UPDATE

Extreme Pumpkin Carving & 'Lil Punkin Decorating

On Saturday, October 29, bring your own pumpkin and learn to do extreme pumpkin carving from ARRACs extraordinary wood carver, Dylan Goodson. You will learn to carve a witch in a pumpkin as Dylan walks you through each step during the three-hour Extreme Pumpkin Carving class. Class size is limited to 12, ages 1 0 and up. While Dylans work usually sells from $450 - $2000, this class will be a bargain at $15per person/BYOP* or $25 for a parent + child. Watch Dylan at work at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= OaKjSFiplnQ While Dad and the big kids are carving, a 'Lil Punkin Pumpkin Decorating workshop will be going on in another studio at ARRAC. A Fall pumpkin never looked so wonderful as one that emerges from an ARRAC studio complete with stickers, gems, paint, and glitter...lots of glitter! Moms, Dads, Grandparents and children are welcome, any age, $5 a person. Well provide a small pumpkin. Well also photograph all pumpkins for an on line contest through our Facebook site. Winner gets 2 weeks FREE of their choice of one Kids Arts Club.

Sept. 2011
Vol. 1/Issue 11
The River Region's Center for the Arts

Inside This Issue

Extreme Pumpkin Carving & Decorating...................... 1 Board of Directors............................... 2 Computer Donations.......................... 2 Pottery Studio......................................2 About Us............................................ 2 Meet the ARRAC Leaders.................... 3 Arts Club Report................................. 4 Out & About....................................... 5 Chilton Cty Arts Council Fest.............. 5 Bark in the Park...................................5 Brains for Dinner.................................5 Events Calendar.................................. 6 Pump The 'Tump.................................6 Mugs Fest in January........................... 6 Volunteer Schedule............................. 7 Embellish Class................................... 7 Our Sponsors...................................... 8 Membership Benefits.......................... 8 Bluegrass/Sit & Sew............................. 8

Time: 9am-12 Cost: $15 per student Or $25 for a parent and child (ages ten and up.) Supplies and tools: *Bring Your Own Pumpkin. Students should bring their choice of a jack-o-lantern, or pie-size pumpkin. A list of needed tools and materials will be supplied at time of sign up. Maximum of 12 students. Minimum enrollment is 6 carvers. Class project will be carving a witch in a pumpkin.
Alabama River Region Arts Center

The Alabama River Region Arts Centers mission is to bring the People of the River Region together and enhance community life through a supportive environment where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can study, create and present art.

Our Mission Statement:

Providing high quality, affordable programs

TheARRAC

News from The Center

Computer Donations

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011

ARRAC Board of Directors

Officers Donald Mobley - President Rick Bowman - Vice President Marilyn Winborn - Secretary Members at Large Geoff McIntyre Bill Roberts Austin Thompson
Frank Sullivan - Executive Director The ARRAC Board of Directors met Sept. 25 and Board offices were elected. Frank Sullivan was appointed as the Alabama River Region Arts Center Executive Director. The Board also updated the By Laws toward simplifying the officer positions and moving the positions to the Board. Other business items included reviewing the Brains for Dinner efforts on fund raising events, logo design, marketing effort through local events, and recognizing the effort of these volunteers.

Notice anything different this issue? Thanks to Bob Harris not only for the donation of a Linux-operating system computer, loaded with great Open Source software, and flat screen monitor; but for his gracious training session and tech support. Thanks to Bob we will be able to prepare the newsletter totally on site at ARRAC. This issue has been created using Scribus, our new page layout software.

Thanks to the Pottery Room Patrons For their Paint & Kiln Donations
Thanks to Paul Payton, owner of Payton's Professional Painting, for the donation of 15 gallons of paint for the pottery studio. The paint was donated on a Saturday and 5 painters (Sharon Ervin, Donald Mobley, Dawn and Frank Sullivan, and Rick Bowman) started the next day and were finished 2 hours later (Sharon and Dawn put in an additional four hours of trim work). Meanwhile, Sally Blackwell donated an unused kiln.

The Arts Center is a volunteer based, community supported organization that derives its funding from public and private donations, contributions, grants, benefactors and the proceeds from memberships, Artist Space, Rentals, Gallery Art Sales and special events.

