams’ “Pocket Monsters” focuses on various animals, monsters, and people involved in daily activities such as skateboarding, camping, and mowing the lawn. There is a theme of twins running throughout “Pocket Monsters.” McWilliams is heavily influenced by children’s book illustrations and is working toward the completion of a contemporary children’s book. She admires the simplicity, lightness, and seriousness of childhood drama and believes twins highlight the tension and sibling rivalry that occurs daily in familial relationships. She pairs down the elements into character, action and daily life to create relevance and universality. 

Elise McWilliams teaches art at Hollingsworth East Elementary in Eaton, OH. She earned her B.F.A. from Miami University in Jewelry/Metals and almost Painting. Her M.F.A is from Kent State University in Jewelry/Metals/Enameling. Her artwork is shown nationally and internationally, including Metalsmith magazine’s Exhibition in Print, a sculpture textbook, and her recent acceptance as an artist-in-residency at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.

Jim McWilliams, with his B.F.A. in sculpture and Master’s in Art Education from Miami University, was part of the team who started the Oxford Kinetics Festival and Sculpture Race. His work includes the large kinetic steel sculpture at the Oxford Community Park.

The Elizabeth Birch exhibit, “Transformation”, is a mixed media exhibit featuring watercolor, acrylics and fiber pieces.  Birch, the art director for Middfest International, in  Middletown Ohio for the last 28 years,  believes “an artist is the mythmaker, a being who formulates from aesthetic experiences a translation through which a work of art becomes radiant, breath taking and perhaps embraces an epiphany.”  Libby’s work is an attempt to translate these insights into meaning using photographs, children’s art, nature, history, and music. “In many ways, my work is the embodiment of the Eastern ideal of using one’s ability as a thinker to reach a place where thought cannot penetrate,” Birch states.  

Marta Wendt’s four part “The Dot” series concludes with this month’s exhibit.  The dot became the central icon in Wendt’s search for how the heart starts to beat.  In these, the last four paintings in the  series, “ the dot became the symbol for our earth,” Wendt states.   Working from her home studio, Wendt produces artwork in watercolor, oil, jewelry, and glass enamel on metal. 

The June 8^th SECOND FRIDAY will also include author, James Martino reading excerpts from his book  “Don’t Wear Suede Boots To Chemistry” ; a musical performance from the Lentini Duo and Family; 3^rd Floor Open Artist Studios; and ballroom dancing.  The Art Shop Cooperative will also be open from 5:30-9pm.

“Unconscious Dimensionality: A Study of Perception” Opens May 11, 2012 at OCAC

The Oxford Community Art Center’s (OCAC) May 2012 exhibit “Unconscious Dimensionality: A Study of Perception” features the artwork of Middletown Pendleton Art Center artist Stephanie Zing in its upcoming show which opens 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, May 11^th, and runs through May 30th.  In conjunction with the art show, Zing will read her original poetry in the North Parlor at 7 p.m. on May 11^th and her artwork will be on display in the main gallery.  Her approach for the show explores the use of internal and other focused labeling in self-perception through a playful combination of found object sculptures and paintings and the written word.

“Why do I find myself attracted to or repelled from a person or object? What value or effect do labels have in life or on self-perception or self-esteem? What do ‘beautiful, fat, smart, kind, nice, talented, ugly’ or any of a thousand other labels really mean and who decides?  They’re just words, after all,” said Zing about the starting point for her artworks.

Zing is primarily a self-taught artist.  She has been writing and publishing her poetry for more than 30 years.  “I’m interested in further exploring the use of labels and will be looking for grant funding to publish a chapbook of the poetry from this show, along with photographs of the accompanying artwork with the hopes of using the book as a mechanism to teach young women and those who have suffered abuses to rewrite their own story.”  While she normally works in the mediums of fused and stained glass, her body of work also includes collage and assembled works and primitive style paintings.

Zing states, “In the proverbial peeling of the onion, there is the opportunity for laughing at oneself and seeing a lighter side.  My approach is to uncover the monsters and dolls within each label and give these pieces a life in somewhat of a ‘three-ring circus’ feel by combining the visual with the written poems.”

