Alabama River Region Arts Center

Volume 1, Issue 10 August 2011

The ARRAC Update

About Us
The Arts Center is a volunteer based, community supported organization that derives its funding from public and private donations, contributions, grants, benefactors and the proceeds from memberships, Artist Space, Rentals, Gallery Art Sales and special events.

Arts Clubs Start September 8

After school never looked so good! ARRAC is proud to announce that three Arts Clubs for Kids are starting Thursday, 9/8. Join Clay Club, Lead by Austin Thompson, animal sculpting and sound effects expert and his assistant Jordan Stephens; plus Guitar Club, lead by ARRACs one and only Hawaiian Bluegrass Jammer, Jon Masters; both join the Drawing/Painting Club lead by Marty McIntyre to make Thursday afternoons at ARRAC the place to be.
Donate your old acoustical guitar to the Center for use in KIDS ARTS Club/Guitar Club

Clubs run concurrently from 4:00 4:50 pm & repeat from 5:00 5:50 pm. Join one or two Clubs. Hurry! Space is limited (only 10 slots per club, after that we will put you on a wait list!) Fee: $20 month Age minimums: Drawing/Painting & Clay 7 years old; Guitar 10 years old.

Grants

Pottery Studio
If you can dream it and map out the furniture placementthe pottery studio will be here before we know it! Thanks to a generous grant of $5000, from The Daniel Foundation, of Birmingham, the ARRAC pottery studio is progressing nicely. Watch for a workday to get the room in order for the wheels, tables, chairs, and counters.

Alabama River Region Arts Center is a 501 (c) 3 Non-profit organization.

www.arrac.org

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The ARRAC Update/August2011 Bark in the Park with ARRAC

< Remember the naked birdhouses? When the Humane Society of
Elmore County received four, plain, wooden birdhouses, Genie Kline, ARRAC member and HSEC thrift store volunteer brought them back to ARRAC for a little artistic TLC. Now, four lucky bird families will be setting up nests in unique, beautiful birdhouses, currently being decorated by ARRAC artists Carol Barksdale, Dawn Sullivan, and Frank Sullivan. Sharon Ervins creation, featured The ARRAC Update/July will also be sold in the Humane Society of Elmore Countys 6th Annual Bark in the Park, September 25, 1-5 pm at Ft. Toulouse in Wetumpka. Come join us! $5 admission fee for those 13 and older. All proceeds go to the HSEC. ARRAC members will also be greeting furry friends of the HSEC and their trainers, as well as demonstrating various types of art for human visitors at the Bark in the Park. This is how we support our community friendswith our time and talent. In case of bad weather, the backup date is Sun., Oct 2, at Ft. Toulouse.

Board of Directors
The Founding Board has now transitioned to the following BOARD of DIRECTORS Rick Bowman Business owner, Potter Geoff McIntyre Professor Donald Mobley Business owner, Musician Austin Thompson Puppet Troupe Owner/Creative Director Marilyn Winborn Business owner, Jewelry Artist Registered agent Frank L. Sullivan

Board Meeting
Board Members in attendance: Austin Thompson, Bill Roberts, Rick Bowman, Marilyn Winborn, Geoff McIntyre, Donald Mobley Welcomed the new member and after a discussion the Board decided to review some updates for the By Laws; reviewed activities by the Brains for Lunch group and pottery committees, selecting 3 needs that require addressing. Board will meet again in 2 weeks or so. Mostly a get-to-know session and individual vision statements. Good strong board. Sorry, not much excitement. Frank
Gallery News

Homeschoolers Meet ARRAC

Enthusiastically jumping in to promote ARRACs new outpouring of low-cost Arts Clubs, Austin Thompson, Mary Wolfe, and Frank Sullivan attended the FHE (Fellowship of Home Educators) Kickoff meeting/activity fair in Prattville 8/15. They joined other representatives of various extracurricular activities aimed at homeschool families in the tri-county area. Jon Masters represented ARRAC to the MAHE (Maxwell Area Homeschool Educators) on Saturday, August 27. Thanks all for introducing ARRAC to the many homeschool families in the area. We want to extend a welcome to these families to come and explore the resources in our John Kelly Fitzpatrick Library. Moms can sit in peace and quiet and do lesson plans while the kids are in Arts Clubs on Thursdays.

