SAC EXCHANGES: art, artists, and audiences revealing life

The  Salina Biennial Exhibition: Contemporary Art from the Mountain Plains Region  officially opened on Feb. 21, 2018 and will run through May 20, 2018.  So why is the Salina Biennial a big deal, and why should you care? 1) 72 works, 42 artists from 10 states - only in Salina, KS. This exhibition is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. You will never see this collection of work assembled in one location ever again. Jodi Throckmorton, who juried the show, combed through nearly 500 works submitted for consideration and narrowed it down to these 72.  Sandra Jean Caes Palingenesis, 2016 Painted Shoes 60x120x8in Courtesy of Artist 2) Contemporary art is relevant today, and the artists willingly share points of view on issues they care about. The Mountain Plains region is what the rest of the country considers "fly over states." As such, is anyone listening to what is happening in the minds and hearts of this middle 1/3...

It's that time of year, RESOLUTIONS. Popular goals include  resolutions  to: Improve physical well-being: eat healthy food, lose weight, exercise more, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, stop biting nails, get rid of old bad habits. Improve mental well-being: think positive, laugh more often, enjoy life. But let's take a moment and think about resolutions being made by the Art Center . 2018 is what you might call a cornerstone year for the Art Center . The organization is celebrating it's 40th year of being a pillar for cultural identity in our community. Board of Trustees and Executive Director Bill North have made some big moves to strengthen the core of the organization creating a strong foundation that can support innovation and ingenuity. All the restructuring and investments have happened behind the scenes, but have set us up for one of the most exciting years the Art Center has had in a decade. Experts say you are more likely to maintain progress toward resolutio...

Did you know that the hottest toy rolling off shelves this holiday season is a plastic dome-shaped case filled with 50 surprises, including dolls and their accessories? The $69.99, MGA Entertainment “L.O.L. Surprise! Big Surprise” ball is quickly becoming the hardest to find gift of the year . This would have made little sense to me a few short weeks ago. However, thanks to the Salina Art Center’s Art-O-Mat, I think I get it! For those who haven’t heard of our Art-O-Mat , I’ll give a little background. The creations of artist Clark Whittington, these vintage cigarette vending machines are repurposed to sell original contemporary art for only $5 per piece. The mission of the Art-O-Mat project is to encourage art consumption by expanding access to artists’ work. The restored machines themselves are visually engaging. There are over 100 active machines in various locations throughout the country involving approximately 400 contributing artists from ten different countries. By p...