Open Door Art Studio

fa·cil·i·tate [fuh-sil-i-teyt] - to assist the progress of

2012-03-02T06:48:00.002-08:00

I've been working at Open Door for just over 6 months now*- and I still have family and friends asking "So...what do you do there? It's art-therapy right?" Even with me there explaining it to them, the conversation ends with "Oh. So its art-therapy"

But here's the thing-
It's not.

According to the AATA,

Art therapists who meet rigorous education and experience requirements are credentialed by the Art Therapy Credentials Board. The "Art Therapy Registration" credential (ATR) is granted to art therapists who have completed graduate education and post-graduate supervised experience requirements and the "Board Certification" credential (ATR-BC) is granted to Registered Art Therapists who pass a written examination

While we at Open Door are all very good listeners, none of us are trained therapists. We're art facillitators. We're artists. We facillitate. What does that mean? It means we function somewhere between an artist assistant, a colleague and a college professor. There are no assignments here (much like in an upper level studio art course), but we do help our artists to generate ideas and to see those ideas through to a finished product. Along the way we may offer feedback and advice based on past experience (much like we do for each other when working on our own art) and at some points we may help with a technical difficulty (such as transfering an artists small drawing onto a larger, more marketable canvas, much like an artist's assistant). But really, all our varied efforts can be summed up simply- We are artists working to create a space where other artists can create and grow artistically. Our studio artists aren't here because they need therapy, they're here because they want to make things and get better at making things.

.

Art therapy, while practiced in a wide variety of ways, usually involves two parts- art (which we have) and therapy (which we do not). According to Wikipedia, art therapy tends to be practiced in one of two ways- Either the art-making process itself is used theraputically, or the therapist "interpret's the client's smbolic self-expression as communicated in the art.

painting by ODAS artist Brenda.
I can tell you the off center composition and warm color scheme help to create a playful/engaging painting, and that the fun, graphic quality is caused, not only be the expression on the face, but also by the thick, black outline. But, I have no idea what, if anthing, is being symbolically expressed.

*Yup. Still awesome.

**Disclaimer: all info on art therapy gained via the internet. Like I said, it's not what we do, so if we got something wrong in the description, let us know!

Wish Tree

2012-02-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we recreated Yoko Ono's wish tree.
Yoko's instructions:

Our Tree:

Do you have any wishes? Tell us about them! Or better yet, stop by and hang them on our tree.

Hot Off the Presses!

2012-01-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would share a few of the most recent works created at Open Door.
Behold!

An extra exciting watercolor by Jenny DeBrier! Powww!

A brand new puppet creation by Charles Poe! Bammm!

A gorgeous and colorful painting by Charles Porter! Wowww!

Pictures From 'the Other Side'

2012-01-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

A huge thank-you to everyone who came to the opening of 'Art From the Other Side; Work From a Movement Without a Name'! Whether you were there physically or just in spirit, we appreciate the support. If you weren't able to come, no worries! The show will be up in the main branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library until Feb. 19.

(That's right, you can visit the library AND see some fantastic art- Who could ask for anything more?)

Art from the Other Side: Work from a Movement Without a Name @ the Carnegie Gallery

2012-01-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

Open Door Art Studio is proud to present:

"Art from the Other Side: Work from a Movement Without a Name".

Lady in Waiting, by Doug Gantt

What: Exhibition of artwork from over forty local visionary artists who create at Open Door Art Studio.

When: Exhibition runs from January 12 to February 19. Opening Reception is January 12th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm

Where: Carnegie Gallery, Columbus Main Library- 96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215-4781

Why: To celebrate and share exceptional artwork!

"Art from the Other Side" includes a truly remarkable body of work from artists who cannot easily be defined by a particular movement. We hope that viewers are moved emotionally by the raw and earnest offerings of this wonderful selection of artists.

Outtakes from the Luchadore Photoshoot

2011-12-25T08:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays Y'All!
-Open Door Art Studio-

Brr! Open Door's Top 5 Ways to Stay Warm (inside and out)

2011-12-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

Wear a hat; Growing up I heard over and over again- "Wear a hat! You lose 80% of your body heat through your head!" Now that I'm older, and have internet access, I know that this isnt' totally accurate. It is true, however, that the more warm things you wear the warmer you are, and really hats are just cool. Put a hat on anything and it's instantly better. Case in point:

Move around; Get that blood moving in whatever way says 'fun' to you. We here at Open Door are in favor of dance parties and flash mobs. Have a boring mid-winter office party coming up? Don't just stand around shivering and making small talk- liven it up with an impromptu lucho libre wrestling match! (I know a place you can get a good deal on some handmade masks)

Hot Cocoa; Not only is hot cocoa unspeakably delicious in nearly all it's forms, it's also good for you. In the 16th century, hot chocolate was used to treat liver disease. Which may sound silly, but even modern science (SCIENCE!) has found all sorts of real, good stuff in cocoa. Flavanoids, antioxidants, phenylethylamine are all found in hot chocolate and can help with artery health, digestion and even your mood.(1) Plus, it tastes awesome.

