The Learning Place

Discover the Middletown Arts Center

The Middletown Arts Center was founded in 1957, with the mission to enrich the community by creating opportunities for artistic expression through learning and appreciation. The Middletown Arts Center continues fulfill that mission by offering an average of 160-175 classes offered during the year, to students ages kindergarten to 90+ in all levels of experience. Talented visual artists, who offer knowledge and experience in their respective medium, teach MAC classes. Students can learn techniques in such mediums as glass fusing, enameling, ceramics, acrylic, oil, and watercolor painting, and digital photography. Please visit our website www.middletownartscenter.com for complete course listings.

The Middletown Arts Center is the proud sponsor of two art competitions for area youth. In collaboration with Artswave, “Tomorrow’s Artist Today” is visual art competition for youth, ages 13-18, in a 50-mile radius of Middletown that awards prize money to winning pieces. The “TAT” competition encourages student artists to present their artwork in a professional manner and asks students to play an active role in the process of entering. The Scholarship Competition awards area elementary, middle, and high school students scholarships to MAC classes. Student entries are selected and chosen artists are asked to return and compete for a second time at the MAC.

The MAC is home to a newly renovated exhibit hall that showcases artwork from local and national artists. The exhibition hall is open to the public Monday –Thursday during MAC business hours and Saturday mornings.

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Please contact Leslie Pinto, Program Coordinator with questions lpinto@middletownartscenter.com

Community Arts Centers Day!

Community Arts Centers Day at 
the Middletown Arts Center!

Saturday August 27, 2011


FREE Art Activities for the Family!


Schedule of Events


-10-12- Crazy Hat & Sunglasses making workshop with Diane Stemper


-Noon-Art Parade to the Pendleton Art Center


-12:30- Ice Cream Social


-12-:30-4 Art Activities
-Mural Painting with Matt Stacy
-Sculpture Building with Mallory Feltz
-Face Painting
-Sand Art
-Artist Demonstrations & More!

Contact Leslie Pinto at 513-424-2417 with questions or visit www.middletownartscenter.com

Community Arts Centers Day is collaboratively organized by ArtsWave, ArtWorks, and the centers with generous financial support from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.  Ice cream generously donated by United Dairy Farmers.

Thank you to the Middletown Community Foundation Fondersmith Grant for their support of CACD 2011

Area Art Show Information

Middletown  Arts Center Area Art Show 2011

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Any artist, 18 years of age or older, living within a 50-mile radius of Middletown, OH is eligible to submit art work.  Only original works of art in oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, drawings, mixed media and photography are acceptable.  More than one category may be entered.  All works must be original and never exhibited previously in a juried exhibit at the Middletown Arts Center & done within the past 3 years.

ENTRY FEE:

There will be a $15 non-refundable fee per entry.  There is no limit to the number of entries; however, a maximum of 3 pieces per artist will be displayed.  Please make checks payable to Middletown Arts Center.

RECEIVING AND CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:

All entries must be delivered to the Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Pkwy, Middletown, OH during the following times:

Monday, Sept. 12 - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday,  Sept. 13 - 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 14 -  10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 15 - 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

No entries will be accepted other than times and dates listed. Only entries properly matted, framed, wired and ready for hanging will be accepted. NO tape is to be used.   Unsuitable presentation will be grounds for non-acceptance.  Forms must be filled out correctly and completely at time of entry.  Please be specific as to the media of work submitted.

RETURN OF WORK:

Notification of acceptance or rejection will be mailed after judging.  Work not accepted for the exhibit must be picked up Sept. 26 - 29 during regular building hours.  Accepted entries may not be removed from the exhibit prior to Monday October 22, 2011.

AWARDS:

Best of Show $500

First Place (each category) $100

Second Place (each category) $50

Third Place (each category) $25

Honorable Mention Ribbon

President’s Award Exhibit

Awards will be given in the categories of Oils/Acrylics on Canvas, Watermedia (Acrylics on paper, Watercolors), Photography and Drawings (including pastels & ink). Mixed Media (a combination of the above). 3D pieces are not acceptable. Only categories above will be acceptable. There must be 10 accepted pieces in a category to be judged for an award.  The final decision, in all cases, rests with the Judges.  All awards will be presented during the opening reception on Sept. 23^rd  at 7:00 p.m.

SALES:

The sale of art work to the public is encouraged.  A commission of 30% will be retained for any work sold as a result of the show and work should be priced to include the commission.  If the work is not for sale, please indicate by marking “NFS.”

