Monday, October 10, 2011

Winner's Announced!

We've counted the ballots and here are the People's Choice Winners:

Eagleview Brice Hamilton

Parkview Eli Jennings

CMS Sydney Rey

CHS Jamie Lanman

ICS Ally Curry

Columbia Rehab Jim Bush


Congratulations to all of our talented artists and thanks to all who participated!

Friday, October 7, 2011

A Beautiful Day for an Art Walk!







This year's art walk was a wonderful success...the weather was gorgeous, the shorter venue appreciated, the artisan displays were beautiful, the music pleasant...all worked together to make the day very well attended and enjoyed! Thank you to all our patrons who came out to "walk the walk".

Photos were taken by Steve Reich.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Art on the Bluffs Getting Ready for Walk







The Art on the Bluffs Committee is busy getting ready for the 3rd annual art walk this Saturday, October 1st. Flags have been put up along Main Street designating the length of the walk, which has been shortened as requested by many of our patrons. Please come out on Saturday and stroll along Main Street and savour the art work, the music, the performers, the food and the decorations.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Art on the Bluffs Welcomes Millikin University's Blue Connection Gallery

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Opened in 2003, Blue Connection is Millikin University's student-run, retail art gallery located in the Madden Arts Center in Downtown Decatur, Illinois and at the DMH Cancer Care Institute. Blue Connection features valuable, yet affordable artwork by Millikin students, faculty, and alumni artists. The gallery also serves as a laboratory experience for Millikin University's Arts & Entrepreneurship Program.

Millikin's Arts & Entrepreneurship Program is a six-credit sequence providing students with the tools necessary to think entrepreneurially by identifying their passion, recognizing opportunities, and developing viable business strategies. Students act as owners of Blue Connection, making all managerial and operational decisions for the gallery.

The Blue Connection will exhibit their inventory at the
Art On The Bluffs Inc. Art Walk on October 1st. We invite you to come out to the art walk to take in all the wonderful artwork this gallery has to offer!

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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Artist Highlight: Nancy Young Spence


Hometown:
Columbia, IL

Preferred Mediums:
I love to work with clay but also enjoy mixed media.

How many years have you participated in the Art on the Bluffs, Inc. Art Walk?
This will be my 3rd year.

Where did you go to school, earn a degree, or formally study art?
I received my BS in art ed at EIU and my masters in art therapy at SIUE.

What is your art about & what inspires your work?
I try to tell a story or show an emotion. My primary themes are nature related or the human form.

What is your creative process like?
I am what may be called an intuitive artist. While I may have an idea of what I want to create, by manipulating and “playing” with the clay forms, and following the outcomes that may occur, I will finally achieve the creative form that feels “just right.” I want the view to look at each of my sculptures and vessels and not only see but also feel its energy and spirit.

How or when in your life did you know where an artist?
I think I was born with a need to create images. My mother said that as soon as I could walk and hold a crayon, I would try to draw on every blank surface I could find (obviously not always appreciated).

Where can your work be viewed?
I have been at exhibits at Art St Louis, Gateway Gallery, The Galleries at Sole Survivor, Craft Alliance, Venus Envy, Art Coop, Art on the Bluffs, as well as selling my work at the Maeystown Octoberfest and other shops in the metro east area.

What shows have you displayed in?
This Sept. 24-25 I will have a tent at the STRANGE FOLK art festival in O’Fallon, Ill.

What do you most enjoy about the art scene in St. Louis/Metro East?
From Maplewood, Washington Ave, Webster Groves To St. Charles and Edwardsville and beyond there is an abundance of wonderful multimedia art throughout our area. I hope that others will enjoy my art as much as I enjoy making it.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Artist Highlight: Laura Neal Oberkfell




Hometown:

Columbia, IL.


Preferred Mediums:

I am a mixed media artist. I use acrylic, oil, glass, charcoal, polyurethane and stain on canvas and wood.


How many years have you participated in the Art On The Bluffs, Inc. Art

Walk?:

This year will be my third.


Where did you go to school, earn a degree, or formally study art?

I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting from Webster University. I received a scholarship to study abroad at Webster University’s campus in Vienna, Austria. I am now finishing my Master of Art in Teaching and Art Certification K-12 at Fontbonne University.


What is your art about & what inspires your work?

I am inspired by life and its’ surprises. Usually my ideas come from what is happening to me or in the world that surrounds me.


What is your creative process like?