Share the love!(and the body heat); Sheep have the right idea. Standing close to other people helps to stay warm. One North Carolina study found that hugging actually triggers your brain to increase oxytocin (feel-good hormone) and decrease cortisol (stress hormone) and even lower blood pressure. (Again, SCIENCE.) Huddling up to strangers at the bus stop might get you a few stares, though, so stick with friends.

Support a cause you care about; This time of year we are innundated with ads and commercials telling us to buy! more! things! It's easy to get caught up in it all and even easier, for me, to get all scroogey and angry about. Take a break from the rampant consumerism and use your resources to buy from a nonprofit you care about. Your loved ones will end up a unique gift with a story behind it (other than 'I elbowed strangers in the face for this deal!'), you'll feel good knowing your money is going to someone who needs it, and gift giving will be an enjoyable experience again. Magical.

(1)info found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_chocolate . Note: I am not anything even close to a doctor or scientist. All recommendations made in this post are based on tastiness and the internet.

On Display

2011-11-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

Just in case you weren't able to make it to the open house, here is a little glimpse of what the gallery looked like. From left to right, the featured artists on this wall are: Marjorie Conway, Marty Freireich, Randall Perkins, Curtis Wellman, Tory Harper, Donna Hans, and Wallace Peck.

Mucho Gusto!

2011-11-16T20:14:00.000-08:00

HEY-

Thank-you to everyone for making our opening this past weekend an undeniable success.
Thanks to those of you who came, those who helped before, those of you who sent good thoughts, loved ones who were patient with long days, thanks especially to all studio artists for making work worthy of such an awesome opening- Thank. You.

It couldn't have happened with out all of you.

(did I say thanks?)

F'real. Go eat some ice cream or something, you deserve it.

Open Door on WOSU!

2011-10-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE to check out Marilyn Smith's article about Open Door on WOSU!

Don't Miss Our GRAND OPENING!!!

2011-10-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

Boo! Fun Fall Things at Open Door

2011-10-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings Columbus! Ohio! And beyond!

I don't know if you've noticed, but we're now halfway through October. How did this happen? I feel like it was, at most, two days ago that I was sitting outside, in the sun, thinking summery thoughts...(Of course, this could also be because it's Ohio, so two days ago it could've been sunny and summery)

As much as I love summer, though, I love fall. And so do many of the artists here at Open Door.

The most popular response to "What do you love about this time of year"?
COLOR!
No surprise, coming from a bunch of artists. Reds, oranges, and browns have been steadily creeping into sketchbooks, canvases, and sometimes, even yarn (like here in Marjorie's Fancy Fire Reef). ODAS artist, Tory, loves not only the colors of the leaves, but also the patterns they make on the ground. For some, watching the leaves change brings back other warm-fuzzy fall memories. Margaret remembers trips she used to take with her parents to Old Man's Cave to see the fall foilage as a really special time spent with family.

And of course, October means Halloween! Whether you're into tricks or treats, Open Door has some great artwork that can serve as trule unique Halloween decorations. Some prefer the gentler side of Halloween. Haystacks and hayrides are favorites, while several artists are looking to flex their creative muscle on some pumpkins. Some, however, are looking forward to both treats and tricks. Beth, whose calm abstracts might lead one to expect otherwise, is looking forward to "Ghosts! And Spooks!" while Rex loves watching scary movies this time of year.

Universally exciting is the chance to dress up. Whether trick-or-treating, handing out candy or going to a Halloween party, who doesn't love costumes? As you might expect from a group of creative types, there's a wide range of costume plans ranging from skeletons to scarecrows to Cher. Charles, seen here modeling one of his creations, is particularly excited to dress as one of his favorite luchadores. If you're still looking for a costume, Charles has dozens of masks for sale in the gallery, each one handmade and one of a kind.

Personally, I'm all about the treats. Candy corn, cider, pumpkin flavored everything, more candy corn, popcorn, cook-outs, (did I say candy corn?)- I love it all.

Last, but certainly not least, with fall comes all the preparations for our Grand Opening, November 12, from 3-7pm at our new location! We can't wait to see you all there!

