The Mary Nichols Art Center

 301 Burleson (Loop 230 and Burleson)

GALLERY  OPEN

SATURDAYS

11-4 PM

 Coming soon the gallery will be open on Sundays

Currently At The Mary Nichols Art Center

January and February 2010

Beauty in the Abstract

The opening reception of “Beauty in the Abstract” on Friday was great fun in spite of the low temperatures.  So many people told me that they came especially because they thought no one else would get out on such a cold night - as a result, we had a better turn out than usual -  all crazy people, but those bodies helped to warm up the place!  At our openings we always have a ballot box so that guests can vote for their favorite piece.  Sgt. Colin Scott won the ribbon for “Best of Show” with his large painting.

About The Art Center

Since May of 2008 the members and board of directors of the Lost Pines Artisans Alliance have been working to re-open the Mary Nichols Art Center and introduce Smithville again to this wonderful community asset.

Meeting News

Our regular membership meeting is now held on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm in the Mary Nichols Art Center at 301 Burleson in Smithville. We will have a brief business meeting followed by an art program.

January 2010

Les Warren spoke about how to write a press release

February 2010

Group art project- Art on a Stick- come paint and play

The Executive Board of the Lost Pines Artisans' Alliance began the year with an all day retreat at the Mary Nichols Art Center in Smithville on January 9th.  Nine of us spent six intense hours on Saturday brainstorming and planning how to make things better for the arts, for artists and for our community in the upcoming year.  This energetic and congenial group had several good ideas and even more great ones!  Thanks to Pam Latham’s generosity and Sallie Blaylock’s good cookin’ , president Richard Latham, aka “Boss man” allowed us a break at the Katy House for a delicious brunch.

At the  board meeting on July 21  new board officers were elected. Our new board President is Richard Latham . Our new Vice-President is Sam Blasco. Our new Treasurer is Jo Watts and our new secretary is Sam Martin. The Board is very excited about our agenda for the upcoming year.

At he last membership meeting, after the Board election, outgoing President Les Warren took some time to talk with members about how the organizational structure of LPAA works and also talked about all the programs we currently have going and things that we have coming up for the new year.

  :::  Gallery News  :::

The opening reception of “Beauty in the Abstract” on Friday was great fun in spite of the low temperatures.  So many people told me that they came especially because they thought no one else would get out on such a cold night - as a result, we had a better turn out than usual -  all crazy people, but those bodies helped to warm up the place!  At our openings we always have a ballot box so that guests can vote for their favorite piece.  Sgt. Colin Scott won the ribbon for “Best of Show” with his large painting.

GALLERY GUIDELINES

LOST PINES ARTISANS ALLIANCE

MARY NICHOLS ART GALLERY

Only members with paid up dues are permitted to show their work in the Gallery.

Dues are $20.00 per person per year.

Members must work one Saturday or * Sunday a month at the Gallery from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM or help at First Saturday or at the reception, or help with classes, or volunteer in some way. Members will go through training at the Gallery before working.

*NOTE: We would like to also open the Gallery on Sundays from 11:00 -4:00, but we need volunteers to do this.  It will take cooperation from all of us.  Let me know.

Artwork in all skill levels is accepted.

Artwork must be in good taste.

Artwork must be original.

All artwork is exhibited at Gallery at your own risk.

Artists will pay the LPAA 10% of any sales they make at the Gallery.

Paintings or photography must be ready to hang with a wire on the back( no hangers).

Jewelry and 3D work should have displays if needed.

Artwork should be appropriately framed.

Artwork must be entered in the Inventory Book with  name, description, price, and in and out dates.

Artwork must be labeled on a small card with your name, name of piece, and price.

Delivery and pick up dates for artwork for shows should be observed so that new show can be ready for opening date.

The number of pieces accepted will be decided by the Gallery Director.

Respectfully submitted,

Karen Darr

Gallery Director

2009 Art Shows at the Mary Nichols Art Gallery

During the month of December 2009 we enjoyed

a group showing  entitled

Holiday Gift Show

All art work was priced in an affordable price range  of under $100.00. We encourage you to visit our gallery on Saturdays, as well as on the 11th of December for our  artist reception and Christmas Party will be from 5 til 8pm. Our evening event will be quite festive with  the trimmings of the holiday season. Come join us and  meet the artists. If you would like, please bring a unwrapped toy to donate to Blue Santa.

