The Arts Center is so excited to open the doors on Friday, January 26th for the community to enjoy an evening together for supper, a movie, live entertainment, children and family art activities and photo booth fun. A special thanks to National Beef for providing the meats for our cookout supper and to Frameworks 123 for providing the ever popular photo booth.

Doors open at 5:30 and the event will run until 8 PM. Tickets are $5 per person and include the meal and all activities. The stage will be set in the ballroom for local family groups to entertain including The Hawkins Family, The Sims Family, Cole Tucker-Ventriloquist from Valdosta and Rainbow Sally and the Suicide Snails.

The auditorium will be showing “The Incredibles” on the big screen and one dance studio will be set up with tables and board games to enjoy. The other dance studio will have comfy sofas and chairs for teens to hang out. Art activities will be offered in the Kaleidoscope classroom for all ages and a family art project will be available in the McCall gallery. The main gallery will be open for all to enjoy the Wildlife Exhibit which will have opened the night before.

But I am getting ahead of myself as there are several events between now and then to enjoy. On Thursday, January 18th we will host our first Reader Meet Writer event which will feature six local authors sharing their works and the inspiration behind their writing followed by a questions and answer time for guests. Join us in the ballroom for this free to the public event. Light refreshments will be served.

Each Saturday Rexanne Yarbrough invites you to join her Mommie and Me class. Enjoy weekly workshops that will allow you to bond with your child and teach your child socialization through singing, dancing, stories, and crafts. Make friendships with others who have children your child’s age and share experiences. Open to ages infants to 4 years of age with older children accepted with permission from instructor Rexanne Yarbrough. Grandparents, dads, babysitters and all other caregivers welcome! Choose your class from Saturdays 9:00 am – 10:00 am or 10:30 am – 11:30 am. Monthly $40   Drop in $10.   Come in by Thursday prior to register.

Our Last Thursday workshop will be held Thursday, January 25th and features artist Erin Barfield helping you to create an Abstract Art piece. Cost is $25 and the deadline to register is January 22nd. Register today to make sure you have a spot! Bring your friends, your favorite beverage and snacks and enjoy the evening.

The Wildlife Exhibit will open to the public on Friday, January 26th and will feature the works of several well-known wildlife artists including Randy Gibbs and Taylor White.

Spend the day with workshop leader Casey Cole Corbin learning about Acrylic Pouring Techniques. This unique workshop will offer TWO workshops in ONE day! During the first workshop, “Intro to Acrylic Pouring Art” participants will learn about Acrylic Pouring Art mediums, materials, and methods. Also the relationship between creative expression and stress management will be discussed!  Casey will offer a simple Mindfulness breathing exercise to focus and center on peace.  During the second workshop, “Taking Acrylic Pouring Art to the Next Level,” participants will learn additional Fluid Art Techniques and will discuss varnishing and framing finished pieces.

Both Workshops are January 27th Into to Acrylic Pouring Art: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Introduction to fluid art pouring mediums, materials, and methods. Participants will see demonstrated and do the following Flow Art Techniques:  Clean Pour, Dirty Pour, Dip, Smash, Swipe, and Flip Cup.  In addition to learning about the various Fluid Art techniques, participants will learn mindfulness breathing exercises as well as meditation to enhance creativity exercises. $45.00 per person; 15 spots available

Taking Acrylic Pouring Art to the Next Level: 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Participants will learn and do the following Fluid Art Techniques:  Flip and Drag, Injection, Trough Pouring, and using skins for collage art and jewelry. Participants will also learn about and discuss varnishing and framing options, negative space pieces, marbling, and spinning.  In addition to this, participants will also practice Progressive Muscle Tension Relaxation and Meditation for Pain Management. $65.00 per person 15 spots available

Participation in both workshops: $95.00 per person

Deadline to Register:  Monday,  January 22, 2018

About the instructor: Casey Cole Corbin has been a counselor and workshop instructor for 20 years. He is the author of the book, “CREATE! Expressive Art Therapy for Problem Solving and Getting Past Your Past!” and Meditation audios including one licensed for professionals to use with their clients, “A Clinician’s Guide to Therapeutic Meditation Course & Curriculum -Audios & Resources!” and is certified in Mindfulness Meditation. Owns Solutions Counseling Services, private practice counseling and coaching, sells his art, and ministers at Penfield Addiction Ministries in Alapaha GA. and is a sought after workshop instructor on expressive therapies and art! More info at CaseyColeCorbin.com

Tickets are on sale for the Annual Volunteer Arts Alliance Hunt Dinner and you will want to purchase yours before they are all gone! This event will be catered by Jim Jeffords and you will want to make sure to be here to bid on a variety of hunting trips, artworks and so much more. The event will take place Friday, February 2nd in the Arts Center ballroom.

We are thrilled to offer several new programs at the Arts Center. Our monthly door hanger workshop will offer participants the opportunity to create a beautiful door hanger for each month’s celebrations. February 8th participants will be working on a Luck O the Irish piece just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day! Register today to make sure you have a spot! Bring your friends, your favorite beverage and snacks and enjoy the evening. Cost is $30 person and the deadline to register is February 2nd.

Another new program is a series titled THE ART OF….. Each month we will select a different discipline or skill to focus on in one hour workshops one day each week for folks to try their hand at something new. Participants can choose from a morning session or an evening session. The month of February we welcome photographer Amanda Thompson. Are you upset that you spent hundreds of dollars on a wonderful camera but your phone takes better photos than the camera?  Are you upset because all of your photos are either blurry, dark or to bright? Do you want to feel confident not to miss another special photographic moment again? Our beginner photography course will help you understand the basics of light and how your eye fixes lighting. How to get your camera to catch what your eye sees to produce better pictures. The course will also help you understand your camera and how to take pictures with it so you will never miss another precious moment again!

This class is great for beginner photographers, art enthusiasts open to learning new ways to be creative and photographers wanting to brush up on basic concepts.

Participants will need access to a digital photography camera with an M (Manual) and Av or A (Aperture Priority) mode. This digital photography class is specifically designed for digital single lens reflex (DSLR) photography cameras but can also be used on high end point and shoot and bridge cameras.

This beginner photography course assumes that students have absolutely no previous experience in photography therefore starting with basics of photography. Bring a notebook and pen for note taking. Cost for the class is $60 person and classes will be offered each Thursday in February from 10-11 AM or 6:30-7:30 PM. Come register today!

And we are really excited to announce that J.S. Dillard is coming on board as a guitar instructor. J.S. is a native of Colquitt County and a lifetime musician. He has toured on Colorado, Southern California and, extensively, in the Southeast with bands such as “Honey,” “Timmy and the Tumblers” and currently, “All City Cannonballers” as a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. Specialties include: acoustic flatpicking, fingerpicking and electric guitar and bass as well as side guitar. Call the Arts Center for more information.

 The fun does not stop there! In February we will be presenting the annual Valentine Dessert performance on Tuesday, February 13th at 7 PM in the ballroom. Entertainment this year will be the Michael Ryce Jazz Trio with guest vocalists. Tickets for this event are $10 and coffee and a variety of delectable desserts will be served.

In addition to all these fabulous special events, we are offering our ongoing classes in dance, hip hop, adult ballet, piano, voice, drums, strings, art, pottery and more. Give us a call at 985-1922 or check out our recently updated web site at www.colquittcountyarts.org for more information and come see us at 401 Seventh Avenue SW- YOUR Arts Center- where creativity finds community.