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BLAST ART After School Program

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BLAST ART

Students created personal narratives in sketchbooks with images and text as they thought about what it means to live in their community and its context for their personal stories. Artist Cameron Kelly provided the driving vision for this project in collaboration with Courtney Boyden, one of the existing BLAST after school coordinators and Jennifer Spangler, Arts Education Coordinator at Butte County Office of Education (BCOE). Building on student interest for an outdoor sketching program that Boyden started, this year-long after school program helped students use art

as a way of seeing their world. This partnership between Chico Art Center, the Chico Unified School District After School Program, and the Butte County Office of Education (BCOE) was funded by a Youth Arts Action Grant from California Arts Council with additional support from California County Superintendents Arts Initiative. For more images visit chicoartcenter.com

The Train Car Gallery

May 27, 2020, Chico Art Center

The Gratitude Flower

December 11, 2019, Chico State Arts Collaboration Space, Arts Building for an Honors Course Gallery Walk.

Lily Derecktor Gaul, an Honors student and Early Childhood Development Major at CSU Chico, helped conceptualize and produce this project. Students were prompted with three questions. Who and what are you thankful for? What helps your gratitude grow? What do you hope to have or achieve in your future?

Derecktor Gaul says about her motivation to teach, “Children, like flowers, are delicate and need to be watered with hope. Children’s dreams and ideas are what keep the world spinning. The art they create and the words they write are signs of development and improvement. As impressionable as they are, it is important to indulge and protect their imaginations to keep them as authentic as possible. Children are beautiful because of the authenticity of their honesty and hope which is shown in all that they create. When they come together and work on a project their art is enhanced. The Gratitude Flower is a demonstration and reminder of the hopefulness and authenticity children bring into the world.”

Dia de los Muertos Art & Altar Exhibition

November 1-22, 2019, Chico Art Center

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Art Connections for Seniors

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The Chico Art Center is revising a once very popular program by inviting Senior Citizens to the Art Center for a guided visit of our gallery exhibitions each month.

The Chico Art Center is a non-profit located in the Historic Train Depot and has been a visual art establishment for over 60 years in Chico. We display varied art in our gallery each month as well as having a Gift Shop, offering classes, and other events, all serving the community of Chico and the greater Butte County. The Center is open weekdays noon - 4pm and weekends 10am - 4pm.  The Art Center is ADA compliant, there is a ramp at the north end for the convenience of persons with handicap needs and wheelchair accessible restroom.

We will have special volunteers, knowledgeable about the current exhibition in the gallery, who will be guides for the guests so that their time at the Art Center is successful. The tour will be approximately 30- 45 minutes.

There is no fee for this outing, all the Art Center needs is a phone call to set up a date and time. To set up a date and time, call (530) 895-8726 and ask for Debra or Erin.  We would appreciate a 24-hour advance.  We will be able to accommodate up to 20 visitors including any of your staff.

Erin Wells
Art Connections for Seniors Program Coordinator
(530) 895-8726
erinw045[at]gmail.com

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2023 | Call for Art & Gifts

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Gift Shop Change Out

We want to sell your work!

Members benefit by selling art and handmade gifts under $100 in the Gift Shop, which cycles through members by changing inventory every 3 months. Chico Art Center welcomes visitors 7 days a week with monthly events and promotion in our newsletter and social media to keep folks coming back. The center takes a 30% commission in exchange.  Change out happens in the beginning of January, April, July and October. Contact Gift Shop Coordinator erin Wells at erinw045[at]gmail.com

 

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October 2023 | Open Studios Art Tour

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Open Studios Art Tour is an annual Butte County tradition. Artists share their private studios with the public to explore. This event series is produced solely by Chico Art Center (CAC) volunteers as our major fundraising project of the year. Your participation and patronage pledges your commitment to visual artists in your region and helps make CAC's programming possible all year. Many thanks to our sponsor, Heithecker Financial and local businesses advertising in the Guidebook. We hope you'll support local artists and businesses with your patronage.

Gallery Preview Exhibit October 1 - 27, 2023

Reception: Friday, October 6, 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Visit the gallery all month to view one artwork by each artist, purchase your guidebook and plan your self guided studio tour!

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OPEN STUDIO WEEKENDS

October 14-15  &  October 21-22
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Connecting Art Patrons with Northern California Artists.

  • Look at art + crafts
  • Learn about creative processes
  • Visit artists studios
  • Collect Northern California Art

Preview Last Year's Artists

Click here to visit ChicoOSAT.com
Artist Registration Starts June 1, 2023

STAY SAFE

It will be important to practice social distancing, use masks and hand sanitizer for both visitors and the artists while visiting Artist Studios. Artists state their mask and vaccination requests on their webpage and in the guidebook.

