Everyone who entered the local ANAC show will be sending one or two entries to the State ANAC meeting in Columbus.  Entry slips need to be filled out ASAP.  Lisa Cassel will have the forms for you to fill out at the April “4th Friday” on April 24th.  Be there to fill these out!  They must be submitted by May 1st.  If you can’t be there Friday, you must make other arrangements with Lisa.  Seven dollars per entry must be given to Lisa or Wanda Medina if you haven’t already done so.  Box up your paintings securely — with your name prominently displayed on the outside and name(s) of paintings.  Jan Blank and Karen Schneider will be taking and hanging the paintings.  Bring them to OUT OF THE BOX at the May “4th Friday” event on May 22nd.

Display your FLAG…be creative!! LAG members are encouraged to create/paint/sculpt/mold/carve, ect…a piece of artwork that includes or has resemblance of a US flag for the 2015 LAG Seward Art show in June and July. The art council of Seward provides an awesome trophy and a solo show for the “People’s Choice Award.” Hundreds of people come through the Seward Civic Center and see the art…especially during the 4th of July. Seward is recognized as “America’s Small Town 4th of July City.” The Seward July 4 theme is “Everyone Has A Story-Honoring the Veterans of WWII-‘The Greatest Generation’!” The guild’s theme is “Let the Art Wave.”

This show is free (except there is a $2 charge per entry to cover gas for the drivers if you cannot transport your own art). The rules for framing/hanging the are same as the ANAC rules except you may enter older pieces, but not ancient ones. Dates of hanging and taking down will be June 4th 5:30 p.m. and take down Thurs. July 30th 5:30 p.m. in at the Seward Civic Center/Gallery). Contact Julie Lemons if you have any questions, jewelslemons@yahoo.com or 402-570-9476.

May LAG Program/demonstration will be presented by Linda Stephen. Linda Stephen is a self-taught paper artist who grew up in Michigan, studied at the Japan Center for Michigan Universities, and was once honored as one of the Top 10 graduates in the state by Michigan Woman magazine.

Her origami landscapes are part of more than 100 collections across the U.S. and Japan including the Mayor’s Collection for the City of Omihachiman, Japan to the JW Marriott Hotel’s “Sister City” Collection in Grand Rapids, Mich. Recent projects include TV commercials for Tobacco Free Nebraska (origami dollar bills), a public artwork for the National Parks Service and Homestead National Monument of America (which involved 200+ people from 20 states), and a solo exhibit at the Nebraska Arts Council’s Fred Simon Gallery.

Linda Stephen has more than 25 years of experience in origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Fluent in Japanese and passionate about Japanese paper, Linda lived in castle towns in rural Japan for seven years studying Japanese art and language and working as a teacher and translator. After 9/11, while living in New York, Linda started making custom origami andkirigami art. In 2004, she began making larger commissioned landscape art first for private collectors and then for hotels, public buildings, and corporations.

Linda’s origami bas relief landscapes are her unique extension of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Her art incorporates luscious Japanese yuzenpatterned papers, other handmade papers, and unique, origami paper sculptures that she invents. In awarding her “Best of Show” at the Nebraska State Office Building in November 2012, the judge said of the origami-sculpture-and-paper landscape of a college campus, “Linda Stephen is expanding her chosen medium of painting with origami and paper-combining colored patterns, details, texture …The detail and textures—in the grass, in the trees, in the flowers, in the people—draw you in and keep you looking.”

Linda will present short program teaching members and guests some simple origami, making a small art piece or card.  Join in the fun.

Members and guests, pleas bring:

Mat Board, Scrap papers; Origami papers; Square paper of any size; 3″X3″ or 6″X6″ is good; Handmade papers; Glue Stick or PVA/PVB glue; Scissors

If you are interested in featuring your art at Carriage Glen independent living community at 7005 Shamrock Road here in Lincoln, contact their Service Director Gail Hollarbush for details at 402-484-5113 or carriageglen@neb.twcbc.com.  Carriage Glen is a wonderful community with a beautiful location to display art. If you haven’t ever seen their current exhibit, it is definitely worth a visit and is sure to inspire you.

