Archive for December, 2011
By awall ( December 15, 2011 at 7:57 am) · Filed under Press Releases, Uncategorized, art fundraiser, James Grashow, january 2012 nh art event
The Sharon Arts Center is pleased to announce they have reached the $10,000 goal set up on Kickstarter.com to “Bring Jimmy Back”–Jimmy being renowned cardboard sculptor extraordinaire James Grashow, who five years ago created one of the most memorable exhibits in Sharon Arts history.
 James Grashow “We are elated,” said new Executive Director Keri Wiederspahn, who organized the Kickstarter campaign. “When Jimmy comes to Sharon Arts in the Spring, he will be creating a collaborative installation called The Garden of the Imagination, which will directly involve about 100 or more children and widely impact at least 700 children in area schools who will come to see it, not to mention hundreds of parents, teachers, and people from all over the Monadnock region and beyond. There will be larger-than-life 3-D fantasy plants, flowers, and insects–both real and mythical–and it should be spectacular, to say the least.”
Wiederspahn, an artist herself, decided last fall to experiment with the Kickstarter fund raising idea, since arts organizations nationally have been faced with dwindling finances from the usual channels of private donations and arts council grants.
“We are so grateful for the incredible support from the community,” she said, “Many people remembered the amazing exhibit Jimmy created in 2006 and wanted this to happen again. And others came on board after seeing our posts on Facebook and elsewhere–even people we didn’t know helped after finding us on Kickstarter. We’re also deeply appreciative of the major contribution from the Bean Family Foundation, along with help from Peterborough’s Children and the Arts Festival. I think doing something like this out in the open instead of behind closed doors truly engages the community in a different way and makes them a part of the whole event–it adds an element of fun as well as a sense of real participation and ownership.”
 Aquarium of the Imagination, James Grashow, Sharon Arts Center 2006
All donors, she said, will be receiving updates about the project as well as the “perks” offered at various contribution levels and a special invitation to a fundraising gala with Grashow in the spring.
Born in Brooklyn in 1942, Grashow has been creating works that address themes of man, nature and mortality since the 1960s. The scale of his work ranges from large environmental installations, though which the viewer traverses, to the delicate and contained world of his houseplants, where homes and buildings replace flowers and buds in intricately constructed bouquets. In addition to his cardboard creations, Grashow is also a well-known woodcut artist whose prints have appeared regularly in the New York Times and in virtually every well known periodical and publication throughout the country. He is a graduate of the Pratt Institute, where he received a BFA and was awarded a Fulbright Travel Grant for painting and graphics. After a year studying in Florence, Italy, he returned to Pratt to receive his MFA. Currently Grashow lives and works in Connecticut with his wife. They have two children and five grandchildren.
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By awall ( December 9, 2011 at 1:35 pm) · Filed under Press Releases, Uncategorized
An art exhibit by the community, for the community!
The nonprofit Sharon Arts Center will present its 65th Annual Members Exhibition from Jan. 13 to Feb. 27, 2012. A continuing tradition for the Monadnock region, the exhibition is open to Sharon Arts members, students, staff and faculty and is a major display of art including paintings, prints, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and more.
To be held at the Sharon Arts Center Downtown Gallery, 30 Grove St., the non-juried exhibition is open to Sharon Arts members from all over the Monadnock region and beyond. In order to qualify, the membership in Sharon Arts must be good through Feb. 2012, or those interested must renew or purchase new memberships (memberships are $40 for an individual or $60 for a family). Each member can submit one piece of art to be hung or displayed in the exhibition, which is a great opportunity to view original works of art created by fellow members of the community and for artists in the community to show their work.
Artists interested in participating should call (603) 924-7676 for information and a submission form. An entry fee of $25 will be charged. Delivery dates for submissions are Jan. 7-8, 11 am to 5 pm.
Sponsored by Sequoya Technologies, the Members Exhibition will hold an opening reception on Friday, Jan. 13 from 5 to 7 pm. A series of artist demonstrations on Saturday afternoons throughout the show has also been planned. Admission to all events is free and ample parking is available in Depot Square.
The Exhibition Gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information, call (603) 924-7676.
 Visitors at the 63rd Annual Members' Exhibit
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By awall ( December 9, 2011 at 9:55 am) · Filed under Press Releases, Uncategorized
CLICK HERE to donate to the Sharon Arts Kickstarter campaign.
For more information on how to donate, call (603) 924-7676.
In October the Sharon Arts Center tried an experiment: they wanted to bring renowned cardboard artist James Grashow to their Exhibition Gallery for two weeks to create one of his amazingly magical environmental installations that could involve 100 children and widely impact at least 700 children in area schools. Grashow had done this in 2006 and many deemed his creation and the impact it had on the community the most memorable exhibit ever at Sharon Arts.
The problem was, how to raise the $10,000 needed to bring Grashow to Peterborough, especially with the usual channels of private donations and arts council grants drying up in a difficult economy? New Executive Director Keri Wiederspahn, an artist herself, decided to try an solution that had begun gaining popularity among fellow artists faced with the same financial dilemma: Kickstarter.com, an online site that has rapidly become, according to Kickstarter’s own definition, “the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects.”