My paintings begin with an idea, but evolve to a story. Sometimes I even have a detailed drawing under many layers. The process of layering is like solving a puzzle. Most of my paintings begin with the clarification of my thoughts and beliefs. I create a bold texture using acrylic paint, recycled glass and polyurethane. Building several layers on a deep canvas suggests depth and reaction. Layer by layer, reaction takes over and the overall composition becomes my focus. My paintings are an expression of feelings and/or reactions to life and its issues surrounding me. I begin with an idea that develops into a process much greater. The ideas stem from something as small as personal insecurities and as large as world problems. From there, my imagination and play on texture tends to take over. A lot of times I will become infatuated with an image or a form, for example; the female figure, a circle, lines, objects, etc.. It becomes instinctive after this process begins.


I build my canvases so they protrude from the wall and take on the quality of their own existence. I use the structure of the canvas, polyurethane, recycled glass and many layers of paint to build texture and dimension. The coating obscures the paintings' surface. Color is also important, helping to express the images and soften or harden the mood. Layer after layer, the process continues to become more instinctive. More times than not, the effects of the dry polyurethane amaze me. The final product is not complete until the overall composition shocks me.


How or when in your life did you know you were an artist?

I began following my father around as early as I can remember. He is also an artist. I would sit in his studio while he painted and he would take me along to art classes that he would teach. Some of my favorite memories were spending our Sundays at his gallery. He has always told me I was an artist. I guess I believed I was an artist when I started showing in galleries and had my own studio. My studio was in a building in downtown Saint Louis with other artist whom I admired. It gave me a sense of accomplishment to be amongst people I look up to.


Where can your work be viewed? lauranealart.com, Vida Verde Studio Salon, Reifschneider’s Grill & Grape and Edward Jones in Columbia, Illinois.


What shows have you displayed in? Lemp Art Gallery in St. Louis, Mad Art Gallery in STL, Studio 7 in STL, The Hunt Gallery in STL, SPPS Art Fair, Central West End Art Fair & Taste, Maeystown Octoberfest, Vida Verde Studio openings, Faust Park Fine Arts and Folk Festival and Art On The Bluffs.


What do you enjoy most about the art scene in St. Louis/Metro East? The passion and drive for artistic growth.

Fundraiser at Reifschneider's Grill and Grape on 7/29

Do you like karaoke? Do you like art? Well, on Friday July 29th, you'll have an opportunity to support both! Come down to Reifschneider's Grill and Grape in Columbia at 7 p.m. to listen to Carolyn Wicklein's lovely voice. Immediately following her performance, feel free to belt out your own tunes during the Karaoke portion of the night. Admission is $5 and all proceeds go towards the annual Art Walk. 50/50 tickets will also be offered for purchase. We hope to see you there!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Important Information

Calling All Artists!

Application Deadline Extended to July 1st.

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AOTB is recruiting artists earlier than we did last year, so don't forget to send in your application! We're accepting student and professional artists of all mediums. Check out our "Artist Recruitment" page on our website www.artonthebluffs.com for more info, and download a copy of the application form.

To accommodate our artists we have extended our application deadline to July 1st 2011.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Art on the Bluffs Launches New Website!


Art on the Bluffs is proud to announce the unveiling of our new website!


Please visit our new website: http://artonthebluffs.com


Keep watching the website for information concerning the art walk from Artist Application Forms to upcoming fundraising events to photos of our past art walks!


Saturday, May 7, 2011

Music Night at Tiny's featuring "Crosswind"




Art on the Bluffs hosted a music night at Tiny's and featured the local band "Crosswind". A large crowd attended the event to help support the art walk this October 1st. A big thank you to all who attended and especially to the talented band members and crew! The band was gracious and donated a portion of their fee back to the Art on the Bluffs!! Thank you!










Saturday, April 23, 2011

Art on the Bluffs Hosting 'Crosswind' Band at Tiny's


Art on the Bluffs is hosting a night of music at Tiny's...please come join us and help support the art walk!


Friday, April 22, 2011

Now Accepting Artist Applications for 2011




Please print and fill out the following application (both pages).



Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Art on the Bluffs Receives Award




Art on the Bluffs is proud to be one of the recipients of the prestigious Governor's Cup Award. After a long application process and several trips to Springfield in order to make a presentation to the award committee, Art on the Bluffs was honored to receive the Governor's Hometown Award. A highway sign will be displayed at each end of Columbia in recognition of all the volunteers that dedicate their time and talent to make the art walk an annual event.