 

There is an interactive portion of the art show where viewers are encouraged to explore their own use of self-labeling.

Zing is an emerging public artist and was one of three artists on the team for the “Play Me, I’m Yours” piano project for OCAC in 2010.  She is one of 26 artists nationally whose studios are featured in the Spring 2012 issue of Studios Magazine and her “how-to” articles for making fused glass artworks are regularly featured in Fired Arts & Crafts Magazine.  She teaches workshops and classes and works full time as an artist from her studio which is currently being relocated to Florida.

AWARDWINNING PLAYWRIGHT, Y YORK’S RIVER RAT AND CAT PLAYS AT OXFORD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Off the Hill production of RIVER RAT AND CAT, by playwright Y York, will perform at the Oxford Community Arts Center. The show is open to the public and will take place on Friday, April 27^th at 7PM.

           

York, who will be available to autograph the play’s script after the performance says, “I’m thrilled that the Cincinnati Playhouse is producing River Rat and Cat for their littlest supporters because, as it’s happening in my town, I’ll get to see it over and over as it works its power on my favorite audience.”  (Scripts will be available for a $7.00 donation to OCAC.)

An award winning playwright, Y York has written pieces that have been variously described as monologues, monodramas, stories, performance pieces, or poems.  “Y York writes with passion and delivers a powerful appeal for personal freedom and idiosyncratic behavior,” writes the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  The New York Times credits her with “making her points by not taking herself too seriously, even as she offers astute observations about environmental, racial, and family matters.”

In 2002, Y was awarded the AATE Charlotte Chorpenning Award, recognizing her body of work, and in 2004, she received the Hawai`i Award for Literature.  She has been writing plays for children since 1993. 

According to Playhouse Director of Education Mark Lutwak, “River Rat and Cat is a thoroughly delightful romp that manages to touch on the meaning of friendship. This play will be enjoyed most by children between the ages of 4 and 94.”   Appearing are Margaret Ivey (River Rat), Aram Monisoff (Cat) and Katherine Leigh (Dale Beaver) from the Playhouse’s Bruce E. Coyle Intern Company.

Members of the River Rat and Cat production team include Mark Lutwak (Director) Tamara L. Honesty (Set Designer), Lisa Molyneux (Costume Designer), Anna Goller (Props Designer), Carlos Saldaña (Stage Hand/ Musician) and Sydney Kuhlman (Stage Manager). 

Off the Hill is made possible by The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation.  This performance at OCAC is made possible by a grant through ArtsWave Presents, a program bringing musicians, dancers, actors and artists from Cincinnati’s arts organizations into neighborhoods for public performances.

The Oxford Community Arts 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, email info@oxarts.org, or visit their website at www.oxarts.org. 

MUSICIANS WARREN AND JUDY WALDRON BRING TOE-TAPPIN’ APPALACHIAN AND FOLK MUSIC TO THE OXFORD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER

Judy & Warren Waldron

On April 13, 2012 at 8:00 pm The Waldrons bring toe-tappin’ Appalachian songs and folk tunes to the Oxford Community Arts Center.   Hailing from Somerville, Ohio, The Waldrons have played as part of the Rabbit Hash String Band: a group of musicians sharing a long-time love for the old-time tunes of the 1920s and ‘30s, specifically the north Georgia music of Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers Band. As part of the Rabbit Hash String Band, Warren Waldron has been featured with his fine fiddling accompanied by Judy Waldron’s guitar and banjo uke at such venues as the 2003 Cincinnati Tall Stacks Festival. As a pair, The Waldrons have played and called square dances across the region and entertained at a variety of festivals including the Appalachian Festival at Coney Island and the Black Swamp Old Time Music Festival.

The Waldron’s performance is in conjunction with OCAC’s Second Friday event.  In addition, several featured exhibits will open with a reception to meet the artists at 6:00 PM. Opening Minds Through Art, works of art produced by people with dementia; “Friendly Media,” a collaborative exhibit by Jim Brown and Tom Collins will focus on watercolor and photography; Phase II of Marta Wendt’s “The Morphing Dot Series”; and the After School Art final exhibition will also be on display.   A book reading and discussion by local author Helen Rogers will be part of the evening’s attractions.  This free event also includes open third floor studios and the Art Shop, as well as ballroom dance. 