About Us

Thanks to the Birmingham's Daniel Foundation's generous grant, the Pottery Studio is well on its way. Wheels have been ordered and delivered, walls painted, and soon we will have the sink and drains installed. Rick Bowman and Frank Sullivan have built movable tables for the slab roller and clay blocking. Clay will be thrown, starting in late October. Watch for the Grand Opening! Contact Frank Sullivan at director@arrac.org, for more information on dates, times, studio & class costs.

Pottery Studio Progress

Alabama River Region Arts Center

300 West Tallassee St Wetumpka, AL 36092

TheARRAC

Meet the ARRAC Leaders

Theresa Wayne

New Leaders

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011

New to Wetumpka from the Fairhope/Foley area is Theresa Wayne joining ARRAC as an experienced art center member and back-office organizer, having served over 5 years on the Board of Foleys Performing Arts Associations and 4 years on the Board of Gallery Morgan Hill (CA) with the last 2 years as GMH's Treasurer and President respectively. Theresa, with a BSM in Business Management and MS in Financial Planning, is also an artist that is very resourceful having built and hauled her own pegboard display system to ARRAC's outreach table at the recent Bark in the Park outdoor event. Theresa will be the Artistic Director & Resource Coordinator at ARRAC collecting, coordinating and organizing information for a proprietary database of our artists, students, instructors, and associated businesses. This will enable ARRAC to be the "clearinghouse or agent" for matching instructors with students, events with displays, businesses with working artists/performers, etc. This will also be useful for future program development to meet the needs and demands of the community. Theresa can be contacted at: artisticdirector@arrac.org
Sharon Ervin

Theresa, far left, with happy customers, March 2011.

Left, work by Theresa Wayne.

Daetta Evans

Sharon has graciously accepted to be our Volunteer Coordinator (see pg. 7). A dedicated volunteer at the Center (indoors and out), faithful Brainstormer, painter of the top-money Birdhouse at Bark in the Park, and a lover of dogs; she now adds ARRAC Gallery scheduler and event personnel staffing to her list of talents. We appreciate her willingness to jump in and serve. Coming to Wetumpka from Nebraska with the Federal Government, Sharon has decided to retire here; around March 2012. Her decision to retire here stems partly from being involved with ARRAC. Welcome, Sharon (& Heidi, her four-legged friend).
3
Alabama River Region Arts Center

Meet Daetta Evans, our new Marketing Director. Originally from Montgomery, Daetta moved back here from Nashville, to be closer to family. Her background is Marketing/Graphic Design and she has already generated several Marketing reports and analyses to get us going in the right direction. The Update asked Daetta what brought her to ARRAC. Her answer: I was attracted to the center because of its community outreach...and I was looking for studio space. [shes a silkscreener] I found the Center by Googling Art in Alabama. Thanks, Google! Daetta is a wonderful addition to ARRAC!

300 West Tallassee St Wetumpka, AL 36092

TheARRAC

Arts Clubs

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011

Our first month of Kids Arts Clubs has been a great success! There were 15 enrollments in Guitar; Clay; & Drawing/Painting Clubs! Jon Masters, even had one mom, Vanessa Bordlee, sign up for his Guitar Club because she wanted to learn from a professional how to play guitar. Jons side of the story is he, has been in the company of giants, in that his class members are all very talented and a pleasure to teach! Austin Thompson has been the Clay Club instructor using paper clay and Sculpey II. His class is currently finishing up their owl sculptures; next month they will start on sculpting aliens. Marty McIntyres Drawing & Painting Club is probably the messiest of all the Clubs, as they have explored everything from various kinds of charcoal to watercolors. Each child also is encouraged to keep a sketchbook throughout the week that they then bring to share, present, and critique with their fellow Club members. Come join us!

Successful First Month

Really!

Arts Clubs: Guitar, Clay, & Drawing/Painting Thursdays 4-5pm & 5-6pm $20 month Contact artsclub@arrac.org for more information
4
Alabama River Region Arts Center
300 West Tallassee St Wetumpka, AL 36092

TheARRAC

Out & About

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011

ARRAC will show at Chilton County Arts Council's 2011 Artists' Showcase & Fall Festival

Not only will ARRAC have a table set up to pass out literature, we will also be making sales of artists' work from the Gallery. Small pieces are encouraged to facilitate transportation and set-up, and to maximixe our display space. Have your work to the ARRAC Gallery by 1 0/15. If you want to work at the show/festival, contact Sharon Ervin, ARRAC Volunteer Coordinator at sservin1 946@hotmail.com or 51 43420 (home) or 279-3464 (work). Show runs Sat. 1 0/29 from 9am - 6pm & Sun. 1 0/30 from 1 pm - 6pm Family and Children's activities. Indoors at the Clanton County Performing Arts Center at Jefferson State Community College

Frank Sullivan helps a young girl play mandolin at Bark in the Park. ARRAC artists' work against the trees.

