Bring Out Your Dead

Gallery 360 is preparing for its first showing and you are invited to submit artwork for display.  The theme:  The Day of the Dead.  

The end of October and the beginning of November is traditionally the time to remember, honor and celebrate the dead.  Whether it's the bonfires of the Gaelic harvest festival of Samhain or the spooks and ghouls of Halloween or the sugar skulls and cemetery picnics of Mexico's Dia de los Muertos, it is a time of both reverence and fun, a party for both the living and the dead. 

What would you make to celebrate?  A shrine for a friend or relative who passed away?  A dancing skeleton, perhaps?  A portrait of the coming zombie apocalypse?  Anything dead related, from traditionally decorated calacas y calaveras to the coming zombie apocalypse are acceptable.  The only requirement is originality.

We will consider showing work that is 'not for sale,'  but we encourage folks to put a price on their work.  A portion of sales will go to the Central Arkansas Food Bank, but artists will retain 60%.   

The show opens October 13th, with a celebration on the Day of the Dead (November 1st).  The art will be up through November 11th.

Bring your creations to Gallery 360 / 900 South Rodney Parham Road in Little Rock, the earlier the better.  You can email Jay at audiolingo@gmail.com or call him for more info.  (501) 663-2222 or (501) 993-0012.

What are you waiting for?  Get busy!

photo credit: Our Exquisite Corpse

August classes

Stained Glass
Debra Young will be teaching a two session class on stained glass. It is geared toward beginners or those wanting to take a 'refresher' course.  Classes will be held on successive Sunday afternoons, August 19th & 26th, from 1:30 to 5:30 pm.  Cost is $90 and includes materials.  Email Debra for more info: glassconcepts101@yahoo.com.

UPDATE:  The stained glass class has been moved back a week.  The first session will now be on August 26th and the second one will be on September 2nd.  That gives you an extra week to sign up!

Glass Fusing
Debra is also offering a fusing workshop on August 23rd, from 6 to 8 pm.  Cost is $35.  Bring a friend and get $5 off.  All materials are included.  More info: glassconcepts101@yahoo.com.

Metal Clay
Kelley Naylor Wise will teach a beginner class in textured metal clay.  Students will be making a pair of fine silver earrings.  Cost of the class is $90, which includes materials.  Tools will be available for use or purchase. Class to be held Saturday, August 25th, from 1 to 5 pm.  Call or email to register.  766-9944; kelley.naylor@yahoo.com.

Mosaics
Donna Peterson is arranging to teach several mosaic classes, dates and times unknown at this point, but you can call Donna at 551-0948 or email her at peterson.donna@att.net for information.

Space is limited and you must register before the scheduled dates.

Teachers Wanted

Are you an artist?  A maker?  A crafter?
Is there something you're good at that you think others might like to learn?  Chances are someone would pay money to learn some of the things you know.
We can make the space available for you to teach one-off workshops or returning classes.  We'll help promote you, too.  Sessions are $30 for the first hour and $15 for each additional hour.  Reduced rates for returning classes.  We will also consider offering our space for free to teachers who do not charge for workshops.
Most sessions are being scheduled for weekends and early evenings, but we're open to daytime hours as well.
If you have an idea for such a class, call Jay at 663-2222.

Metal Clay Class Deadline Friday 6/22

There's still time to sign up for Kelley's second metal clay workshop.  It's for Saturday, June 30th.  Details are three posts down.  Kelley says there's five people signed up and there's room for one or two more.

Update:  So you missed that one. No problem; Kelley's workshops continue to meet in July.  She's signing folks up for Saturdays on July 7th & 14th, 2 to 5 PM.  Call her at 766-9944.

Mosaic Workshops

Mosaic is the one of the oldest (5,000 years) and most durable functional art forms.  It uses different types of materials - tile, stones, marbles, glass - to produce an image. Gallery 360 is gearing up to present workshops on MOSAICS – a class where not only is it okay to break things, it is expected !!  Instructor Donna Peterson is developing various workshops that will introduce beginners to the basics of mosaic making including the cutting and laying out of a variety of materials and adhesion and grouting processes.  Projects will include stepping stones, crosses, birdhouses, trays, wall hangings, or other items the student wishes to mosaic.  Check back for specific dates, costs, etc.

Get on a waiting list to receive further information, email Donna at peterson.donna@att.net.

mosaic by  Margaret Almon (Nutmeg Designs)

Finton Shaw 1946-2012

We were saddened to hear recently of the passing of Conway sculptor Finton Shaw.  He was kind and generous and supportive of the arts.  His bronzes and assemblages are unique creations of a man who proved to be a pioneer and a true iconoclast.  He will be missed.

A memorial services is to be held today, Saturday June 9th, 3pm, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Conway.  He will be honored by the Faulkner County Library with a Lifetime in the Arts Award on Sunday, details of which can be found here.

Finton Shaw's obituary is here.

Make One of These

More importantly, learn the art of metal clay.  Kelley Naylor-Wise is a certified instructor in the material. That means she's studied and worked the hell out of it.  She wants you to know that whatever you can imagine can be made out of metal clay.  It's like magic, really; sculpt it in clay, turn it into silver.  Not silver-colored clay. Silver.  I'm hoping she follows up with classes in bronze, copper and steel.  I'll leave it to the 1% to take the gold class.

Anyway, Kelley teaches her next metal clay class at the end of this month, Saturday, June 30th, to be exact. 2 to 5 PM at Gallery 360.  An advance payment of $80 is required by June 20th, so call her at 766-9944 to find out more or reserve your spot.  Or email her at kelley.naylor@yahoo.com.