LIABILITY:

All reasonable care will be taken in handling work submitted; however, the Middletown Arts Center, the judge(s), or the committee will not be held responsible for loss or damage to works of art.  All works are entered at the artist’s risk, and the artist must provide his/her own insurance.

EXHIBITION AND OPENING RECEPTION:

The Area Art Show will be open to the public from September 23 at 6:00 p.m. through October 22, 2011 during regular building hours.  Only works selected by the judges will be exhibited.  The opening reception for the exhibition and awards presentation will be held Friday, Sept.23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Center’s Exhibition Hall.  All participants are encouraged to attend.

AGREEMENT:

Submission of work to this exhibition shall be understood to indicate an agreement on the part of the artist with conditions set forth.  This includes the artist’s permission to have photographs of their work used for publicity and for promotion without compensation.

JURORS/JUDGES:

A. Joseph Barrish

 Brother Barrish works in watercolors and acrylics multi media and collage. His work has been displayed at the IBM Gallery in New York and the Dayton Art Institute. He has taught on every level including grade school and high school and was an associate professor in the Fine Arts Department at the University of Dayton for over 20 yrs.

Velma J. Morris

Velma is a Cincinnati artist mainly self-taught and a much sought after teacher, speaker, and judge. She has taught both children and adult classes in Cincinnati and Kentucky. Winner of many awards, her work varies in content, color and styles. Her work can be found in many private and corporate collections around the country.

DIRECTIONS TO MAC:

From I-75:North - Take the Middletown exit.  Follow overhead signs marked 122-Downtown.  Turn right on University, right on Reinartz, left on Verity.  Located on right .

From I-75 South – Take the Monroe exit to Rt. 4. Stay on Rt 4 which will turn into Verity Pkwy.  Once on Verity Pkwy. Turn left onto Columbia go across Verity into the parking lot and we are 2^nd building on your right.

AREA ART SHOW – MIDDLETOWN ARTS CENTER                                                                       

EXHIBITION CALENDAR:

September 12                        Receive art work 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.                       

September 13                        Receive art work 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

September 14                        Receive art work 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

September 15                        Receive art work 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

September 17                        Juror notification mailed

September 23                        Opening reception 6:00-8:00 p.m.

                                      (Awards presentation at 7:00 p.m.)

September 26 - 29            Pick up work not accepted during regular business hours

October 1 & 2                        Center open weekend of Middfest 10/1 & 2 2011

October 24 - 27                        Pick up exhibited work during regular business hours

2010 PRESIDENT'S AWARD WINNER  -  Joyce P. Young  Will be exhibiting in the NEWLY renovated LOBBY/GALLERY

                        

For further information, call

(513) 424-2417, or check our web site at

www.middletownartscenter.com

Why Give to the Arts?

Why Give to the Arts When People Are Starving in the Gutter?

by Tony Poderis

I actually read that riveting question in the marginal notes of a proposal for funding an orchestra. The notes were penned by a trustee of a grant-making foundation during a meeting to review the proposal. Another trustee of the foundation, the one who presented the proposal on behalf of the orchestra, later showed them to me and asked what I could do help counter his colleague’s questioning remark.

Arts and cultural institutions are often forced into such defensive postures. They’re accused of only benefiting the elite. The needs of the hungry, the homeless, the physically, mentally and emotionally challenged are cited as so great that something as frivolous as the arts should not be drawing from the pool of available support for non-profit organizations. Those of us who work with and passionately support the arts are asked how we can justify “diverting” funds to the arts when such need exists.

The arts community rightfully provides data showing its economic impact and benefit to the community—statistics tabulating the number of people employed by arts and cultural organizations, tourists attracted to the area, money spent on purchases from vendors, etc. Those facts deliver a true story, but they are not always compelling. Then there is the “quality-of-life” argument, but, it too does not always convince. We’re told it is too subjective, too broad, too general.

I believe the answer is to stop defending the arts. That what we need to do is step out of the defensive posture our critics would force us into. We need to start asserting the value of the arts with some questions of our own.

Would the community be a place that draws the successful people able to support other needs, if there were not an orchestra, art museum, ballet, opera, theater, etc.? Without the quality-of-life amenities that arts and cultural organizations provide, would private companies, corporations, and firms be able to retain and attract key employees—the very people who keep business thriving and civic endeavors moving forward?

Without the draw of arts and culture organizations, how many individuals of affluence would there be in the community? Would as many new enterprises choose to make the community their home? Without the retention of “old money” and the creation of new wealth, where would the philanthropy to support all those “more worthy” institutions come from? What would happen to the hospitals, schools, and social-service agencies?

