Featured Artists

April: Kurt Kindermann May: Perri Mason

Read more on page 3

The TECAC Connect

April /May /June 2013 Vol 1, No 1

TECAC

The Electric Company Artists Co-op LLC, 207 East Depot Street, Bedford Virginia 24523

From Utility to Art - Where Do We Go from Here? Pt 1

By Edrie Bays

The Electric Company building at 207 East Depot Street has been a constant presence in Bedford since the 1880s and until the twenty-first century was the place Bedford residents could pay their electric bills.
Entrance to TECAC Gallery at the west end of 207 East Depot building

In 2007, Patti Siehien and Al DeWeese purchased the building from the city with bold plans to change its look and its purpose. They opened Art on Depo in Old east entrance to 207 Depot now the door to The January 2008, featuring The Artisan Caf, a 20-seat soup and sandwich lunch Artisan Cafe spot with organic salads and food fare named for famous artists. Art and craft work of all sorts, many from local artists and Siehien herself, was for sale in adjacent rooms, including an area dubbed The Dessert Gallery for specialty cobblers and ice cream. Artists studios and Siehiens pottery studio were in back. Featured opposite the caf was the Paw Wash, a dog grooming facility; and Pawcasso, pet accessories and fashions for dogs; Siehiens daughters operated these businesses. By 2009 the pottery studio moved downstairs where also The Artful Cat, Bedfords first fine arts supply store, was owned and operated by Amy Carter. On September 15, 2009, the basement area opened as Rembrandts Closet, with sales booths and studio spaces. A variety of art, crafts, and artsy trinkets filled the gallery spaces. A number of artists occupied studios in the current Artists on Depot studio as well as downstairs. Various businesses - such as The Prissy Parrot, the Book Nooky, The Artful Cat, and Centertown Pottery - rented space in The Electric Company before moving on. The caf and its menu remained the same though the establishment passed to three different owners since 2008.
The opening exhibit of TECAC, The Electric Company Artists Co-op, Second Friday, on December 14, 2012 Contd on page 2

Profile view looking from east end of 207 East Depot to the west end

The definition of an artist does not hinge upon ones medium

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As Siehien focused more on her own art, she first sold The Artisan Caf. Then in 2011, George and Sue Wachob bought The Electric Company building. Fourteen years earlier the Wachobs had purchased Hearthside Quilts, a Vermont business with a thirty-year history. Hearthside Quilts - mostly a phone, mail-order and Internet business - moved to the former Rembrandts Closet space. There the Wachobs design and make ready-to-sew, pre-cut quilting kits.
End of Part 1 - to be continued

Part 2 will be in the July-AugustSeptember TECAC Connect

All photos, except the one at right, were provided by Edrie Bays and Dotti Stone

Photo credit: Frazier Associates, provided by the Bedford Historical Society (circa mid 80s)

Call for Local Artisans

The gift shop in The Electric Company at 207 E Depot Street in downtown Bedford is changing its focus and i name. The new Artisan Shoppe is looking for locally produced quality artisan wares and artisans/ producers who want to maintain a display in the new space. A benefit will be a listing on Bedfords Artisan Trail as it is formed. Merchandise will be rotated out every two months and consignors will come in frequently to update inventory and refresh their displays. We are looking for items originated and created locally. We cannot take duplicate items and will create a waiting list for those creating the same type items. Contact info: Perri Mason perri.paints@gmail.com

Awards & Recognitions

Shelley Koopmann
Three paintings by Shelley were juried into the Roanoke College Biennial Juried Exhibition held in the Olin and Smoyer Galleries. Included was Looking at the World through Psychedelic Glasses. This exhibit will be up through April 5. Donna Nevers Donna placed Best in Mixed Media at the RVSPCAs annual fundraiser art show at the Taubman.

Dotti Stone
Remnant: Springtime Green is in the Roanoke College Biennial Juried Exhibition held in the Olin and Smoyer Galleries. Also, two of her mosaics were accepted in the RPI Retrospective Exhibit at VCU in Richmond VA.

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Featured Artist: April - Kurt Kindermann

Kurt Kindermann was born outside of Philadelphia in 1979, and currently resides in Bedford Virginia as a father and artist. He received a certificate in painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 2005. Kindermanns works focus on expressing emotional Crow responses to life events great and small and often times acting as a punctuation mark, years after digesting the situations nuances, a cathartic release Kindermann has received an award from the Taubman Museum of Art and his works are part of many private collections and have been shown prominently in both Pennsylvania and Virginia. He currently exhibits at the Electric Co in Bedford and serves on the Board of Directors of the Wharton Foundation. Self portraits concealed in birds: The works in this small series show the artist hidden in assorted birds. The birds were each chosen for the clichd character quality that they represent. However, they do not depict the artist; rather, the circumstance in which he finds himself.
Owl

Patterned Lady 3

Featured Artist: May - Perri Mason

Perri Mason grew up in Bedford, Va. She received her B.S. degree in Studio Art with a minor in Education from Radford University in 1982. Her various art experiences include teaching art in public schools, working as an artist for a silk screen company and selling art materials for local retailers. Although she has worked in various media, Perri prefers the challenges of watercolor. I love the softness and the translucency of watercolors. This medium requires you to see Oli things in layers, so I usually paint with a lot of water and use several glazes of color to give my paintings a realistic depth. Perri, who maintains a studio at Artists on Depot, is a member of The Seven Hills Art Club in Lynchburg as well as The Electric Company Artist Co-op in Bedford. She is available for commissions and specializes in portraiture of animals. Polka Dot #413 Her studio is open to the public and is located in The Electric Company at 207 E Depot Street in Bedford, VA. Several of her finished works and prints are available for purchase there at The Electric Company Artists Co-op Gallery and The Artists on Depot Gallery. Her work can also be seen at www.perrimason.com.