Its Never Too Late to Make a Sale

Congratulations go to Bennie Brewer McDonald, who was featured, The ARRAC Update/ June newsletter, Its Never Too Late to..., for her three sales this month!

Bob Portman's copper sculpture

Also to be acknowledged for their consistent sales in the gallery during June and July are Frank Sullivan/pottery and Bob Portman/metalsmith. Thanks Artists and Art Lovers!

New Gallery Hours

ARRAC Gallery hours are: Sat. 9-4 pm and Sun. 12-4 pm.

Bringing the River Region Together Through All the Arts

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The ARRAC Update/August2011

Yall are welcome

Brains for Lunch and Dinner

Stick around long enough and we are guaranteed to serve up your favorite dish. Oh? It is not brains? Thats fine, were talking brain-storming! Our brain-storming group has met faithfully for the last two months. Dawn Sullivan, Austin Thompson, Marty McIntyre, Jon Masters, and Mary Wolfe have taken part in these meetings, designed to generate ideas and enthusiasm for nurturing all the arts in the river region. Their efforts gave wings to the ARRAC Arts Club, for children ages 7-18, which launch September 8. All ARRAC members who are interested in working to brainstorm ideas for ARRACs programming and events are welcome! Our next Brains for Lunch will indeed be at noon, 9/1; however, the following week, 9/8, we will meet at 6 pm.

Bluegrass Jams!

Sept. 3: 9 am 12
Bluegrass jam report

Marketing Update
A four-color pamphlet marketing the ARRAC is being finished and readied to send to the printer. These will be distributed to various tourist locations around the state. We will upload a PDF version on our web site and Facebook site for independent printing. Thanks to all whose work is featured in this pamphlet, your work makes the whole Arts Center look good.

BYOC! (if you want)

Although we have plenty of chairs, some newcomers to Augusts Bluegrass Jam wanted to make sure they had a good seat: they came early and they brought their own chairs! It gets pretty full in the Van Gogh Room with all the instrumentsbut we wouldnt have it any other way! Come help us pack the house (again) next Saturday (9/3) We will save you a chair! All ages & skill levels welcome.

ARRAC Members/Service Opportunities

Marketing:
You are a Marketing-person if you: Love to talk to strangers Know how to use social media Get excited planning parties

Update Editors Corner:

Cartoonist wanted!
If you like to draw cartoons, share your talents by volunteering your art in the newsletter. Why should we cut & paste standard, boring clip art when we have many talented members (of any age) who could create just exactly what is needed? Send some examples of your work to Marty McIntyre, at marty195@gmail.com. No pay, but hey, you can put it in your portfolio. Who knows, take a risk, you may be the inspiration for someone else to take up a pen and draw?

Volunteer Scheduler:
You love to check in with your arty friends, Youd rather talk than text to stay in touch, But you can find your way around emails! If these sound like YOU and you want to get involved in working with fellow artists doing service work with ARRAC, please contact ARRAC at director@arrac.org.

Alabama River Region Arts Center is a 501 (c) 3 Non-profit organization.

www.arrac.org

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The ARRAC Update/August2011

Clay Club

Forms/information online www.arrac.org.

Sat. 9/3 Sewing help, cut/work space 9-12 pm

Sit & Sew

Thurs. 9/8 4-5 pm & 5-6 pm

Guitar Club

Thurs. 9/8 4-5 pm & 5-6 pm

Drawing/Painting Club
Thurs. 9/8 4-5 pm & 5-6 pm

Clay Slab Class samples ARRA C Upd a te Contact Editor/E-Mail: Marty195@gmail.com 195 Blackberry Rd. Deatsville, AL 36022 Were on the Web!
See us at: Classes

Portable Patchwork
Reserve your spot now for Octobers classes

www.arrac.org Join us on Facebook Alabama-River-RegionArts-Center

Waiting at the doctors office is no fun. Keeping your hands busy while you make something beautiful is a more productive, serenity-inducing alternative. Come join us in October as Frances Arnold walks you through each step of the art of Hand Piecing a Quilt. Learn versatile skills using modern fabrics. In only 4 classes you will learn to produce a piece like this. $100 Class fee includes quilt book, Portable Patchwork, by Donna Thomas; and sandpaper boards. Other supplies by student (Instructor will contact you after your registration is received).

Editor ARRAC Update 195 Blackberry Rd. Deatsville, AL 36022