THE ARTS CENTER

A Word From Our Director

Upcoming Classes

New Exhibit by Linda Whitney: The Space Between History & Hollywood

Upcoming Special Events

Special Thanks

What’s InsIde:

THE ARTS CENTER NEWSLETTERIssue 116 - May 2014

Courtesy of:

From the director’s desk: Someone asked me about my “leadership story” which seemed odd as I have never given that a thought. However, as this is my last official newsletter article, it seems ok to share stories from this journey as executive director. Moving to Jamestown was not my choice—as a matter of fact, my husband lied to get me to come here. He said we would only be here for six months… that was 38 years ago! After my first

Taylor BarnesExecutive Director

few years here, I was determined to leave. Then someone suggested I visit the Prairie Arts Center (that is where the Arts Center began) a small room above what was then Ronholm Drug. I visited; met like-minded people; and eventually became the director for a brief bit of time between delivering baby one and two. Finding kindred spirits through work in the arts has always provided my sense of community—from my early art classes at the Toledo Museum of Art through the years at the Arts Center. In the beginning of my Arts Center career, I remember a young boy sought refuge every summer day here sharing stories of family dysfunction of which I was certain came from a fertile imagination. About the same time, an elementary school social worker asked what after school programming was in place at the Arts Center, as she was working with a young boy who needed a sense of community. Voila! The Arts After School program was started. A few years later, I discovered a summer visitor was the same boy the social worker was trying to help. Since then, I’ve watched countless children find kindred spirits in Arts After School as they improve social skills and increase artistic knowledge. As the years have gone by, I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with them as adult visitors to the Arts Center. There are an equal number of wonderful stories about adults impacted through community theatre involvement; taking arts classes; developing friendships and making connections in ways otherwise not available for them. Making certain these opportunities have existed in Jamestown has been my motivation for this job. The “challenges” along the way have been tremendous growth experiences! The challenges will continue and the organization will continue fulfilling its mission (Enrich the Jamestown area community through the Arts) and continue to share the community’s goal of downtown redevelopment. The Arts Center hasn’t been able to flourish because I’ve been here; rather it has grown because it is a place of belonging, connecting and thriving through shared heritage, interests and stories.

upcoming classesproviding opportunities for artistic development and exploration

Creative opportunities for adults (16 years of age and older)More details and registration online at: www.jamestownarts.com/classes

photography - level 2 with troy gunderson Tuesdays: May 6, 13, 20 & 27 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm The Hansen Arts Studio • $50 members / $60 non-members Get the most out of your camera and desire to take great pictures! This introductory class will walk you through the principles of good photography, camera use, and important terms & techniques (bring camera with manual mode/options).

animal kingdom with guillermo “memo” guardia June 2, 3 & 5 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm The Hansen Arts Studio • $50 members / $60 non-members Learn the technique to create a medium size clay figure. Find inspiration from nature and choose an animal to recreate in clay.

introduCtion to waterColor with anna Jacobson June 9, 11, 16 & 18 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm The Hansen Studio • $50 members / $60 non-members It’s easier than it looks, with a little help from Anna… Students will be introduced to watercolor essentials: how to handle the paint, color mixing, proper techniques and more. Beginner to intermediate students welcome. All materials provided.

little people with guillermo “memo” guardia July 7, 8 & 10 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm The Hansen Arts Studio • $50 members / $60 non-members Learn the techniques to create medium sized clay figures. In this fun class we will overview the human body as a form of art, it’s anatomy, proportions, gestures & movements.

art Classes for kidssummer art CampsSummer 2014 schedule is out. Classes start June 2nd. For class schedule, descriptions and registration forms visit: www.jamestownarts.com/classes

CeramiC saturdays Saturdays: May 10 & 24 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm The Hansen Arts Studio • $20 members / $25 non-members Kids and parents are welcome to join in this family fun event. You’ll make all kinds of crazy ceramic creations with local artist Bill Nybo. Contact the Arts Center for more details and registration information.