For more information on the studio, and to see more amazing artwork, check out our site!

Plastic Bottle Cap Bonanza!

2011-09-19T10:36:00.001-07:00

If you were wondering... is Open Door still collecting plastic bottle caps? Here is your answer.

YES!!! We are still collecting them.

Look at how many we already have! These have been sanitized, sorted and are now ready for art-making. But we need more.

Any size, shape and color will do and the more the better! Water bottles, liters of soda, laundry detergent, and milk jugs are just a few of the many sources that are already in your home. So please start (or keep!) stashing away those little plastic gems and on your next visit to Open Door to see some great art, unload those caps. Reduce the amount going into landfills and support a local non-profit with supplies. What more could you want really?

Thanks in advance for saving those lids!

And stay tuned for what these little guys turn into...

Open Door Takes Flight: An Exhibition at Wild Goose Creative

2011-08-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

What An exhibition of flight-themed work created by the

artists at Open Door Art Studio

When Exhibiton on display August 2-31, 2011

Reception August 18, 6-8 pm

Where Wild Goose Creative

2491 Summit Street, Columbus, OH 43202

ph. 614.859.WILD (9453)

Who Everyone is invited to partake in the festive

reception. Light refreshments will be provided and

several of the artists will be there to talk about

their artwork.

9/11 Reflection and Remembrance Community Art Collaboration

2011-08-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

Opening Reception:
Monday, Aug. 15th, 5:00-7:30 PM

Patriot’s Day Memorial Reception and Final Reveal:
Sunday, Sept. 11th, 2:00-5:00 PM

Open Door is reflecting on and remembering the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks by inviting everyone to contribute to a very important memorial art installation/event. In addition to featuring 9/11 inspired artwork, Lamentations, created by the nationally recognized, award-winning, digital artist Deborah Krikun, we will also be transforming our entire gallery into a large-scale, interactive piece of art inspired by the events of September 11th, 2001. There are several ways you, your friends, your school/students, your organization and your family can participate, benefit and contribute to this important memorial event.

As part of collaborative installation, we have decided to represent the 2,753 individuals who died as a result of the attacks by creating a paper origami crane to symbolize each of them. We will need everyone to contribute to make this ambitious goal a reality. We are asking everyone to make at least one crane for this project and pass this invitation to everyone you know. Click here for detailed instructions on how to fold an origami crane. Everyone is welcome to visit Open Door from now until September 11th, any time Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM to make a crane. You can also make one (or many) and mail them to us. We are located at 1050 Goodale Blvd., Grandview, OH 43212. Your crane can be a simple white piece of paper or as colorful and creative as you would like. Please don’t hesitate to participate. Make one now!!!

If you are interested in utilizing this as an educational and creative opportunity for a group of students or individuals from your school or organization, please give us a call at 614-486-4919 to schedule a time. We look forward to hearing from you!

Columbus Center for Human Services Inc. announces an opening for an Art Facilitator / Habilitation Coordinator at Open Door Art Studio

2011-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

POSITION SUMMARY
Art Facilitator / Habilitation Coordinator

CCHS is a not for profit organization that provides support services for adults with developmental disabilities through a variety of experiences. Open Door Art Studio, a division of CCHS Inc., empowers artists with developmental disabilities to develop unique, artistic voices and to experience opportunities afforded through the arts. The Art Facilitator/Habilitation Coordinator creates and facilitates art programming with the studio artists who are adults with physical and developmental disabilities. Open Door is an open art studio setting offering several mediums.

This is a full time position with an hourly rate determined on an individual basis. The Art Facilitator/Hab Coordinator will be expected to work some evenings and weekends, and may be expected to work extra hours and travel occasionally. This position also requires providing direct personal care support as needed.

The ideal applicant will have a bachelor's degree in an art related field, the ability to work in a multitude of art mediums, a flexible schedule, experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities, proficient in Word and Photoshop and have great organizational skills.

This position is available immediately and begins with a one week company orientations followed by a 120 day trial period.

The desire to assist the organization in sustainable, mission driven growth is essential. Other ideal attributes include: a positive attitude, highly creative , enthusiastic, caring, patient, flexible and the ability to multitask.

To Apply:

Please submit by June 24, 2011 a cover letter, resume (including three references with contact information, indicating relationship) and a PDF portfolio of at least 5 images that best represent your current work to:

HR@cchs-col.org and courtney@pwca-col.org Please include "Art Facilitator Application" and your first initial and last name in the subject line.

Applications will only be accepted via e-mail.