Prairie Center of the Arts

UPDATES!

2012-02-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Here are a few updates for Prairie Center of the Arts...

We joined CIAO and will participate in Open Studios – Friday, March 2
AND every first Friday after that! Please drop by and see the interesting work that our group of artists-in-residence are creating...
See us on Facebook!

Residency Applications are due 4/15/2012 for residencies beginning July 2012 through September 2012

Local Artists applications being accepted now..
If you live in the region and want to join our artist residency program pleae contact us! We have a few studio spaces that we are reserving for area artists...

“There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.”
― Leonard Cohen

2012-02-24T08:56:00.001-08:00

“Every act of perception, is to some degree an act of creation, and every act of memory is to some degree an act of imagination.”
― Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia: La Musique, Le Cerveau Et Nous

2012...So Far So Good

2012-02-22T11:53:00.000-08:00

The house is buzzing with activity!

There are currently 6 artists from around the country in residence at Prairie Center of the Arts. Every morning both kitchens are full of artists making breakfast (and copious amounts of morning coffee and tea!), then they load up the van and are driven to the studio space to work for the day...or the night.

Jeff is building an installation/performance piece with hydroponic plants and sound...
Christina made a short film that combines hand painting and live action...
Josh is mapping the 90,000 square foot industrial facility where the studios are...
Cara is painting another in her series of "Roadkill" oil paintings on canvas...
Cobi is adding details to a photorealistic series of oil on canvas paintings...
Mutt is cutting plexi for a new installation...

We have had a couple of Artist Dinner nights the last two Fridays and a good time was had by all...

Living/working in community is vibrant, dynamic and ever changing...the exchange of energy and ideas is almost palpable here...

“Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God, do you learn.”
― C.S. Lewis

MORE to come...

New Year Update!

2012-01-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

New Program Director arrives end of January - Ron Ray joins the staff at Prairie Center Of The Arts in 2012 as the new Program Director. Ron comes to Peoria from Paris,

France

, where he has been living and working on staff at an artist residency in the French countryside. He has been a working artist for over 20 years and will continue his art while at Prairie Centers. His studio will be open for visits by residents as well as the public. Ron has an extensive background as a curator and has worked in the gallery side of art as well. He has lived and worked in The United States,

Italy

France

Spain

and

China

and attended artist residencies in several countries, bringing a world view of art with him. We welcome him and look forward to a great new year at Prairie Center Of The Arts filled with a celebration of art, exploration and wonder.

**********************************************************************************************

Looking forward our plans for 2012 will enhance the program and allow us to better serve the artists that we bring to our community and to our studios.

· At the end of January we will welcome our new program director.

· With gas prices continuing to rise we have purchased a new Dodge Grand Caravan to transport our visiting artists between the house and studios in Peoria and to assist with grocery shopping.

· We will once more to begin recruiting international artists.

· We have been informed by the Alliance of Artists’ Communities that we will participate in the Midwest Voices and Visions, a residency for underserved artists, for a third time.

*********************************************************************************************

Looking back 2011 was a great year for us. We were honored to house 27 talented artists from ten states with 1,035 overnights which equates to a 74% occupancy rate and our Community Artists in Residence Program grew in 2011 from one artist to three.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Michele & Joe Richey

2011 Peoria Area Artist in Residence Exhibition & Poetry Reading

2011-09-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Oct 30 - 2:00 – 5:00 pm - Warehouse Gallery One

2011 Peoria Area Artist’s in Residence Reception

and

Poetry Reading (3:00 pm) and Book Signing (2:00-5:00 pm)

2011 Peoria Area Artists in Residence Reception: Kelly Krainak, painter, and Lisa Nelson Raabe, fiber artist and installation

Kelly and Lisa's Exhibition opens Oct. 17 – Nov 17 Warehouse Gallery One hours - M-F 10:00 am – 4:00 pm; others by appointment

Poetry Readings from Bluffs and Five Bridges: Poems From Peoria - A new collection of poems from the Grandview Hotel Poets: Barbara Clevenger, Michelle Cusack, Jannett Highfill, Mark Liebenow, Janeil Page, Thomas Palakeel, Burt Raabe, and Elizabeth Klise von Zerneck.

September 15, 2011 New Residencies Available

2011-09-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

Program Manager Nine Month to One Year Residency:

Gain management skills as you perform the day to day duties of Program Manager under the supervision of the President during a nine month to one year residency. Day to day duties include coordination of applications, residents, gallery, studios, digital lab, scheduling the resident household and marketing. Position starts as soon as possible and runs nine months to a year as agreed to by both parties. Benefits include monthly stipend, health insurance for individual only, 401K opportunity, room, and studio. Our facilities are completely non-smoking. There is no application fee and all materials should be submitted on line. No phone calls accepted. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Requirements and the application for the Program Manager Residency are on our Application Page on our website. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Peoria Area Artists' in Residence Studios:

Prairie Center has studio space for two Peoria area artists in our residency program. Awards are based on an application and jury process. The length of a residency can run from a month to a year depending on what is outlined in the letter of intent. We are currently taking applications. There is a $15 application fee. Use the Application Guidelines and Form on our Application Page.

Congratulations, Erin Zellefrow

2011-07-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Erin, our Program Director, is now the interim director of galleries at Bradley University. This is an amazing opportunity for a very talented artist. Thank you, Erin, for the great job you did for Prairie Center during your year with us. We wish you the best of everything!

Joe & Michele Richey

February 2011 Newsletter

2011-01-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Prairie Center of the Arts!

Launch of New Website/blog

Thank you to both Annie Richey, who resides in Guatemala, and Erin Zellefrow, our new Program Director, for taking on leadership roles in developing and launching a new website/blog for Prairie Center. You can also see us on Flickr & Facebook thanks to Erin.

2010 in review

2010 was a whirlwind year for Prairie Center. A new Program Director was hired, additional studio spaces were developed, a B/W photography studio was installed, and we began acquiring letter presses, type and etching presses to begin a print shop.

We served artists by providing residencies, gallery exhibitions, studio space and lectures. Artists came to Peoria from Illinois, Texas, Rhode Island, Missouri, Colorado, North Carolina, Ohio, California, Kentucky, Washington, Indiana, and New York. On the average artists in residence stayed 41 days and 61% of the artists served were from Illinois. During 2009/10 residencies were awarded to Peoria artists, Robert Rowe, Kelly Krainak and Ryan Reed.

2011/12 Application Deadlines

We have changed our application process and we will be closed from December 15 to January 1. Applications must be postmarked by our new deadline dates. See the Application page.

Proposed Residency Date Application Deadline

2011

July 1 - September 30 April 15

October 1 - December 14 July 15

2012

January 2 - March 31 October 15

April 1 - June 30 January 15

July 1 - September 30 April 15

October 1 - December 14 July 15

Local Area Artist’s Residency

We are announcing the new local artist residency program. Studio space will be awarded to a Peoria area artist through a juried process. Length of the residency depends on the artist’s needs and the proposal put forth in the Letter of Intent. The artist selected for this studio becomes a part of the residency program and is able to interact with all other artists in residence. Artists should use the same residency application as other applicants.

Introducing Erin Zellefrow, Program Director

Zellefrow hails from Rochester, NY. She holds a BFA from Alfred University and an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Donate

Due to popular demand Prairie has added a donate button to our website! See the Support Us tab.

New Mailing List

Join our new mailing list! You can join by entering your email in the "join our mailing list" box at the bottom left hand of this page.