ARTISTS JULIE LEMONS & LOIS ROOD AND A NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE FEATURED AT LINCOLN ARTISTS’ GUILD GALLERY, AT OUT OF THE BOX, 48 & R, LINCOLN ON FRIDAY, MAY 22

LINCOLN – Everyone be sure to come to another great evening with the artists at the Lincoln Artists’ Guild Gallery at Out of the Box, 48 & R St., Lincoln, NE on Friday, May 22. The artists’ reception will be from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. with the featured musical performance from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Featured Artist, Julie Lemons
“Art goes beyond a blank piece of paper and graphite. Happiness starts when the idea and desire to create something new becomes an urge that pushes the creativity. Then the chalk pastels dance on the paper. The water flows color as the paper absorbs the pigments leaving gleaming areas of light.” –Julie Lemons

Julie Ann Hubbard Lemons was born in Wichita, Kansas, but grew up in rural, Dearborn, Missouri. She married Jesse Lemons in 1979. They have two grown children and five grandchildren. Julie attended Doane College-Lincoln Campus achieving a B.A. in Graphic Design. Julie is a graphic designer for Lincoln Public Schools. She is past president of the Lincoln Artists’ Guild, the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs, and Nebraska Mothers Association (2010 Nebraska Mother of the Year). She has donated time and art to various charitable organizations such as artVenture, Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska, Friendship Home, Great Plains Alzheimer’s Association, the Heartland Cancer Foundation, animal shelters, Children’s Mercy Hospital and American Business Women’s Association-Lincoln.

Julie’s pastel and watercolor artwork may be found at Noyes Art Gallery; Lincoln Artists’ Guild shows/gallery; WOW Gallery at White or Wheat Sandwich Shoppe, Association of Nebraska Art Clubs state art exhibitions, and various venues throughout Nebraska. She is currently exhibiting at the Nebraska Governor’s Residence April 15-June 12th, 2015.

Featured Artist, Lois Rood
Lois, a native Nebraskan, is a fairly new member of the Guild.  She grew up on a farm near Swanton, NE and attended the smallest rural school district in the state when Nebraska had 999 school districts. There were four children total. One was her sister. After a long career in college teaching, corporate training, and instructional design, Lois took up music seriously late in life when her children were already grown. She now plays several instruments and enjoys composing. She performs throughout eastern Nebraska and calls her varied monthly programs, The Songs for All Seasons. She also wrote a children’s ballet, Keep Me from Falling Too Far.  Lois enjoys photography and has her note cards and/or calendars at the Sheldon Museum of Art Gift Shop, Four Star Drug Stores, The Landing Gift Shop, Plum Creek Gifts, and Out of the Box. On May 22, Lois will be introducing some of her nature poetry to the public as well as some of her first watercolors that she created after meeting a wonderful artist and mentor, Joyce Martin, who got her started this March. She will also play some of her original compositions for keyboard from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Lois lives in Lincoln, has three children and five grandchildren.

Live Music Performance: Native American Traditional Performance
Alfred WhiteEyes is active with the Lincoln Indian Center and the newly established Cultural Centers Coalition of Lincoln, NE which includes the Indian Center, Asian Center, El Centro, and Malone Center. He is coordinating a Native American Traditional Performance demonstrating native instruments, music and dance.

Art is the desire of man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in.

 ~Amy Lovell

Are you interested in taking a field trip this fall in either September or October to network with the Ashland Arts Council in Ashland, NE?  This community has four galleries, two wineries, several very nice restaurants, and the St. Stephens Episcopal Church built in 1872 which is of both historical and artistic significance. Ashland is the location of the amazing Gene Roncka Willow Point Gallery and Museum. There is much to do and see in Ashland within just about a three block area including a brand new library and community center. This short trip from Lincoln would be an inspiring experience for LAG members. Lois Rood would coordinate the event with the Ashland Arts Council. Rita Holland would coordinate the field trip with the LAG members. What we want to know from you now is how many of you are interested in doing this. So, please email Rita Holland by the end of May at RDH2222@gmail.com and let us know 1) Do you want to go? 2) Which weekends in September or October would work for you? 3) Would Saturday mid-day work for you? if not, suggest another time. We’ll keep you informed as we proceed. Thanks!

“Gardens and Other Stuff,” a show of watercolors and acrylics by Howard Kaye, will be at the Burkholder Project (upstairs) from May 1-29.  The opening reception will be Friday, May 1, 5:30-8.

Thanks to Michael Steven for his help getting the public service announcements for LAG on KZUM! All of us appreciate his help in promoting our Fourth Friday 2015 Art & Music Series!

The March 27 Fourth Friday Reception was a great success. We had lots of people there shortly after 5:00. The tables were full of wonderful goodies and they lasted the entire evening. Thanks to everyone for bringing the snacks. Thanks to Jane Chesnut for the flowers and Wanda Medina for the adorable “What’s It’s” that decorated the snack table.

From the beginning, to the end of the reception, our Featured artist Wanda Medina was busy drawing portraits of our guests.   They were pleased with the portraits that she gave them. There were always guests admiring her paintings and looking at what she had for bin art.  People enjoyed browsing through all her work.

Everyone enjoyed the music provided by the Celticas Spiritus. They sang and danced through the evening while people sat and watched the performance or they wandered the gallery floors admiring our art work and all the Out of the Box unbelievable home products.

Each month seems to be drawing a larger Crowd- Thanks Lois Rood. We now have Michael Stevens helping with the advertising of our 4^th Fridays.