View artwork from Mia exhibition

Artwork from Spectrum ArtWorks at Mia is now available digitally for you to view. Click on the image below to bring you to the folder. Statements and mediums used are included with each image. Enjoy!



Mango Trees by Audrey Bernard

Mia Opening Reception Recap

The Minneapolis Institute Art opened its arms to Spectrum ArtWorks and we couldn't be more honored and thrilled. In Conversation is an exhibit that not only explores and celebrates art history, but the work produced by Spectrum ArtWorks Core Group artists also expresses how art can connect to our personal stories and experiences. This project showed how art is a form of communication.

At the opening last Thursday, family, friends and colleagues visited the exhibit. The response was warming and congratulatory! We thank all of those who made it out to personally support the program and the participating artists. If you didn't make it, the art will remain on display until the first week of January!

Christi Furnas and Jes Reyes

Community Commons Hall (first floor) where Spectrum ArtWorks is exhibiting!

Kelly Matter, RESOURCE Pres./CEO, viewing artwork by Dunji Diego

The exhibit was bustling with conversation and smiles!

Thank you for your support!

Spectrum ArtWorks in conversation!

Christi Furnas with her artwork on display

Dunji Diego getting his photo taken next to his artwork!

Kandace Krause is so proud!

You're Invited: Spectrum ArtWorks at Mia!

Let us know you're coming to the event:

 

 

ArtWorks Annual Sale December 4 1-4pm

Spectrum ArtWorks has changed the date of our Annual Sale. It is now on December 4th:

Spectrum ArtWorks Exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Special Announcement:

Spectrum ArtWorks introduces a new group exhibition that explores Mia's collection!

Spectrum ArtWorks has had a long history of using the Minneapolis Institute of Art as an important resource for participants to gain access the larger arts community. So when the program was recently recruited this summer to participate in a project called In Conversation, we were elated in excitement. Artists from the group were invited to select a piece of artwork from the museum's collection to explore and have a conversation with, all to produce new artwork for a special Community Commons exhibition. With thoughtfulness and enthusiasm for the opportunity, seventeen artists participated to add a new interpretation to each work they interacted with. The result is a set of work which ranges in 2D and 3D form that touches on many topics such as human connection, memories, and what it can mean to live with a mental illness. The In Conversation project brought participating artists closer to the museum, and literally right onto their walls!

Come to the Opening Reception on Thursday, November 6 from 6-7pm to meet the exhibiting artists and view the exceptional pieces that came out of this project!

Spectrum ArtWorks thanks Blick Art Materials for sponsoring the project, and RESOURCE for their support. With much appreciation, the program gives a warm thank you to the Minneapolis Institute of Art; for the ability and opportunity to be participate in this project and for the chance to exhibit in the museum.

Stay tuned for more updates!

ArtWorks Annual Sale - Friday, December 11, 2015 - 1-4pm

Please join us for a special afternoon with refreshments and WONDERFUL ART!

Spectrum ArtWorks Annual Sale

Friday, December 4, 2015

1 - 4pm

1825 Chicago Ave So.

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Fine art and handmade goods will be available for sale at affordable prices!  Free and open to the public! It's a great time to meet Core Group artists and many other creative individuals who make work at the Lighthouse! Prices range $5 - 1,000.

Stay tuned for further updates!

Artwork by Faye Buffington-Howell

Spectrum ArtWorks is in need of good, sturdy picture frames for exhibitions

It's that time of the year again! Spectrum ArtWorks needs picture frames. Please let us know if you have any frames you could pass onto us. We especially need 9x12 and 11x14 frames. Call Jes Reyes at 612-752-8282 or email her at jreyes@resource-mn.org to schedule a drop-off.

Full Reach: A Spectrum ArtWorks Group Exhibition Opens Aug 5 - Dunn Bros Roseville

Please come out to the opening reception on Thursday, August 13, 5 -7 pm!

Impossible Things Closes July 13

 

Last notice to check out Spectrum ArtWorks group exhibition at The Nicollet in Minneapolis. Impossible Things: Artists Exploring Imagination is a fun show that plays with ideas and objects. There isn't one piece in the show that doesn't inspire! The show comes down on the 14th so get there soon before it's too late.