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Exhibit Opportunities
2nd Annual Itsy Bitsy Exhibit Exhibit dates: April 12 - June 8
Deadline: Deliver labeled art, applications, and entries April 10, 10AM-12 to Art Upstairs at Bedford Hardware 126 S Bridge St, Bedford VA Sponsored by Art Upstairs and Artists on Depot , the exhibit will be in in Bedford Hardwares Art Upstairs and Artists on Depot studio galleries. Contact Edrie Bays: edrie.bays@gmail.com for forms.

Pennsylvania Watercolor Society 34th Juried Exhibition

Crary Art Gallery, Warren PA May 25 - Entry deadline Exhibit dates: Oct 5 - Nov 15, 2013 http:// www.pawcs.com/

Mystery Build
Deadline: October 20 $15,000 in cash awards! Create a work of art using ONLY the materials provided in a Mystery Build Kit. THE TWIST: You don't know what's inside! You can expect to find some common sculpting materials like wood, clay, metal, fiber, and a few surprises. The kits are 12" x 9" x 3" and contain 5 lbs. of materials. All 2013 Mystery Build Kits are identical. Enter individually or as a team. The theme for 2013 is "ReInvent a Work of Art". You may interpret the contest's theme any way you wish. http://www.mysterybuild.com/

Bower Center National Juried Exhibition

Judge/Juror: Susan Jamison July 23 - Aug 31 exhibit dates June 1 entry deadline Aug 9, awards reception Call to Artists available on line www.bowercenter.org

Artisan Fair at Sedalia June 2, 10AM-5PM 1108 Sedalia School Rd, Big Island VA http://www.sedaliacenter.org/ index.php/2013-artisan-fair-and-sales -vendor-application Application deadline: May 17
Calling Artists/Craft Artisans, Art/ Craft Related Venues, and Agri-artisan Displays and Sales

LRA Annual Showcase

Jefferson Center 541 Luck Ave SW, Roanoke VA August 10 - Entry deadline August 26, 9AM-10:30 Art delivery Sept 8, 2PM-4 Awards reception http:// www.leagueofroanokeartists.com/ LRA%20Exhibits.html Call to artists will soon be posted.

Dont forget to like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/TECAC207

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Please note this is our list of volunteers from the March 3rd meeting. If you were unable to attend, or volunteer at that time, there are still opportunities. Just let someone in the Steering Committee know what you will be volunteering for. There is still plenty to do and we will find a good match. Any errors or additions, please notify Suzanne immediately. Thanks again for all your help!

Committee Volunteers - thank you!!

STEERING COMMITTEE ~ committed for one full year

Edrie Bays Mitchell Bond Patrick Ellis Erni Houser Perri Mason Suzanne V Paddock Brigitte Petersen George Wachob danceinlight.mzedly@verizon.net mitchell@goosecreekstudio.com patrick@goosecreekstudio.com ernihouser@verizon.net perri.paints@gmail.com suzanne.paddock@verizon.net connect@brigittepetersenphotography.com gwachob@att.net

Membership Announcements
TECAC welcomes Nancy Brown who works in oils and pencil. Well see her in April! Sorry to see Deena Ruiz and Nancy Blankenship depart. Thanks for being here to get the co-op off the ground. Everyone invite other artists to apply for membership and join our growing gallery.

Due to our need to firmly establish structure and order, we may ask at least one person per committee to volunteer for 3 months to specifically help out with this extra need. Otherwise, one month is an acceptable volunteer term. Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Patrick Ellis Suzanne V Paddock George Wachob

EVENTS COORDINATOR/ TECAC LIAISON COMMITTEE ~ in need of a dedicated coordinator to manage events
Erni Houser Shelley Koopmann Jane Schafer Dotti Stone

FUND RAISING - NEED VOLUNTEERS GALLERY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Perri Mason Edrie Bays Erni Houser Jane Schafer

MARKETING COMMITTEE
Mitchell Bond, Suzanne Paddock Kurt Kindermann

MINUTES/ E-LETTER COMMITTEE

Dotti Stone Suzanne V Paddock

ARTISAN SHOPPE COMMITTEE

Perri Mason Bill Koopmann George Wachob Suzanne V Paddock

MEMBERSHIP PROCESS COMMITTEE

Erni Houser Shelley Koopmann Suzanne V Paddock Martha Rhodes

HANGING COMMITTEE
Patrick Ellis Shelley Koopmann Jane Schafer Kurt Kindermann Perri Mason

RENOVATIONS COMMITTEE ~ labor only at this time

Patrick Ellis

540-491-2585 TECAC207@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/TECAC207 TECAC Connect Newsletter

TECAC members, this is YOUR newsletter. It will come out quarterly. Please send information about any awards and recognitions you receive, classes you will be offering anything to get the word out about what is happening in your world and the arts community in the area. If you know of classes, workshops and exhibit opportunities, send that information along also. Send to Dotti Stone - Email: dottistone@yahoo.com Newsletter deadline: June 25 for July/Aug/Sep issue

Important Dates - 2013 Gallery Rotations: Apr 7/8 Jun 2/3 Aug 4/5 Oct 6/7 Dec 8/9 TECAC Member Meeting - 2 PM May 5 Jul 7 Sep 1 Nov 3 Jan 5 2014