Bottlebrush Gallery & Center for the Arts

Our on-going Songwriters in Harmony workshop meets for the first time for 2016 on Thursday, Jan 21. We will celebrate the 207th birthday (Jan 19) of the bard of Baltimore, Edgar Allan Poe, by writing and sharing songs based on the meter and rhyme scheme of “The Raven”.  Free workshop, all instruments and genres welcome. Meet other local songwriters and enjoy an evening of music. 

Harmony’s women’s drumming circle meets Wednesday, January 20, 7pm. Do something good for yourselves! If you don’t treat yourself well, you can’t be good for others.

The cost is $35 in advance. No experience necessary, and there will be extra drums if you don’t have one. Please register in advance by calling Bottlebrush: A Gallery for the Arts, at 724-452-0539.

“State of Deference: A Pictorial Representation Past and Present in Two Separate Acts” by Artist Scot Calvert

Please join us for an edgy, thought-provoking show by Slippery Rock artist Scot Calvert. “State of Deference” is a visual conversation on the history and current state of the oil industry in western Pennsylvania. This show will be on display from January 8 through 22.

Refreshments will be served. No admission fee or RSVP required. Some of Scot’s work will be available for purchase. We hope to see you.

Many of you wil recognize Scot as one of the bartenders from The Harmony Inn!

Artist Bio:
A Western Pennsylvania native, Scot R. Calvert is a visual artist currently working in Slippery Rock, PA. He holds a BFA and BS from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. In addition to this, he has also studied at VSVU The Academy of Fine Art & Design in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Touchstone Center for Crafts.

Calvert’s practice spans a wide range of media primarily focusing on sculpture, but also works in video/installation and printmaking with foundations based in ceramics and metalsmithing. This new exhibition marks his first endeavor into mixed media painting. Past exhibitions include The Three Rivers Arts Festival, The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Art House Co-op (Brooklyn, NY), Small Objects (Seattle, WA), Leon de Oro (Lima, Peru), and Svoradova (Bratislava, Slovakia).

A few photos from Harmony’s Annual German New Year’s Celebration, known as Silvester. Thousands of people converge on the small town of Harmony to enjoy this family friendly event with music, food, facepainting, arts and craft demonstrations, a 5k race and fun run, and much more. The day concludes at 6pm (midnight German time) with a ball drop and countdown and fireworks. It is an amazing experience.

Thanks to our friends and customers for your support of local art and music.  Happy New Year!

We are committed to promoting and supporting the arts in all forms, including music. Here are a few photos from Ann Nutter’s year-end recital held at the Gallery Tuesday evening, 12/29. Congrats to all of the recital students, and thanks to Ann for her hard work and dedication. You are making a difference!

During the month of January, the Bottlebrush will be open weekends only, Friday through Sunday. Our business hours are as follows:

Friday, 11am-7pm

Saturday  11am-4pm

Sunday  11am-4pm

We will resume our normal hours the last week of January.

The Creative’s Way Workshop

When:  Mondays, January 25 through February 29, choose your time: 1-2:30pm OR 7-8:30pm

Facilitator: J. Sandy Ferrainola

Cost and Registration:

Workshop fee is $120, due at first session January 25^th.  Additional $25 fee for one play date and supplies TBD. Register: call or email Sandy to sign up with a $20 deposit: 724-766-0674 or callsandy222@gmail.com. Minimum of 5 participants. Group size is limited to 8.

Description:

Participants will “out” the creativity inside of them to fulfill a lifetime passion or perhaps, find a new one.  Join this Creative Circle of peer support to discover or recover your creative life and– in a gallery and center for arts filled with inspiration! Using Julia Cameron’s book as a guide and Sandy’s facilitated process, you will complete tasks in 12 chapters to break through the surface of your resistance in order to experience art and creating in its many forms. A commitment to consciously regard others in the group with respect and without fear of criticism, judgment or competition is expected from all participants.