Once the Kickstarter campaign was set up, a 60-day time clock began running, as every project on this site must reach its funding goal before a certain amount of time expires or no money changes hands. Kickstarter feels this protects everyone involved: “creators aren’t expected to develop their project without necessary funds,” they explain, “and it allows anyone to test concepts without risk.”
To date, Sharon Arts has raised nearly $9,000 and has until Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 5:47 pm to raise the last $1000+. At every level of donation, a “perk” is given to the donor–for the “Bring Jimmy Back” campaign the perks range from a signed cardboard emblem at a $15 level to a limited edition print of a Grashow woodblock plus a “I Brought Jimmy Back” T-shirt for $100 to a real bonanza for $5,000: a gourmet five-course dinner for the donor and 10 friends at the Sharon Arts Gallery with Grashow as a guest of honor, plus a choice of an original Grashow cardboard bug or flower from the exhibit, plus a personalized original Grashow Wood-cut print for $5,000.
“We’re hoping the community will come out strong on this home stretch to make it happen,” says Wiederspahn. “What Grashow has planned for us, should the project be funded as we certainly hope it will, is a Garden of the Imagination–the whole gallery will be taken over with larger-than-life flowers, bugs,and other inhabitants that will open up the creative process and the imagination.”
Grashow, a graduate of Pratt Institute and a Fulbright scholar, is convinced that “magical art can be made from the most mundane of materials.” His work was recently shown work at MassMOCA, one of the nation’s preeminent contemporary art museums.
CLICK HERE to donate to the Sharon Arts Kickstarter campaign.
For more information on how to donate, call (603) 924-7676.
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By awall ( December 9, 2011 at 9:50 am) · Filed under Press Releases, Uncategorized
The Sharon Arts Center is pleased to announce a recent $6,200 grant from the Samuel P. Hunt Foundation for upgrades to their digital lab.
Created in 1951 for general charitable purposes, the Samuel P. Hunt Foundation has focused its grant making on New Hampshire-based nonprofit charitable entities.
Because of the grant, Sharon Arts’ School of Art & Craft, located in Sharon, NH, will be able to obtain drawing tablets for each computer workstation in the digital lab, upgrade software to the newest Adobe creative suite, and perform necessary hardware upgrades for the computers to run more smoothly.
“The grant will open up student opportunities for animation and digital illustration,” said School Director Alexandra Wall, “in addition to improving resources for our current classes in image editing, graphic design/self-publishing, and digital photography.”
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By awall ( December 6, 2011 at 10:03 am) · Filed under Press Releases, Uncategorized
In support of their goals to connect the community to art and artists, the nonprofit Sharon Arts Center Fine Crafts Exhibition Gallery in Depot Square is hosting two special Artisan Trunk Shows on Saturday, Dec. 10 and Saturday, Dec. 17 from 11 am to 4 pm.
The events are free and open to the public; ample parking is available.
On December 10th Hal Danser of Jaffrey, NH, will be presenting an extensive collection of his affordable glass jewelry. Always fascinated by glass and its viscosity, Hal has made work using many glass techniques. He is excited to present his collection of kiln-formed designer glass jewelry and will be on hand to discuss his process and glassworking techniques as he shares his work with the community.
Textured and geometric sterling silver with accents of gold vermeil, freshwater pearls and gemstones highlight the collection of fine art jewelry by designer Naomi Lerner Tussin of Avon, CT, who will show her jewelry on December 17th. Tussin designs jewelry that is arty and elegant and accentuates the individual style of women of every age–clean and contemporary design with a twist. She will be on hand to share her enthusiasm for her work with visitors.
 Glass Jewelry by Hal Danser  Jewelry by Naomi Tussin
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By awall ( December 4, 2011 at 5:47 pm) · Filed under Press Releases, Uncategorized
“QUEEN’S RANSOM: A GENTLEMAN’S NIGHT OUT”
DECEMBER 14th, 5-8pm.
Following the success of “LAFF”–Ladies, Art, Fashion, and Fun–last month, the Sharon Arts Center has scheduled a similar holiday event on Dec. 14 for men titled “Queen’s Ransom: A Gentlemen’s Night Out.” The admission is free and the event will be held from 5 to 8 pm at the Sharon Art Center’s Downtown Exhibition Gallery, located at 30 Grove St. and Depot Square.
Featuring Scotch-tasting and appetizers, the evening provides men an opportunity to purchase holiday gifts for their spouses or significant others while being catered to by their own personal shoppers for the night. Hors-doeuvres will be provided by the Waterhouse restaurant and an open bar courtesy of Sequoya Technology. Free gift wrapping will also be provided.
Illustration by artist and Sharon Arts Center faculty member, Robert Seaman.
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By awall ( December 1, 2011 at 1:38 pm) · Filed under Uncategorized
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