Art & Healing: Mind Fields at Intermedia Arts

Spectum ArtWorks is very excited to be involved in the upcoming Intermedia Arts Exhibition, Mind Fields: Art and Healing

Explore the many dimensions of the invisible and make psychological realities tangible. Art & Healing: Mind Fields is a unique opportunity to see the mind from the inside out. This ground­breaking new exhibit from Intermedia Arts takes a frank and creative look at neurological and mental health—inviting local artists and health care practitioners to address the ways in which artistic expression can be used as a tool for healing.

We'll be posting photos of the installation process and more next week!

image: Brad Parsons

All That I Am: The Art of Faye Buffington

Spectrum Artist Faye Buffington's solo show "All That I Am", is currently on display at Stevens Square Center For The Arts in Minneapolis.

Audrey Bernard in Annual Untitled Show at Soo Visual Arts Center

Spectrum Artist Audrey Bernard has work in the 2007 annual juried exhibit at the Soo Visual Art Center in Minneapolis.

Soo Visual Arts Center presents its sixth annual juried show, Untitled 6, on June 22nd. The jurors had the difficult task of reviewing nearly 200 entries. The artists were among entrants who responded to an open call inviting artists working in any medium, at any stage of their careers, to submit work. Ultimately, 20 diverse artists were selected for the exhibition. The show will offer something for everyone including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture & even images made with exhaust pipe detritus.

The show was previewed by mnartists.org and Audrey was one of six artists that the article's author, Ann Klefstad, felt were the real stand outs. Here is what she had to say about Audey's work:
Audrey Bernard does straightforward portraits of people she seems to know—Miss Chimp, David, Davia, others—but imbues them with what painters can give. She sees on a different plane. I don’t know if it’s more truthful or less—but it is different, and it enables us to see differently too. Having this doubled vision suddenly makes the world three-dimensional—it’s like, having lived with one eye all your life, you suddenly are granted binocular vision. Things jump into high relief. They become themselves.


Untitled 6 (Main Gallery)
June 22-August 25, 2007Opening Reception Friday, June 22 from 7- 10pm

2007 Pride Art Show

Spectrum Artist Christi Furnas has work in the 2007 Pride Art Show. The Pride Art Show Opening Night Party was held on Friday, June 15, 2007, and an ongoing show will run through July 22. The Opening Night Party featured entertainment, a brief program and refreshments. Over 300 people joined us at the opening party, a new record for the Pride Art Show
This year's Art Show takes place at The Soap Factory in Minneapolis at 520 SE 2nd Street through July 22.
The art show features works by GLBT artists and/or those with GLBT themes. Admission is free and open to all ages.

44th Annual Sister Kinney International Art Show by Artists with Disabilities

Many Spectrum Artists are participating again this year in the Sister Kinney International Art Show by Artists with Disabilities. This is a great oppurtunity to view and purchase an amazing array of artwork from artists all over the world.

The 2007 Sister Kinney International Art Show by Artists with Disabilities will run April 19 through May 18 on the second floor of the Sister Kenny Building of Abbott Northwestern Hospital at 800 E. 28th Street in Minneapolis. Click her for a map.

A grand opening event for the art show will be held on Thursday, April 19 from 5-8pm. The opening night reception is an opportunity to meet many of the artists, and view and purchase artwork.

“The art show is a long-standing tradition of which we are very proud,” said Lori Knutson, executive director, Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. “Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute’s mission is about helping individuals progress towards their personal best and our art show is an extension of that -- highlighting the abilities of those who experience physical or mental limitations.”Knutson also noted that Abbott Northwestern Hospital has a permanent art collection from past shows, which has grown over the years and includes approximately 350 pieces of art, including nearly 200 pieces of art on display in the hospital.

Approximately one-quarter of the art show entries are sold each year, with 75 percent of the proceeds going to benefit the individual artists.

*Artwork shown was Lynnda Jones award winning piece from last years Sister Kinney exhibit.

Pretty Darn Swell Print by Audrey Bernard

Beginning on April 4th, you will be able to purchase a small, high quality print of this piece, "They Call her Miss Chimp" from Spectrum Artist Audrey Bernard. The print is $20 from Pretty Darn Swell and $5 from each sale goes to the non-profit organization of the artists choosing, and Audrey chose Spectrum ArtWorks!

Lynnda Jones at in Art Reincarnated at Altered Esthetics

The modern world is full of waste and clutter. Recycled-works artists have a knack for taking something old and unwanted and breathing a beautiful new life into it, creating masterpieces that are simultaneously fresh and seasoned. A stylishly refurbished armoire, a computer monitor turned into a mod fish tank, a canvas repainted with a new vibrant image… please join us for our April exhibit "Art Reincarnated" as we celebrate this innovative, aesthetically intriguing and environmentally friendly genre of the arts.
Opening Reception: Friday April 6, 2007 7pm-9pm

altered esthetics
1224 quincy st ne
minneapolis mn 55413
(in the northeast arts district)

gallery hours:
Tuesdays & Thursdays 1:00pm - 7:00pm

Imaging Today's Labor Movement

The American labor movement has an amazing history of graphic production, creating some of the most effective political images in the history of this country. However, work and workers, along with the labor movement, are often depicted as experiences of the American past: photographs of children in factories in the early l900’s, paintings of Joe Hill or Rosa Parks, historic strikes and Rosie the Riveter.Now the labor movement needs new images of the issues confronting workers today. A call for artists was put forth and members of Spectrum ArtWorks participated in this search for a new imagery. We are very proud to announce that Spectrum ArtWorks artist Brad Parsons has had his piece chosen to be exhibited at The Bread and Roses Gallery in the Martin Luther King Jr. Labor Center in New York City, one of only 25 pieces chosen to exhibit, he may be one of five to have his work reproduced and distributed nation wide!