The following activities will not be taking place over the summer: Artful Happy Hour, Pinterest Craft Night, Classic Movie Night and the Photography Interest Group.

linda whitney: The Space Between History & Hollywood May 1 – June 14, 2014

During May and June we celebrate the work of Linda Whitney. When asked if we would consider showing Whitney’s mezzotints to coincide with her retirement from Valley City State University I was delighted. Not only has she been a tireless supporter of The Arts Center, bringing her students to the exhibitions and encouraging them to participate in our annual JFAA exhibitions, Whitney is also a hidden “gem” of an artist, underappreciated for her exquisite skill in printmaking. Linda’s artwork is recognized among the best in international and national printmaking circles.

Whitney’s medium of choice, the mezzotint, is among the most labor intensive of processes. These prints are limited edition and handmade, not to be confused with mass-produced digital prints. The earliest mezzotint dates to the 15th century. The mezzotint printmaking process is in the intaglio family, technically a drypoint method. The whole surface plate is roughened evenly, manually with a rocker, or mechanically. If the plate were printed at this point it would show as solid black. The image is then created by selectively burnishing areas of the surface of the metal plate with metal tools; the smoothed parts will print lighter than those areas not smoothed by the burnishing tool. Areas smoothed completely flat will not hold ink at all; such areas will print “white,” that is, without ink. By varying the degree of smoothing, mid-tones between black and white can be created, hence the name mezzo-tinto that is Italian for “half-tone” or “half-painted”.

YouTube has many videos on mezzotint http://youtu.be/KGKI38oGzdk demonstrating creation, printing and tools required to complete a print.

From the cover: Oyate… they came, mezzotint, 24” x 18”, 2013

About the Artist: Linda Whitney is professor of art and chair of the department at VCSU. Her mezzotints have traveled throughout North America, Europe and to Australia, New Zealand, Serbia, Nicaragua, and Russia. Her work has recently been on exhibit at the 1st and 2nd International Mezzotint Festival, Ekaterinburg, Russia; Clemson National Print & Drawing Exhibition, Clemson University, SC; Pacific League Pressing Matters, Palo Alto, CA; Ink Press Repeat National Printmaking Exhibition, William Patterson University, Wayne, NJ; Americas 2013 and America’s 2014 National Works on Paper, Minot State University; JFAA 49 Annual Art Exhibition, The Art Center, Jamestown, ND; Parkside Small Print Exhibition, Parkside, WI; IPE Greendoor Studios, Derby, UK; National Small Works Exhibition, Washington Printmakers Gallery, Silver Spring, MD; Saddleback Art Gallery Exhibition, Mission Viejo, CA; 34th Annual Juried Exhibition, Custer County Art & Heritage Center, Miles City, MT; Free Town Studios, Lafayette, LA; Managua, Nicaragua; and Novi Sad, Serbia; and over 250 other exhibitions.

Artists and print connoisseurs that know the mezzotint process stand in awe of Whitney’s prints. I imagine the artist being “of another time” and sequestered in the studio for months to achieve such detail. It is humbling to know that there are still artists willing to tackle the medium. The show will continue to June 14 to give visitors ample time to see these masterworks.

Join us to honor linda whitney’s teaching career

and celebrate her art

thursday, June 5th 5:30 – 7:30 pm

the arts Center gallery

Statement from the Artist: “Thematically I am a narrative artist. Images are appropriated from either the Powwow interlaced with Hollywood or from the indigenous people of Turtle Island and filtered through my point of view to tell the tale of the coming of the Europeans, small pox, and the near annihilation of the people of this region. These historic and grand cultures were all but decimated in a few short

years and those left standing were cheated of their traditions, religion, and freedoms. But, the ancient voices were not silenced and the drumbeats are strong again. The celebration of the Powwow is one public declaration of the strength and tenacity of the indigenous cultures of this continent. Hollywood finds a place in the images but as an interloper and with tongue-in-cheek humor.

