Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Our Friend Yuri Arajs


Spectrum ArtWorks heart Yuri and while we miss him here in Minnesota, we are so proud of the work he is doing in Canada!
In December of 2005, RESOURCE (Spectrum ArtWorks parent organization) co-sponsored the enormously successful Homeless Awareness Art Show at The Mall of America. The curator of this event was Yuri Arajs, former director of Outsiders and Others Gallery. Arajs was also named "RESOURCE’s Resourceful Person of the Year" in 2008 for all the work he had done with and on behalf of artists served by Spectrum Community Mental Health.

In 2008 Arajs left Minnesota for his homeland of Canada and now he is again hard at work to bring awareness and understanding to the issues of mental illness and homelessness through well currated fine arts exhibitions. His new nonprofit organization Victoria Fine Arts Festival recently launched it’s inaugural exhibition, Homeless Awareness: an Exhibition of Art Work by People Who Have Experienced Homelessness.

Yuri Arajs is not only a well-known curator, but also an established and collected artist in his own right. The Pivot Legal Society in Vancouver does great work on behalf of the homeless including the new Red Tent campaign. Using red tents, they will visually bring awareness of the issue to the world media in Vancouver from Feb 12 - 28, 2010. (Olympics). Yuri has created a beautiful limited edition fine art print to support The Pivot Legal Society and the work they do. Here is how you can get a print for yourself:

Artwork information:

Title: Red Tent 212282010
Medium: Two color silk screen, grease crayon, ink Paper size: 8.5" x 11"
Edition size: 125, Signed and numbered
Price: $25 US or CAN
Shipping $5 Anywhere in US or Canada
Payment: customers in Canada - Paypal, check, cash. Customers in US -
Paypal, cash.
To buy, simply reply to this email (or at yuri@yuriarajs.com) with the
following information:
1. How many prints you want.
2. Your complete name and mailing address.
3. How you would like to pay. If by Paypal, please include your account name
and I will send you an invoice there.
You will receive a confirmation email from me which will include a mailing
address to mail cash or check if you are paying that way.

Monday, November 23, 2009

2nd Annual Spectrum Artworks Holiday Open Studio and Sale

Thursday, December 10th from 5-8 pm

Spectrum ArtWorks Studio
1825 Chicago Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Contact information:
Amy Rice arice@resource-mn.org
612 752 8242

Fine art and holiday cards and gifts made by over 20 amazing local artists.
Free and open to the public.



Spectrum ArtWorks Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7725496@N05/


Thursday, November 5, 2009

Gratitude

Gratitude: New Work by Audrey Bernard, Christi Furnas and cynTHIA

November 9th-December 8th
Central Lakes College Gallery
Branerd Campus, Brainard, MN


As artists, Audrey Bernard, Christi Furnas and Thia all make art that documents their lives and the lives of the people who surround them. The emotional content of their portrait work is almost tangible. The viewer can feel the intensity of love the between the artist and her muse and partner, the loneliness of the distance between the grandmother and her children living in a country far away, the joy and challenge in celebrating new family dynamics brought on by life and circumstance.

These are not artist who have enjoyed privileged lives or even ordinary ones. Each woman has overcome tremendous obstacles. That their art is a celebration of their lives is a testament to their character.

All three artists have shown their work extensively in Twin Cites Galleries. They are all also members of the award winning Spectrum ArtWorks Group and as a part of that nonprofit art organization have used their energy and talents to educate literally thousands of people on issues of mental illness, homelessness, disability rights and inclusiveness. Their efforts have been nationally and locally recognized.

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.