Monday, September 21, 2009

Spectrum Artists Win Award!

The Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs has awarded Spectrum ArtWorks Artists with the 2009 Public Information Award. This award is given to a group or individual for effectively telling the story of mental health and mental health services through public relations, anti-stigma, community education, newsletters, feature articles, or in other innovative ways.

The artists have been invited to Duluth for an awards ceremony and luncheon on Thursday, September 24th during the annual mental Health Conference.

We'll post photos from our road trip to Duluth!

photo: May Day Parade 2007

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Christ Furnas at CorAzon

All For The Love of a Cat
Oil Paintings by Christi Furnas
Opening Reception, Thursday September 17th 5-8 pm
CorAzon
1026 washington ave south (The Bridgewater building) minneapolis, mn 612.333.1662

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Midway Cafe in St. Paul

Some of the Spectrum ArtWorks artists have work up at The Midway cafe at 1342 Thomas Avenue in Saint Paul through September.

Gary Wins AGAIN


Spectrum Artworks artist Gary Clements took best in show for the second year running at The Sister Kenny International Art Show for Artists with Disabilities!

Some nice press for Gary:

Homeless Awareness

Spectrum ArtWorks collaborated with The Dignity Center of Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church to raise awareness about issues pertaining to mental illness and homelessness with an art show and event.

This piece was made by Spectrum ArtWorks artist cynTHIA for the event. It is titled: "My Mother Never Got Over It"

Text in Art:

Fire Destroys Pike Creek Farm Home
From the Little Falls Daily Transcript, Little Falls, MN
Wednesday, November 15, 1967 – Vol. 76 – No. 160 – Page1

A Little Falls family of 12 stands homeless today as the result of a fire, which leveled their farm home late Tuesday afternoon. Mr. And Mrs. Richard Doschka and their children, ranging from in ages from 12 to 10 months, all escaped unharmed as fire ripped through their Pike Creek Township home, six miles south of Little Falls, about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. According to witnesses, the house suddenly burst into flames as though something on the inside had exploded. By the time the Little Falls rural Fire Department arrived on the scene the house was too far gone to save.The structure was completely destroyed. While the Doshkas are being cared for by neighbors, the Red Cross has started a drive to try and replace some of the belongings which the Doschkas lost. Clothing is especially needed and is being collected at the Little Falls Fire Hall. The girls in the family are aged 12, nine, eight, six, three and one.The boys are 11, five, two and a baby boy 10 months old. Mr. Doschka takes a large size in men’s clothing while Mrs. Doschka is of average size.

The Myth of the Family Farm

Every story passed down by family reports that the family farm was no the traditional two story white farmhouse of the 1960s. Already homeless, the family of 12 had moved into a grain silo. The temperature on the day was around 40 degrees.

A Death in the Family
From the Little Falls Daily Transcript, Little Falls, MN
Monday, November 27, 1967

Dennis Doschka --- Graveside services were held this afternoon, from Our Lady of Lourder Church, for Dennis Doschka, 10-month old son of Mr. And Mrs. Richard Doschka, who died Saturday Morning. In addition to his Parents he is survived by the following brothers and sisters: Richard, John, Anthony, Tina Marie, Chathleen, Christine, Lori, Mary Ann and Joyce; and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Doschka and Mr. and Mrs. George Lintner.

We're Still Making Art and Fighting Stigma


We are just so busy we havn't updated our blog recently! I'm just going to go ahead and update ya all. You can (and you should) see our entire exhibition from late last winter, Out of the Blue, that was at the Gage Galleries at Augsburg College here: http://theblueshow.blogspot.com/