 Fireworks!  That’s what the LPAA show is all about this month  of July– works in fired clay or glass.  I’m told that we had a record number of visitors in the gallery on opening day, and that several pieces were purchased and taken away by folks who fell in love with them!  They’re being replaced by new work, so be sure you don’t miss this show.  The gallery at 301 Burleson is open every Saturday from 11:00 to 4:00 or by appointment.  Call Karen Darr at 360-5080 if you would like a private showing.  We would love to see you at the artists’ reception on the July the 17^th from 5:00 to 8:00.

We had a wonderful time durring Les Warren's reception on Satuday night June 20th. Les intrigued us with  facinating stories behind the collections of photographs he shared in this display.

The Lost Pines Artisans' Alliance May  show at the Mary Nichols Art Gallery for the month  included  florals of  all kinds.  The house was absolutely BLOSSOMING with flowers… sunflowers, roses, sweet peas,  fantasy blooms, and even vegetables - plants that grow in May! 

Everyone had a wonderful time at the artists’ reception and Bastrop Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting on Friday, May 8, at 5:00. 

We partied until 8:00 (or maybe later!), with  some refreshments,and our  guests met the artists and enjoyed the show.   Remember  the gallery is open onSaturdays from 11:00 until 4:00.

May's meeting  guest speaker was Tom Tierney, the paper doll designer  we are so lucky to have in our midst. His stories we facinating of all the many people he has had the  pleasure of meeting and drawing, in their underwear! You should stop in his shop on Main Street and see  his amazing collection of books.

 The April meeting  was well attended and  members  and guests  enjoyed  Woody Heibert doing a wood  carving and burning demonstration for our  program.

  Our March General Membership meeting  was held on the 3rd Tuesday and we  welcomed Jeff Snyder who did a reading and a projection show of his digital graphics and photography .

  February General Membership Meeting 6:30 pm Feb 17th, our guest speaker was Vernon Richards, past mayor of Smithville. He shared with us  the history of  the building we are  in known as the Mary Nichols Art Center.

                                   Workshops

Many of our membership and  newcomers enjoyed a fantastic papermaking workshop in May. Oscar Silva is very talented artist we are lucky to call one of our own here at LPAA.  His works can be found in numerous galleries and shows throughout the nation.  We  enjoyed a slide show of his works, learned many knotting techniques he uses and made paper. We hope to have him back for a two day workshop soon.
Other workshops are on the calendar, check out the  workshop link to see what  is available  at the AMry Nichols Art Center and in our members studios, too.

 

 
I 

LPAA launched its first very successful art camp at the Smithville Recreation Center. This week long event gave participants the chance to do a wide variety of art projects. These included printmaking, altered books, jewelry making and mosaics. The kids really enjoyed the variety.

DECK THE WALLS

Deck The Walls Installation Day
Summer 09. This event was a big success when kids and grownups alike gathered to install skateboard decks  created by kids in the community. They  were installed on the walls of the Power Plaza Skate Park in Smithville. They also began a direct installation on the walls which  will grow as the weeks go by, keep an eye out for us and stop in and "give me five tiles"

Youth from the area met on Thrusday evenings at the art center  to create their own skateboard decks out of mosaic to add to the wall. Some created other characters to incorporate into the wall once they had made their own deck. Some filler was added to areas of high traffic.

On January 9th a local  Brownie troop came to visit  the art center and create collage valentines cards to send to the Troops in Iraq. They created  over 25 cards some of which were for the soldiers and some were for the soldiers to give to their loved ones.

This fall LPAA artist volunteers are holding a pinhole camera class with some of the after school kids at the Recreation Center.  In the fall of 2008, the kids explored photography through the construction and use of pinhole cameras that use regular 35mm film. The children who  participated were very excited to be doing photography with cameras they made themselves. The class wrapped up just before Thanksgiving  with a show for family and friends at the Recreation Center and the Mary Nichols Art Center.

Last  school year  artists Stephanie Shroyer-McNabb and Les Warren from the LPAA taught a mosaic class to children at the Smithville Recreation Center as part of their after school program. The children each did several small pieces and then worked together on a larger piece entitled "The Mad Hatter" which is an artistic xploration of how to handle anger. The classes ran from April 30 to May 21 and the children had an art reception showing their completed work at the Smithville Recreation Center on May 28. The classes and the reception were great successes and the children had a great time making and exhibiting real art.

The LPAA volunteers completed six sessions of summer art classes at the Smithville Recreation Center. The classes for children 12 and under were held every other Wednesday 10am - 12 noon. There was great participation in this project and the kids and the volunteer artists all had a blast.