Sandy’s experience with Ms. Cameron’s course and added informational hand-outs will get you “flowing” in creative and inspirational ideas to express yourself. A personal commitment to complete this six-week workshop will most likely change your outlook on self-expression, and life, if practiced with a sincere desire to confront your inner censors. The spiritual aspect is not referring to religion but the enlightenment one finds flowing through creative energy. An outline of weekly sessions available upon request.

Required book additional:

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron, A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self (purchase on-line or Barnes & Nobles approx. $12.00 for paperback edition ISBN#0-87477-694-5 or 9781101156889) This is not the “workbook” which is a companion to The Artist’s Way.  ALSO: Two spiral composition notebooks required before 1^st session but at least one will be used immediately.

About Your Workshop Leader:

Sandy Ferrainola is an essayist, novelist and above all, CREATIVE!  Her writing experience spans 50 years with published essays in literary journals, articles in magazines, and horoscope columns in addition to artistic endeavors in photography with a photo poster on display at the Bottlebrush Gallery.  Even with a dozen rejection slips from book publishers for her young adult novel series, Sandy understands there may be dozens more!

As a member of the international Stencil Artisan’s League for 19 years as well as a Board member, Sandy gained insight into group learning and class instruction across America. Her interest in a variety of arts and handcrafts including oil and acrylic painting, collage, decorative arts, fabric arts, ceramics, drawing as well as perennial gardening and “upcycling junk” has led to new discoveries in creativity.  An advocate of Julia Cameron’s many book titles, she anticipates Julia’s upcoming release in April, It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again: Creativity in the Golden Years. Sandy’s favorites: in art, Andy Warhol; in music; David Bowie; in movies; Elf; in colors,  turquoise!  Currently studying Psychology at Butler County Community College, Sandy serves on several local community committees and holds a Pennsylvania license in real estate.

Just in time for holiday giving! The Bottlebrush is proud to host local author Patricia Galbreath at a booksigning Friday, Nov 27, from noon-2pm. No charge.

In addition to Pat’s Merry Mouse Church Mouse book series, we also have t-shirts, small mouse toys and stuffed animals for the kids. Come on by and meet this popular and *local* author in person!

http://www.merrymousechurchmouse.com/

About Patricia Galbreath:
Author and great-grandmother Pat Galbreath lives in Western Pennsylvania and is the author of the Merry Mouse Church Mouse book series.

Join our Women’s Drum Circle, surrounded by the warmth and beauty of an art gallery located in an original 1805 Harmonist building.

The drum circle is scheduled to meet the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 7-9pm, and led by drum circle facilitators Patricia Bauer and Annie Mathe. NOTE: Due to the holiday season, December’s circle will meet on WEDNESDAY, DEC 2. Workshop fee is $35 and includes drums and other percussion instruments and refreshments. To participate in the Drum Circle, you must register and provide payment in advance to the Gallery by calling 724.452.0539.

About your Drumming Facilitators:
PATRICIA BAUER is a Music Educator and a Drum Circle Facilitator. She holds a bachelor’s from West Virginia University and a Masters from Duquesne University. She began her career in Wood County, West Virginia teaching Chorus and General Music. She moved to North Allegheny School District in 1984 where she has had experience teaching Band, Orchestra, Chorus and General Music with an emphasis on World Music Drumming. A pilot teacher for the World Music Drumming Curriculum in 1996, Ms. Bauer has since been sharing the joy and self discovery that world drumming can provide with children and adults alike.

ANNIE MATHE is a Certified Holistic Reflexologist, Healing Touch Practitioner, and Drum Circle Facilitator who uses a gentle, loving approach to inspire others to lead a healthy, empowered, extraordinary life. Whether it is through, drumming, chanting, meditation, song, or reflexology, she realizes the importance of providing a safe place in which others can rediscover the awareness of the natural forces within to heal, and find a way to rekindle the spiritual fires of one’s true inner nature. She received her Drum Circle Leadership training from Jim Donovan M.Ed., an award winning musician, educator, and teacher.