The mezzotint process is time and labor intensive. I find a personal connection to this process through the rocking, gouging, scraping and polishing of the plate. I earn an intimate knowledge of the plate terrain and texture through the tactile plate creation. The smoky and sensual surface quality of the resulting image can only be achieved by this arduous approach.”

exhibitionsrevolving gallery exhibitions every four to six weeks

The Space Between History & Hollywood, 2014, mezzotint, 24” x 18”

upcoming eventsbringing performing artists to the community

an artful happy hour MEET PEOPLE, MIX DRINKS, MAKE ART Join us after work for a creatively good time. Monday, May 12th, 5’ish at The Arts Center, $10 material fee We’ll be exploring the amazing mezzotint prints of Linda Whitney and creating our own springtime prints.

reader’s theatre Tuesday, May 20th, 7:00 pm at The Arts Center, FREEDo you enjoy the drama of theatre, but don’t like the spotlight? Then Reader’s Theater is for you! Join us for the reading of Double in Diamonds. For more information, contact: Dina Laskowski at dlaskows@jc.edu or 701-269-9111

Classic movie night Thursday, May 22nd, 7:00 pm at The Arts Center, FREEJoin us for the showing of Leave Her to Heaven a 1945 film noir in technicolor. The story revolves around a femme fatale who entraps a husband and commits several crimes motivated by her insane jealousy over everything concerning him. This film was 20th Century Fox’s highest grossing film in the 1940s.

art park planting Saturday, May 31st, 9:30 am at The Arts CenterAn opportunity to help downtown look beautiful... and get your hands dirty. Join us for the annual planting of the Art Park. Volunteers should bring their favorite gardening tool and gloves. Lunch will be provided.

art Center annual member meeting Monday, June 30th, 12:00 pm at The Arts CenterArt-for-Life update: Timeslips • Free Lunch Have your say! • New Executive Director IntroductionRSVP Required: info@jamestonwarts.com or 701-251-2496

special thanksdonations: Tarno Distributing, Theresa & Bill McMillan, Karla & Scott Sandness, Joanne Hansen, Leah Mitchell, Pam & Tom Merrick, Barbara Lang, Clara Christ, Jaci & Mike Tarpinian

memorial: in memory of Bud Tordoff by his family, in memory of Bob Wells by his wife Enid

business memberships: Larry’s Auto Glass, Lamp Insurance Company, Home of Economy

special thanks to: the following businesses for sponsoring a table at this year’s gala: Dr. Jason Braun, Edward Jones, Farmers Union Insurance, Hillerud Construction & Decorating by Charlie, Jamestown Regional Medical Center, Lifetime Vision Source, Steve Maier & Rick Qual, Dr. Ken McDougall, Stutsman Harley Davidson, UTC Aerospace Systems, Valley Plains Equipment

luncheon with poet madelyne Camrud Thursday, May 29th, 12:00 pm at The Arts Center

RSVP by May 23 to (info@jamestownarts.com) if you would like to purchase lunch for $3.00, or you can bring your own lunch.

Camrud will read from her publication Oddly Beautiful, a collection of her poems. Inspired by her husband’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. Madelyne Camrud leads readers through a meditation on love, reflection, loss, and grief. She reveals light in unexpected places, from graffiti-splashed walls to a lone bird

perched on a winter branch. These images bring hope to dark times, showing us life is oddly beautiful.

Her poems have appeared in numerous journals, including Kalliope, Painted Bride Quarterly, Descant, Soundings East, Water-Stone Review and in the anthologies Prairie Volcano and The Talking of Hands. Camrud is the author of “The House is Filled with Cracks,” a “Minnesota Voices” prize winner in poetry, published by New Rivers Press in 1994. Two of her poems were chosen to air on Garrison Keillor’s Writers Almanac. In the spring of 2004, North Dakota Poet Laureate Larry Woiwode named Camrud an associate poet laureate of North Dakota.

Hear Madelyne recite from Oddly Beautiful: http://youtu.be/lsVCLN2chwM

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The Arts Center activities are supported in part by a grant from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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