Sunday, September 25 ARRAC members Theresa Wayne, Sharon Ervin, Frank Sullivan, and Marty McIntyre showed up to meet the public and their 4-legged friends at the Humane Society of Elmore Countys 6th Annual Bark in the Park held at Ft. Toulouse. We met many new friends, with a multitude of talents and artistic interests, who are interested in participating at the Arts Center. Dawn Sullivan, manning the HSEC Shop in the Pavilion, kept an eye on the four birdhouses (pictured below) ARRAC members painted for the silent auction. Thanks to Carol Barksdale, Dawn and Frank Sullivan, and Sharon Ervin for lending their artistry to make four feathered friends the envy of their flock!

Bark in the Park

Although we have yet to actually provide any food at the meetings, nine members have faithfully showed up twice this month for our Brains for Dinner brainstorming sessions. Held on alternating Thursday after Arts Clubs, ideas have been generating, plans laid, and names slid into various committee and coordinator positions. The next meeting will be 1 0/6 at 6:30 pm. We will be fine-tuning the various job descriptions and filling slots for the upcoming events in which ARRAC will be participating. Come and get involved! This is a great chance to sign up for outreach events in the community.
5
Alabama River Region Arts Center
300 West Tallassee St Wetumpka, AL 36092

Brains for Dinner

TheARRAC

October/November Events
Sat Oct 1 Thu Oct 6 Sat Oct 8 Thu Oct 13 Thu Oct 20 Tue Oct 25 Thu Oct 27 Sat Oct 29 9:00am 12:00pm 9:00am 12:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 8:00pm All day 4:00pm 6:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 8:00pm 4:30pm 6:30pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 9:00am 12:00pm 9:00am 6:00pm Sun Oct 30 1 :00pm 6:00pm

Coming Events

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011
Saturday, Nov. 1 9 will be a Meet & Greet/Street Party for the Pumpthe-Tump Facebook group members in downtown Wetumpka. Started by Teresa Roberson, owner of Southeast Printers, to promote local businesses in Wetumpka, it has grown into a real social networking group. Although the Alabama River Region Arts Center is not located downtown, we'll join in the street fair/block party celebration from 11 :00am 2:00pm with tables displaying ARRACs goods and services. ARRAC artists who have small works of art they would like to display, may be a part of this fun and communitybuilding/networking opportunities. Contact Director@arrac.org for more information.

Bluegrass Jam/ - ARRAC Sit & Sew - ARRAC Arts Clubs - ARRAC Brainstorm Dinner - ARRAC Eclectic Cotton Fest Arts Clubs - ARRAC Arts Clubs - ARRAC Brainstorm Dinner - ARRAC Candy Giveaway - Behind City Admin. bldg Arts Clubs - ARRAC Extreme Pumpkin Carving & Decorating - ARRAC Chilton County Arts Council's 2011 Artists' Showcase & Fall Festival Chilton County Arts Council's 2011 Artists' Showcase & Fall Festival Bluegrass Jam/ - ARRAC Sit & Sew - ARRAC Pump the 'Tump - Downtown Wetumpka

Pump-The-Tump Facebook Meet & Greet

November Sat Nov 5

Sat Nov 19

9:00am 12:00pm 9:00am 12:00pm 11 :00am 2:00pm

MUGS Fest Coming in January

Although it may be cold and dreary in January, ARRAC will be warming things up with our MUGS* Fest! Think, Hot Cocoa/Coffee, Fun Filmfest, Demos, Hands-on & Artsy surprises for all ages! Bring your family! Tentative date: Saturday, January 21 at ARRAC! Watch for more details. *making up good stuff!