 

If you are interested in purchasing art from the exhibition, please contact Jes Reyes at 612-752-8282.

 

Julia C. Spencer exhibiting at Intermedia Arts - B-Girl Be's Space &Time Show

Another great annoucement from Spectrum ArtWorks! Julia C. Spencer has been exhibiting at Intermedia Arts to celebrate the 10 year reunion of B-Girl Be, a program which has influenced thousands of artists and audience members since its inception in 2005.
More info:

“Space & Time”

 

Where:  Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis

When: June 11 – August 22

http://www.intermediaarts.org/Space--Time-B-Girl-Be-10-Year-Reunion-Exhibit

 

89.3 The Current's blog post on art show and event:

http://blog.thecurrent.org/2015/06/b-girl-be-celebrates-ten-years-with-exhibit-all-night-party/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter F. Hinze Exhibiting at Fire Roast Cafe in Minneapolis

Spectrum ArtWorks is proud to annouce Peter F. Hinze exhibition at Fire Roast Cafe in Minneapolis. The reception for Peter's solo show is this Saturday, June 20 from 1pm - 5pm.

More info on Fire Roast Cafe: http://fireroastcafe.com/

Peter with Spring Orb, a recent work which was recently on display at The Art of Possibilities. You can see it now at Fire Roast Cafe in Minneapolis.

Spectrum ArtWorks Group Show at Blick Roseville

Beginning on June 1st, another group exhibition from Spectrum ArtWorks will open. This time Blick Art Materials in Roseville will be hosting us. Please come to the closing reception on June 25th from 5-7pm.

 

Photos from "Impossible Things" Opening

Spectrum ArtWorks is super proud to have partnered with The Nicollet to present Impossible Things: Artists Exploring Imagination. The show, on view until July 13, 2015, is Spectrum ArtWorks 8th group exhibtion as a program.

Here are some photos from the opening reception, held on May 13, 2015 at The Nicollet. Thank you to Andrew Turpening and Vanessa Monhana-Rial for performing from The Land of 10,000 Homeless multimedia project. For more info on Andrew follow him on his website.

Artist Jes Reyes speaks about Spectrum ArtWorks, the art show, and introduces a special performance from Andrew Turpening and Vanessa Monahan-Rial.

 

Artist Jes Reyes speaks about Spectrum ArtWorks, the art show, and introduces a special performance from Andrew Turpening and Vanessa Monahan-Rial.

Musician and Social Worker Andrew Turpening introducing the video component to his project The Land of 10,000 Homeless.

Musician and Social Worker Andrew Turpening introducing the video component to his project The Land of 10,000 Homeless.

Vanessa Monahan-Rial and Andrew Turpening performing at The Nicollet.

Vanessa Monahan-Rial and Andrew Turpening performing at The Nicollet.

Vanessa Monahan-Rial and Andrew Turpening performing at The Nicollet.

Artist Faye Buffington-Howell learning a few things about music from percussionist/drummer Andrew Turpening!

Artist Wallace R. White next to his piece dedicated to Madonna!

Impossible Things: Artists Exploring Imagination - A Spectrum ArtWorks Group Exhibition

Spectrum ArtWorks is proud to announce the opening reception for Impossible Things: Artists Exploring Imagination. Come down to The Nicollet on May 13 at 4:30pm! Get yourself some dinner and enjoy new art from the Core Group. Andrew Turpening will be performing from his multimedia project, "Land of 10,000 Homeless" at 5:15pm. You won't want to miss it! Facebook event page!

The 52nd Annual Art of Possibilities Art Show & Sale

Spectrum ArtWorks invites you to the 52nd Annual Art of Possibilities Art Show & Sale! The opening reception is on April 30th, 2015 at 5:30pm - 8pm. Many artists who use the Spectrum ArtWorks studio will be exhibiting and selling their work! 

A Letter from Jes: Partnerships at Spectrum ArtWorks

Hello,

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 1 in 5 families are affected by mental illness. I have read in other places that mental illness impacts 1 - 4 people. For those reasons, part of the mission of Spectrum ArtWorks is to continue educating the public and work to reduce stigma associated with mental illness. Uniquely, we are also a program which is founded on providing direct services to professional artists living with mental illnesses.