To me, the gist of the argument to make when the value of the arts is questioned is simple. Without the arts, without cultural institutions, the people who make up the strong backbone of support for civic and social needs would be far fewer in number. It would be as if the community were trying to stand upright with vertebrae missing from that backbone of support. That leads to one last question.

How many vertebrae would have to go missing before that backbone collapsed under the weight of the load it was being asked to carry?

Mathematics & Art

Enjoy this article taken from the 
American Mathematical Society monthly essays on mathematical topics. 

MC Escher "Waterfall"

DaVinci "Page from his sketchbook"

Portrait of Luca Pacioli

Albrecht Durer drawing

Squirrels, rabbits and birds are not artists. However, humans may admire a bird's nest as being a "work of art," and may find the patterns in the snow made by squirrel or rabbit tracks pleasing. Yet, the shape of a bird's nest may indeed be a form of communication for birds, just as "art" is a form of communication for humans. What constitutes art is a very complex and hotly debated subject. When Jackson Pollock first experimented with expressing himself by flinging paint at a canvas, many saw his activity as a form of self-indulgence rather than art. As another example, some people collect maps and some of these maps are art, but not all maps are art. 

April is Mathematics Awareness Month, and this year's theme is Mathematics and Art. There are, in fact, many arts (music, dance,painting, architecture, sculpture, etc.) and there is a surprisingly rich association between mathematics and each of the arts. My goal here is to give some pointers concerning these many connections.

One mathematical connection with art is that some individuals known as artists have needed to develop or use mathematical thinking to carry out their artistic vision. Among such artists were Luca Pacioli (c. 1145-1514), Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Albrecht Dürer(1471-1528), and M.C. Escher (1898-1972). Another connection is that some mathematicians have become artists, often while pursuing their mathematics. 

Mathematicians commonly talk about beautiful theorems and beautiful proofs of theorems. They also often have emotional reactions to proofs or theorems. There are nifty proofs of "dull" mathematical facts and "unsatisfying" proofs of "nifty" theorems. Artists and art critics also talk about beauty. Does art have to be beautiful? Francis Bacon's paintings may or may not be beautiful to everyone, yet there are few people who have no reaction to his work. 

Art is concerned with communication of emotions as well as beauty. Some people may see little emotional content in many of M.C. Escher's prints but it's hard not to be "impressed" by the patterns he created. Some find Escher's prints beautiful but with a different beauty from the great works of Rembrandt. Like art itself, the issues of beauty, communication, and emotions are complex subjects, but then so is mathematics.

Joseph Malkevitch
York College (CUNY) 

SmART Seniors

Enjoy this article about the benefits of taking art classes later in life!

Students at work in Todd Butt's Watercolor Class

Benefits of Art for Seniors

“I can’t draw,” is probably the first thing that comes to your mind when someone suggests that you might like to do something artistic.  Saying that is just like saying” I can’t” and you know how you feel about that word. 

I can remember taking an art class in high school (it was a required subject back then) and it was one of the few classes that was actually fun.  The teacher was non-judgmental and he introduced us to drawing, painting, ceramics and pottery.   Anyway, the thing that impressed me was that I was pretty good at it and did I mention that it was fun.  Oh, not good enough to pursue studies along that line (we had to pick career fields that actually amounted to a job back then) but good enough that I thought that I would like to try it again “someday,”.

That was 50 years ago.  Life somehow intervened and I never had time. I took a few classes here and there and read a few books but the whole process remained dormant for years.  Well, I guess now is the time.  It will have to be now or never, so let us explore what we mean by art and creativity. 

Art can be drawing, painting, weaving, knitting, crocheting, quilting, stamping, writing, or even acting.  Art education can be active (where you actually create or perform your art) or it can be passive (visiting an art gallery or watching a performance). You don’t have to be able to draw in order to be introduced to the world of artistic expression

Art is therapy.  We all need therapy as we get older whether we will admit it or not.  Aging is not fun and we all need something to give us a boost when it comes to mental health and self esteem issues.

You can learn from books but older adults tend to choose art instruction offered through colleges, recreational centers, churches or senior centers. Skill development, intellectual curiosity or just plain social interaction may figure into your reason for pursuing various forms of artistic expression.  It is never too late to learn new things. 

The art making process is creative.  It can serve as a way to explore your past and your present experiences.  Whether you look at art work as therapy or just a way to have fun it is a powerful tool.  You are never too old.  Discovery, stimulation and finding new ways to relax are a vital part of your being.   Sign up for a class and visit an arts and craft store.  It is time to get back to those promises that you made to yourself years ago.  Someday is here!

Student Artwork in Todd Butt's Watercolor Class

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