The Update is published monthly Your comments, ideas, and story ideas are welcome. Marty McIntyre, Editor marty1 95@gmail.com Alabama River Region Arts Center Mailing Address: PO Box 1172 Wetumpka, AL 36092 Alabama River Region Arts Center Gallery/Classroom 300 West Tallassee St Wetumpka, AL 36092

Alabama River Region Arts Center

TheARRAC

Volunteer Calendar

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011

Times shown on the calendar for special events outside the Gallery are Event Times - volunteers should be there at least 1 hour prior for setup and approx. 1 /2 hour after for cleanup. "The Art Center is in need of volunteers this month and future months, as we are participating in many Special Events outside of the Center, such as the Bark in the Park, Candy Walk, Chilton Cty. Artists' Showcase & Fall Festival, and more in November and December. Please contact Sharon Ervin, Volunteer Coordinator, at sservin1 946@hotmail.com or 51 4-3420 (home) or 279-3464 (work). Any help would be tremendously appreciated."
Sat Oct 1 9:00am - Dawn 12:00pm - Sharon E Sun Oct 2 12:00pm - Frank Sat Oct 8 9:00am - Dawn 12:00pm - Sharon E Sun Oct 9 12:00pm - Anna Sat Oct 15 9:00am - Marty Sun Oct 1 6 12:00pm - Rick B. Sat Oct 22 9:00am - Sharon R. Sun Oct 23 12:00pm - Mary West Tues Oct 25 Candy Walk 4:30pm - Marty/Anna/Dawn Sat Oct 29 NEED 1 each location: 9:00am Chilton Cty-SharonE, + 1 ARRAC 9:00am 12pm Extreme Pumpkin Carving: Dylan + 1 Assistant ARRAC 9:00am 12pm Lil Punkin Decorating Workshop Marty + 1 Assistant Sun Oct 30 Chilton - NEED 1 ARRAC 12:00pm - Mary West 1 :00pm Chilton Cty-Frank, + 1

Volunteer Schedule

Classes:

1. Make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features

embellish*

One thing you have probably figured out by now (about the Update Editor) is that she likes words. That is true, I cannot write a lie; but I also love to Embellishclothing that is. Dawn Sullivan, quilter extraordinaire, also loves to embellish her clothing, as you can see from the stunning jean jacket she customized. If this were a motorcycle, she would be competing against the Orange County Chopper-guysand winning! You will be the winner, and your wallet, when you Embellish & Recycle your favorite duds; and Dawn will show you how easy it is to do it. Examine your closet, your kids closet, or your husbands closet for suitable pieces of clothing. Start small with a fancy patch or two or three on a pair of tattered jeans. Build up your confidence and skills to tackle a jacket. Watch for upcoming Embellish Class, or contact Dawn Sullivan via "Contact Us" on our web site, www.arrac.org.

Alabama River Region Arts Center

TheARRAC

Bluegrass Jam

UPDATE/SEPT. 2011

October 1 st was a stupendous day for an outdoor Bluegrass Jam. We parked under the big tree and enjoyed the wonderful weather. All welcomed the opportunity to be outside and encourage each other to learn a few new tunes. Visitors who came last month, decided to return. We even had coffee and donuts! We'll be looking for you next month. First Saturday of the month is our standing Bluegrass Jam.

It Doesn't Get Much Better...

Join the Alabama River Region Arts Center now and reap 1 0% discount on Gallery purchasesjust in time for your holiday shopping. A membership to the Arts Center may be the best (and most simple) idea yet for a thoughtful gift that keeps on giving all year long. Giving a membership means a 1 0% discount on Classes, also. Student / Senior (under 1 8 / over 55) Individual Family Business

2012 Arts Center Membership Benefits

September's Sit & Sew ladies were indoors in the Monet Room, working on their stash of projects from yesterday and days gone by.

Sit & Sew

Membership Level $20

$35 $40 $50

____ ____ ____ ____

Thanks to Our Member Sponsors Businesses BathBuilders LLC - www.bathbuildersllc.com Platinum Benjamin and Luanne Russell Gold Mary and James Wolfe Bronze Mayor Jerry Willis Monte and Jan McKinney Jimmy and Yvonne Lee Supporters Frances Arnold James Parker Frank and Dawn Sullivan Adelia H. Turner

I would like to make an additional donation of: $__________ Bronze $1 00 ___ Silver $250___ Gold $500___ Platinum $1 000___

Membership Benefits -1 0% discount on classes -1 0% discount on Gallery purchases -Juried Gallery access for artist to display their work.
8
Alabama River Region Arts Center