Mental illness affects persons of any age, religion, race, and income. And it also affects artists. It takes a lot of work and courage to make a career out of your art, and it takes a lot of courage to live openly as someone living with mental illness. Thus, Spectrum ArtWorks acts as a bridge. We see the artist first and never discount the challenge of living with a mental illness.

Art is a form of communication. It also brings people together. 

Just last week, Christi Furnas, myself, and Peter F. Hinze presented at the American Swedish Institute on Spectrum ArtWorks to a number of behavioral health and human service providers, all to provide context to our work and share why we do what we do and how we do it. At the end of the presentation, Christi voiced out loud the following, a statement I appreciate and cannot shake:

Art is a form of intelligent, insightful communication.

 

That we come together to fight stigma by communicating in this way shows our strength, and understanding and willingness to overcome injustice. 

To do this, we work with courage.

It takes courage to be defined as a person living with a major mental illness.  We feel that by being open, positive representatives, the definition of the term will change. 

Eventually more people will live without shame.

Christi’s words show how we understand the cultural and social power of art; the role art can play in someone’s individual life as well as how art can inform and communicate. That is why our program is so public, because we are artists raising awareness.

Christi and Pete before our big presentation last week on Spectrum ArtWorks!

But how do we do that? We start first by thinking about our mission, and how we can represent it publicly and creatively. What we have found works best to do this is to partner with other agencies, organizations, businesses, and companies. In these partnerships, we find a support system, but also a way to show how others care, too, about breaking down stigma as well as advocating for mental health treatment and support.  As a group we assess our interest in moving forward with these partnerships. It is pretty rare that we say no. Every opportunity counts. So on that note, let me share with you what partnerships we have been working on and developing upon…

We are excited to share with you a partnership where Spectrum ArtWorks will pair up with all three of RESOURCE’S community support programs (CSP) to support a recovery focused empowerment tool called Photovoice, a project which couples photography with creative writing. Charaka, the Lighthouse, and the Northwest CSP will all offer sessions of Photovoice. The project aims to give individuals an opportunity to express themselves in a different way.  Some participants of Photovoice have never explored photography before. Some participants have never been able to express their experience of living with mental illness before. Often this program is referred to as RECOVERY THROUGH PHOTOS.  It’s simple really. You take a photo and put words to it, applying a metaphor; that is why it resembles recovery. The goal of this year’s Photovoice program, a program that happens annually at RESOURCE, is to conclude with a public exhibition of the artwork, an exhibition Spectrum ArtWorks will manage.  Photovoice: Recovery through Photos, the exhibition will travel during winter 2015/2016 and will show in community spaces such as coffee shops and libraries. The first exhibition will unveil mid-December at The Nicollet, a café in Minneapolis Spectrum ArtWorks partners with.

The Nicollet will also exhibit Impossible Things: A Spectrum ArtWorks Group Exhibition. The show will open May 13^th, 2015. The opening reception will be announced soon! Be prepared to see how each Core Group artist approaches a themed-exhibition.

All of the partnerships we develop and are invited to form are special and unique collaborations. One that we are so proud of is our partnership with Procentive, a pioneer in EHR (electronic health records) and practice management software. Procentive is based in Hudson, WI and provides EHR solutions exclusively for behavioral health and human services agencies around the country. Procentive began showcasing the Spectrum ArtWorks Core Group artists on March 12, 2015. They are featuring artwork on a rotating basis as a way to increase awareness across Procentive’s entire network of providers. The goal is to encourage more artists with a mental health diagnosis to participate in supportive, artist-related services. 

“Everyday, thousands of therapists and staff log into their Procentive accounts,” notes Procentive CEO, Randy Zimmermann.  “With this exciting partnership, we will be doing two things for them:  brightening their day with beautiful artwork and introducing them to the Spectrum ArtWorks program.  Our hope is that therapists across the country will encourage their artistic clients to participate in Spectrum ArtWorks, amplifying the impact that this program is making in the lives of artists with mental illness.”

Kelly Matter, RESOURCE’S President and CEO had these nice things to say as well, “This partnership with Procentive is exciting because it provides yet another way for high quality, thought-provoking art to challenge audiences. Ultimately, we hope it transforms the perceptions people have of mental illness while being touched personally by this beautiful work.”

