Goya Drawing Group this Tuesday from 2-4pm (September 8th)
This week we will be turning our attention to architecture surrounding the MU memorial hall. We will start with a brief refresher on perspective drawing (a few handouts on the foundations) and then will pick a spot and draw what we see. Please bring a drawing large sketch book, ruler, pencils, and gummy eraser. We will meet outside at the fountain on the north side of the building. If it is raining we will meet inside memorial hall on the benches just after the entry way with the zodiac (the main north entrance).

Community Art Discussion Group – Sunday, September 13th, 1-2pm
For our September Meeting we are going to focus on community art role in education with a specific focus on art education in public schools. How can young children be introduced to the arts at a young age? In what ways can we support art education in story county’s school district. In 1999 the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and Arts Education Partnership released a report called Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessons from School Districts that Value Arts Eduction. While a bit longer, this report is a great starting point for talking about community art’s role in education. Please make sure to read the introduction, the study’s findings, the intro to the profiles, and one School district case study/profiles – that will be about 10 -15 pages. You can download the reporthere and see a summary of the report here.

Mending 101 :: Learn to Mend + Basic Sewing Skills – Sunday, September 13th; 2-4pm
Learn to sew on a button so it won’t fall off again, apply a patch, use a sewing machine, and darn holes! This two hour session will cover all you need to know to fix your clothing like new again.

Bring yourself, items needing mending, and all other supplies will be provided. If you have any sewing questions bring those too!

Suggested donation of $2 to help pay for supplies and support the space.

See you all there!

Explore the ways in which art can inspire, grow, and bring together our local community. Come together to learn, discuss, and develop ways in which we can facilitate and encourage artistic development in our own community. Over the next few months we will read and discuss articles and essays from the Community Arts Network. They have a large database of free articles, books, essays, and resources for learning and facilitation community art.

At our first meeting we will discuss an article by Jan Cohen-Cruz, “An Introduction to Community Art and Activism” as well as talk about what topics we would like to cover in the future. Please bring book, articles, or topic ideas as well as a print out of the article. Click here to view the article.

Note: this meetup is at the same location as the book binding workshop and will take place before it.

Codex Book Binding Workshop
Location: Ames Progressive
Date: Sunday, August 9th
Time: 2-4pm
Suggested donation of $2
RSVP on meetup.com here
Learn how to make your own journal using the codex method of binding. This style of binding is perfect for journals and sketch books because it lays flat while you are working.

All supplies provided except paper to fill your journal – graph paper, lined paper, copy paper, linen paper, or sketch paper all great to bind into your journal.

Please bring 20 or more sheets of any paper you wish to be bound – once bound they will be exactly 1/2 their original size – so letter sized sheets of paper will be made into a half sheet sized book. Tools for cutting down paper will be available for use at the workshop.
See you all on Sunday!
Kristin

Friday was a great night to get out and see some of Ames’ up and coming musicians. Rock the Block is put together by Rieman Music and gives great exposure and experience to many great young artists. From full out metal bands to acoustic melodies, this show had a little something for everyone.

It was a night full of music. You may have enjoyed some live tunes at the Ames Progressive or DG’s Tap House. Earlier in the day there were Bookends at the Bandshell and then Ames on the Halfshell. What is your favorite Ames Venue for Live Music? What show did you end up at?

Seems like the pockets are always getting torn off Jason’s jeans. Extensive mending and patching was executed.

See the darned spot? nope, me neither! And that’s the point. 3 pairs of socks now ready for feet!

usually it’s the dog carrying around the toy that looks like a cat, well, in this case it’s sarah’s cat that carries around a little dog – a proceeds to claw it’s guts out. Favorite cat toy now ready to be re-gutted all over again!

I brought a whole slew of books to look through and browse and chat about. zines brought back from San Francisco, collected over the years, and newly acquired.

Ames c.art fliers at the ames progressive. You can download fliers to print out and distribute here. More fliers coming soon! I just printed these off on graph paper, cut them down a bit, and then fixed them to 1/4 page pieces of card stock to hand out – print on anything you want and give them to friends – make them your own by jazzing them up, or get them out there on some white printer paper – main thing is to just have fun, spread the word, and help make ames c.art a success. Thank you for spreading the word!

And it was so great to meet/remeet/collaorate/chat with all of you! Look to the calendar and the news blog for more information on upcoming ames c.art events!

Bring: a project to work on, a project (or neat book or whatever you are excited about) to show off, and a sack lunch. I will be mending and knitting and bring a few interesting books I’ve come across lately. I want to encourage a bit of a show and tell this meeting. What have you been working on at home? what are you excited about? what have you been writing, playing, reading, making?

Questions? Bring those too: on any sewing, crochet, knitting, weaving, drawing, or painting project bring it along. All members have their own areas of expertise; we will all work together to help find a solution for your project.

When and Where: Sunday, July 12th – Noon to 4pm – stop by anytime, we are so okay with dropping in when you can to say hi. The Ames Progressive – located at 118 Hayward Avenue, Suite #3 in Ames, in the same building as The Ark Pet Shop, Domino’s Pizza, Nite Owl Printing and Scallion Korean Restaurant (just go around back, or take the side entrance and follow the hallway)

See you there!
Kristin

It’s called Ames C.art (ames collaborative art). The whole idea of it is the facilitation of collaboration between all media and art in order to infuse the community with creativity through public projects – be they workshops, lectures, or on the street art. Ames Collaborative Art. Facilitating the growth, sharing, collaboration of ames area artists and creative do gooders.

At first it will simply take the place of the sewing rebellion and instead of just sewing we will have a once a month workshop on a variety of techniques. The meeting on the 26th will be on drawing for instance.

The second “event” type I want to start up is a reading group at the library. It will cover art topics with an emphasis on community works and public art projects + self development and growth. Like the book Art + Fear for the first book (it’s short, inspiring, and informative). Look for more information on that coming up next month.

The online component of the group will be features on local artists, artist groups, and organizations. There will also be a calender of local events and submission deadlines. And of course a calender of the events the c.art coordinates.

The whole thing will be ambulatory – on the move – collaborating with various businesses, organizations and artists in order to host a variety of events that encourage creativity, growth, and participation of the community in the arts.

Always your participation and support is encouraged. There are many ways to be involved with the ames c.art: coming to events, donating your organizations space for event hosting, teaching a workshop, setting up and hosting an event, writing a review for the website, helping to keep the community event calender up to date by sending me information about your or your organization’s events. Any idea you have, just email me and we can work together to make it happen. And that is what it’s all about: the ames c.art is Ames Collaborative Art.

I look forward to working with you!

Kristin Roach
admin [at] amescart [dot] org