The Oxford Community Arts Center is located on 10 S. College Avenue, in Oxford, Ohio. For additional information call 513-524-8506, info@oxarts or visit www.oxarts.org.

Book reading and signing by local author Laura Huber featured at OCAC’s Second Friday.  

Oxford, Ohio, March 1, 2012 - Local resident and author Laura Huber will be reading excerpts from her latest books, The ABC's of Homeschooling and The Life Planner - Discovering Yourself and Achieving Your Goals at the Oxford Community Arts Center Second Friday event on March 9th at 7:00 pm. The reading will be followed by a brief discussion and book signing concluding by 7:50.

Laura Huber has lived on the outskirts of Brookville, Indiana, in a tiny little town called St. Mary's of the Rock, her entire life. She has been married for 19 years and has three children, whom she has home schooled over the last thirteen years. Huber’s work been

published in Home Education Magazine, among other places. 

“My books are to empower parents,” Huber says….”to give parents the confidence they need to empower their children.” The ABC’s of Homeschooling is packed with information from the importance of setting a good example, encouraging helping with chores, exploring the imagination, to making sure children get proper nutrition. Tips and ideas for easy and fun ways to homeschool your children will also be discussed.

The ABC's of Homeschooling was published in November of 2011, by Telemachus Press Publishing Company. Through gentle life lessons and personal experiences Laura teaches parents what it takes to raise happy, independent children in a fun and orderly atmosphere. With quotes from Aristotle to Einstein, this book is quick, fun and easy to read.

The Life Planner - Discovering Yourself and Achieving Your Goals was also published in November of 2011, by Telemachus Press Publishing Company as a companion to Huber’s homeschooling book but can be used alone also. The Life Planner is an indispensible tool to help organize all aspects of one’s life and determine which goals are most important.

Oxford Community Arts Center’s Second Friday event will host an opening reception for the artists in three featured exhibits. The “Home Again” and “Home to the Arts” exhibits were curated specifically to showcase OCAC’s resident artists and a few of Oxford’s Art Collectors for the Arts Center’s only annual major fundraiser for programming, the “Home to the Arts Gala”on March 17th. Phase I of Marta Wendt’s “The Morphing Dot Series” will also be on display.

From 6 to 10 pm this free monthly event also features live music by the Anacrorhythms. Open Studios on the third floor and the Art Shop C-operative, will afford guests the opportunity to view creative art space, as well as to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from the artists. Ballroom Dance, with Nancy Sturgeon and Janet Holmes offering gentle instruction, begins at 8 pm.

The Oxford Community Art Center is located on 10 S. College Avenue, in Oxford, Ohio. For additional information visit our website, http://oxarts.org or call 513-524-8506.

GREEN SCREEN PRESENTS ACADEMY AWARD WINNER FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY OF 2009 “THE COVE”

Green Screen, a free environmental film series from Green Oxford, the Oxford I.C.C.W.G, and the Oxford Community Arts Center, will present “The Cove”, on Wednesday, Feb 8th at 7:00 pm. 

Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary of 2009, “The Cove”   follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and free divers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret. The result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action. A group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, infiltrate a cove
near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.

Green Screen presents films on the second Wednesday of each month about the science, art, politics and spirituality of the natural environment that educate, amuse, motivate and inspire.

The Oxford Community Arts Center is located at 10 South College Avenue, Oxford, Ohio.  For additional information, visit our website at http://oxarts.org.  


NOTE: This is not a child friendly film.  Graphic scenes of the slaughter of dolphins are shown

Come Home to the Arts!

OCAC's Fundraising Gala

Featuring OCAC Studio & Art Shop Artists

Circle March 17th on your calendars for our biggest event of the year, OCAC’s “Home to the Arts” Fundraising Gala! This is our sole event to support programming activities at the center and promises to be an amazing evening with something for everyone.