Brad's Poster, "Can Legally Fire You" highlights the fact that in 33 states an employee can legally fire someone if they perceive you as being gay.

Congratulations Brad and good luck in the show!

Good-Bye Outsiders and Others Gallery

Four years ago this month, the Spectrum ArtWorks program was in its infancy. We were excited about receiving some funding from United Way for an online art gallery; we were pleased as punch to show the artwork of our members in a couple local art shows for artists with disabilities. It was then that I received a call from a man named Yuri Arajs, he and his business partner Beth Parkhill had just opened a gallery down the street from us called “Outsiders and Others Gallery”. One of their very first shows was to be a show featuring artists living with a mental illness and did we have any work that we might want to submit for that show.

I will never forget that first opening; the walls were white and the lighting impeccable. The artists were artists and not poster people for disability. One of the artists in that first show had always identified himself as “a schizophrenic”, as in “Hi, my name is Bob and I’m a schizophrenic.” That night I heard him as he was introduced to an admirer of his work and he said, “Hi, my name is Bob and I’m an artist.”

In the past four years Outsiders and Others Gallery has exhibited the works of close to 20 Spectrum ArtWorks Artists with the majority of those artists displaying their work in shows that have had nothing to do with disability or mental illness. The Spectrum ArtWorks program has benefited by our association with Outsiders and Others Gallery tremendously; to have had such a well respected gallery with an amazing array of talented staff and volunteers care about our program and our members has kept us strong and proud and motivated.

Because of the welcoming and accessible atmosphere created by Outsiders and Others Gallery, hundreds of people were able to go to an art gallery and enjoy and learn to appreciate art. People with mental illness and with other disabilities, people who were homeless, people without money to buy art, all people were welcomed to come in and take a look.

Thank you Yuri. Thank you Beth. Thank you to all the volunteers and to the board of directors. Thank you to all the amazing artists (especially to those of you who really put yourselves out there to combat stigma in the Mental Health Awareness and the Homeless Awareness Shows). Thank you to the press for all the great coverage. Thanks to everyone who came to a show and to everyone who bought some art. Thank you to all the sponsors. Thank you to Minneapolis for being such an awesome art supporting city.

Please come out to the final gallery closing party on March 10th from 7-10 pm and say good-bye and thanks.

In all sincerity,

Amy Rice and The Spectrum ArtWorks Program

Crazy In Love

If we would have had our blog here up and running last month, we would have posted some information about Spectrum Artist Christi Furnas and her solo show at The Warren. Alas, we were not prepared but we can still give you a link to the article in The Pulse that highlights The Warren and the work of Christi, plus we can pleasure your eyeballs with this lovely painting from the show.

One Love

Spectrum ArtWorks Artist Audrey Bernard is having a fantastic month. Her work is featured in the current show Today's Love Stories at Outsiders and Others Gallery and The Downtown Journal did an article on love that came out today, Valentines Day, and featured Audrey's work from that show. Here's the best part:

Art of love

Audrey Bernard’s artwork is on display at the Outsiders and Others Gallery in Elliot Park, in an exhibit called “Today’s Love Stories.”
The love story behind her artwork began in July 1989, when she left her children behind in Jamaica and moved to the United States. Since that time, she has returned home just twice, and her health has prevented her from seeing her five children and eight grandchildren for the past nine years.
In the midst of deep sadness, Bernard started spending time in an art studio run by Spectrum Community Mental Health. She learned printmaking techniques and started reconstructing photographs of her family into paintings.
“I wasn’t interested in painting, but I would keep coming every day because I was depressed,” Bernard said. Eventually, she said, the work gave her a sense of peace.
“This keeps me a little more in touch,” she said.
In addition to the show at Outsiders and Others, her paintings such as the brightly colored “Grandkids with Attitude” are also on display this week on the 8th floor of the IDS Center.
“Painting is something I didn’t know I had in me,” Bernard said. “To see where I came from, thinking about the depression to where I am today, it makes me very happy. I am very proud of my kids.”

And as if that weren’t enough excitement Audrey also has work featured in Layers: an exploration of race and identity
at The Minneapolis Foundation.

Us in Context

Here are some links for you to put our program in context:

Spectrum ArtWorks is a program of Spectrum Community Mental Health

Spectrum Community Mental Health is a division of RESOURCE.

We have an online gallery that displays the work of members of the larger Spectrum Community.

Do you want to learn more about mental illness? The National Association of Mental Illness has an informative website.

2006 Rocked!

In 2006 Spectrum ArtWorks moved to an a amazing new studio, we made a giant mentally ill puppet and marched him in the May Day Parade to combat stigma associate with the disease, we had a very successful group show at Stevens Square Center for the Arts, we assisted over 20 artists in procuring show opportunities in Minneapolis and beyond, we received a "Making Arts Accessible" Award from the Minnesota VSA and NAMI-MN (National Association of Mental Illness/Minnesota) named Spectrum ArtWorks program manager Amy Rice "Mental Health Provider of the Year".