Pete and Kelly Matter, RESOURCE'S President and CEO, after the presentation. 

It is an honor to stand with Procentive as leaders in challenging stigmas and as totems for supporting artists living with mental illnesses.

And the list keeps going… We will also be exhibiting a collaborative piece for What’s Left: Lives Touched by Suicide, a multimedia exhibit that creates a proactive dialogue on suicide to break the stigma that surrounds it. The show is set to open at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota  in September 2015. Spectrum ArtWorks was commissioned by the exhibit’s Project Director, John Bauer, to produce a piece for the show. After development of the exhibition and the initial display at MacRostie Art Center, the exhibit will tour to locations around the state of Minnesota.

Lastly, Spectrum ArtWorks introduced a partnership with the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) to begin a Teaching Artist internship. This partnership not only helps undergraduate students gain experience while working towards becoming teaching artists, but it brings the larger arts community into the program’s art studio. Because this internship program has been successful so far, Spectrum ArtWorks hopes to continue this partnership with MCAD. Separate internships from MCAD are also being developed and considered, such a studio management intern.

So that’s that it in a nutshell. If you have questions about the program or would like more information, please contact me.

Warmly,

Jes Reyes

Arts Specialist 

Spectrum ArtWorks

Faye Buffington-Howell: A Solo Show at Boiler Room Coffee in Minneapolis

If you have a moment during the next month or so, please make your way over to Boiler Room Coffee to view Faye Buffington-Howell's solo exhibition. She has a variety of new works up! 

Boiler Room Coffee is just off 3rd Ave, in the Stevens Square neighborhood

 

Faye has been an active member of the Spectrum ArtWorks Core Group for a significant number of years. She is committed to her practice as an artist and makes sure she represents her work in within the local community. In 2008, she was a recepient of the Yuri Arajs Artist Development Grant.

 

A new one from Faye!

 

Mandalas by Faye!

Abstract landscape by Faye

 

Boiler Room Coffee is located at 1830 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404. It is a great place to get some coffee and view some art!

 

 

Another beautiful painting by Faye!

 

 

 





Open Studio Hours

It is always good to set goals, and here at Spectrum ArtWorks we're always looking ahead. We're thinking about exhibition opportunities, grant applications, what we want our next project to be, and how we want to use the studio space. It often feels like the studio is a second home. And we are very proud of the communal art space Spectrum ArtWorks has become. We want it to grow! So, 2015 is the year we hope to increase membership. It's a good goal to set, right?

Becoming a member of Spectrum ArtWorks makes you apart of the Lighthouse Community Support Program, which is a wonderful place to meet new people, share experiences, and receive support.

Consider joining this community! Here is a summary about the Spectrum ArtWorks program and its components:

Spectrum ArtWorks is a visual arts program of RESOURCE whose mission is to support a community of artists living with mental illness. It offers a multifaceted, member-based studio space and is committed to challenging stigmas related to mental illness.

To access Spectrum ArtWorks’ studio, you must be a member of the Lighthouse Community Support Program, located at 1825 Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis.

Open Studio: Mondays and Thursdays, from 1 – 4:30 PM

Open studio hours give Lighthouse members access to the studio space to develop or strengthen their visual arts skills. Artists may bring their own art supplies or use supplies provided. Members use the studio time to reflect on past activities, share exhibition possibilities, set goals, and socialize with other artists. The studio also provides opportunities to participate in other art-related programming, such as:

Art activities and outings

Art groups

Peer support

In addition to open studio hours, Spectrum ArtWorks offers a Core Group component to select, dedicated artists who are committed to the professional development of their artist skills, aspirations, and goals. Artists in this group complete an application process to become involved. Once approved by the group, members have access to a greater amount of studio time, art supplies, career planning, specialized peer support, help developing an artistic resume and statement, assistance with resume and grant writing, and exhibition opportunities.

Core Group members diligently and consistently create new work. Each member is expected to make a commitment to be involved, including attending weekly program meetings. Many current members of the Core Group joined after being regular open studio participants!

What do you think? Do you want to join? Please refer to the side bar for more info on how to join!