Stroll through the historic Oxford College Building and note all of the changes and improvements made possible through your donations and support. Enjoy Dinner-by-the-Bite, featuring gastronomic delights from ten or more vendors in the local area. Take in the art of some of the artists who call OCAC “home” both in our studios and Art Shop Coop.

Entertainment will be provided by local musicians including Jerome Stanley and the Oxford Arts Trio, Randy Runyan, Laurie Traveline Neyer, and John Bercaw on the new-to-us grand piano in the Ballroom. Other musicians include Doug Hamilton and his wide violin/fiddle repertoire, Calamity Rain with their special version of “roots music,” The Sirenz with their close harmonies, and Katie Mawer with her performance on the harp.

Due to the committee’s hard work gathering a treasure trove of auction items, the Silent Auction with Auctioneer Doug Ross boasts an array of goods and services.

  

You won’t want to miss this evening of fun for a cause!

Gala tickets available from OCAC office during business hours for $75 per person. ($50  per ticket qualifies as a tax deductible donation) or from any OCAC  board member. Tickets include “dinner by the bite,” desserts, entertainment, two drinks, silent and live auctions.

Sponsorships are still available.

v Grand Ballroom: $1,000.00 Includes 4 Gala Tickets

v Parlor: $500.00 Includes 2 Gala Tickets

v Gallery: $250.00 Includes 1 Gala Ticket

v Portico: $100.00

Of course, donations of any size are always deeply appreciated. Donors of $250.00 or more will be noted in the Gala program and publicly acknowledged in the Oxford Press.

Payment may be made by check, Mastercard, Visa or Discover Card.

Mail to: 

Oxford Community Arts Center

P.O. Box 172, 10 South College Avenue, Oxford, OH 45056

http://oxarts.org   (513) 524-8506  info@oxarts.org

Come Home to the Arts!

Live Auction Packages

An Extreme Garden Makeover:

a design consultation from John DeVore of DeVore Land & Water Gardens, plant material from County Line Nursery and Shademakers Nursery, original garden sculpture by Dan Croswell

 Week’s Stay in a Cottage on Silver Lake, MI

cottage in the Dunes country sleeps 4, beautiful beach, great opportunities for all sorts of recreational activities

Week’s Stay in South Padre Island, TX Condo

2^nd floor 2-bedroom (1 with King bed, 1 with Twin beds) condo, view of glorious sunsets over the Gulf, full kitchen, including microwave, birder’s paradise, lots of other activities available

 Fly Fishing Package

Handmade fly rod fashioned by Jim Killy and Hand-tied flies created by Richard Munson          

Ohio Getaway

2-Night Stay in any Ohio State Park Lodge (Some meals included), AAA Membership, 3-Piece luggage set

Wine Tasting

Hosted by wine aficionado Jack Keegan at his view-over-the valley home, a very special event 8 -10 persons, enjoy and learn about several wines, sample gourmet appetizers made by Jack

Beer Tasting

Hosted by Chris Hensey of the Quarter Barrel

                

ROBERT MULLENIX “TREELINE”  EXHIBIT HEADLINES FEBRUARY’S SECOND FRIDAY AT THE OXFORD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER

Robert Mullenix’s exhibit, Treeline, opens with a reception at 6 pm on February 10, 2010 at the Oxford Community Arts Center. Treeline reflects Mullenix's dual interests in photography and painting. At times, his pieces are revelations of emotional states. More frequently, they are the result of deliberations regarding the endeavor of painting itself—painting in the age of mechanical reproduction. 

On the surface, the paintings' content is rather stark, dense forest scenes. There is a forbidding and ominous presence to the composition in some of the work, which Robert highlights with titles drawn from literature and Scripture, such as, long watch, and hour come 'round, and through it all darkly. These works speak to the primordial mind and spirit, the lost-and-found part that, even in our suburbs and cities, dimly remembers the terror of the forest. 

There is a placid tranquility in other works. Mullenix’s technique gives the sense of depth and space, of near and far, of sharp foregrounds and deep, hidden distances. Mullinex also exudes a playfulness with his craft. “I love paint….. getting my hands dirty, and attempting to solve visual puzzles I incessantly set for myself,” he says.  (Excerpts taken from 39STEEPS review of Mullenix work ) 

The Second Friday event on February 10, also includes a group exhibit of Fiber Artists including work by Joyce Ponder, Kathy Baxter, Nelly Bly Cogan, Pamela Howard, Carol Burke and Linda Kramer. “Making quilts is about discovering the artist within me, and challenging myself to create beautiful objects that are visually exciting.” Joyce Ponder says when discussing her work. “ Some of my work is the result of an idea incubating for many months before it begins to materialize in the wee hours of the morning when it’s difficult to decipher dream from reality. Then, finally it appears.” 

Quilting is only one style of fiber arts being represented. Woven pieces, re-purposed fibers, and paper pieces are all included.  In addition, several featured exhibits will open with a reception to meet the artists at 6:00 pm. 


OCAC’s Second Fridays Art Evening is a celebration of the arts. From 6 to 10 pm, this free monthly event features live music, exhibits of visual art, a book reading by 3-time award winning author, licensed Medical Massage Therapist, and self-care expert Gini Maddocks. Deep Midwest is bringing their vibrant sound to the Oxford Community Arts Center's ballroom at 8 pm.  There will also be open studios on the third floor and the Art Shop will be open from 5:30 to 9 pm, giving guests the opportunity to view creative art space, as well as purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from the artists.  


Ballroom Dance, with Nancy Sturgeon and Janet Holmes offering gentle instruction, also begins at 8 pm in the North Parlor, with open dancing between 9 and 10pm. (There is a small $5 fee but no sign-up is required.) 

The Oxford Community Arts 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, email info@oxarts.org, or visit their website at www.oxarts.org.

From the Hills to the Coffeehouse 

An Exploration of American Folk Music

Often know as “traditional” or “roots music”, American Folk Music encompasses numerous genres, including bluegrass, country music, gospel, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American music. The American folk music revival is a phenomenon in the United States that began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s, but in many ways has never lost its appeal. The Oxford Community Arts Center seems to be the center of a mini-revival…offering children’s Folk Music and Folk Guitar classes for children and Dulcimer classes for adults this spring (all taught by Susan Pepper).

Now an American Folk Songs concert on Wednesday, February 8th at 7:30 pm…. just for grins and a $5 suggested donation. American Folk Songs: From the Hills to the Coffeehouse features Oxfords own folk music historian, Allan Winkler and friends, Dave Edmundson, Jonathan Levy and Dennis Sullivan.

This diverse group of friends and musicians bring an interesting mix of talent, experience and personality to the concert. Distinguished, author, historian and professor at Miami University, and guitar player, Allan Winkler started the informal, un-named, ever-changing ensemble about a decade ago to play at Colligan History Series programs on the Hamilton Campus, wrote a book on folk legend Pete Seeger, and has shared his stories of stories of marathon jam sessions in the master’s living room and performed in Helsinki, Finland, Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaa, Tanzania on behalf of the U.S. State Department.

Banjo player, Dave Edmundson, who has been performing one kind or another of folk music in southwest Ohio since the mid ‘60s, travelled with his folk band Brothers Million to New York City to record Paul Simon’s . “Leaves That are Green Turned to Brown.

Dennis Sullivan, senior director for Miami’s Business International Programs, brings some big city sounds to the concert. During his student days he was as a folk singer in Greenwich Village, playing at some of the lesser-known Greenwich Village clubs, like Cyclop’s Cave and the Third Side, and met folk singer Phil Ochs.
Jonathan Levy, harmonica player, and geology professor, just happens to be the youngest of the group. Levy says he likes to play blues, rock, reggae and bluegrass and confesses that although he doesn’t play much folk, he “did once see James Taylor at an airport.” 

The Oxford Community Arts Center is located at 10 South College Avenue in Oxford, OH. For additional information please visit www.oxarts.org , call 513-524-8506 or email info@oxarts.org,