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Chris Kaufman/Appeal-Democrat Waif Mullin, of Chico, with his bird Pappi, will have a show of his pastel work at The Theater Gallery on Plumas Street in Yuba City.
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May 2023 | Chico, Our Hometown

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CHICO, OUR HOMETOWN

May 7 - 26, 2023

CALL FOR ART

Entry Fee: $10 per Artwork/ Students Free

Drop Off: April 30-May 1 | Pick Up: May 27, 2023

Enter artwork of any media or size that is reminiscent of Chico. This is a jury-free exhibit for all ages to participate!

Requirements & Terms:

  • Artwork must be able to be lifted by one person
  • 2D artwork must be ready to hang
  • Artists may enter more than one artwork
  • Please attach your name to the front of the artwork (on the glass or durable surface). We use this tag to match your artwork with the wall label once it is hung. Do not tape tag on a gilded frame. If entering more than one work, include the title on the tag.
  • Works must not have been previously shown at the Chico Art Center gallery or gift shop
  • A donation of 30% to CAC is suggested on all sales in this exhibit.
  • Artworks may not be removed prior to the close of the exhibition, nor will sold artworks be released early.
  • Works submitted must be completely dry.
  • Objects determined by the Gallery Director to be too fragile for safe handling and/or display may be disqualified
  • Imagery with profanity or defamatory of an individual or entity may be determined inappropriate by the Gallery Director or Board of Directors.

How to submit:

  • Fill out this online form by May 1, 2023
  • The form requests a brief, one paragraph artist statement that relates the subject matter to Chico
  • For questions contact gallerydirectorcac@gmail.com
CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT AN ENTRY FORM
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BLOCK PARTY

Sunday, May 7, 12:00 -5:00 PM

Join the party!

Chico Art Center will host Market Vendors on the deck, music, and yART sale. Businesses, Artists and Organizations on Orange Street will also be open with special celebrations all day, including Orange Street Consignment, Idea Fab Labs, Sparkle Studio and Mains'l.

CALL FOR VENDORS

Sell your art and design work on the deck of the Chico Train Depot. We will have tables and chairs with table cloths available. Only one table per artist. We have a limited number of spots available.
  • Fee: $25
  • Set Up May 7, between 10:00am - 12:00pm
  • Artists must be equipped to make sales transactions (ie. Venmo, Square, PayPal, cash, etc.). Wifi is available.
  • Electricity is not available on the deck but is available in the classrooms.
  • There is a ramp to the deck at the north end of the depot.
  • All participants must have a valid California state seller's permit, required by state law. Applicants must provide proof when requested, no exceptions. If you don't have one and want to participate in this event, you can apply for a free seller’s permit HERE.

For questions contact gallerydirectorcac@gmail.com

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE A TABLE
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March 2023 | Pizza My Art

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It's a Brewtiful-Day by Patti Lloyd

Community Art Competition & Auction

March 26 - 31 

Pizza Party & End of Silent Auction: Friday, March 31, 5-7PM
*Auction ends at 6:00PM

This year, our third year of Pizza My Art, the entries will be on exhibit in the Chico Art Center gallery.

Bid on entries starting at $10. Invite your friends to join in the fun!

  • Silent Auction opens March 26 as a virtual auction. Place your bids with your smart phone, tablet or computer until Thursday, March 30. Website will be posted here!
  • Silent Auction will continue in person on Friday, March 31 and closes at 6PM during the Pizza Party Reception.
  • Over $200 in Cash Prizes + Fun Consolation Prizes. Prizes announced during the Pizza Party/Reception.
  • Winning bids to be picked up directly after, until 7PM or Saturday, April 1 from 10AM-4PM.
  • Pizza slices and soda available for $5 during the Pizza Party.
  • Over $200 in Cash Prizes + Fun Consolation Prizes – Competition winners announced and posted at 6PM.
Invite Friends with our Facebook Event

Call For Pizza Box Art

Enter your pizza box art at this fun fundraiser exhibit.

How to enter the Pizza my Art contest:

  1. Pick Up Your Pizza Box at Chico Art Center: Starting February 15. Entry fee $5. Family rate/4 boxes for $10.
  2. Transform a pizza box with your creativity.
  3. Drop Off Pizza Box Art: Thursday, March 23 from Noon-4 pm.
  4. Exhibition and Auction opens Sunday, March 26.
  5. Pizza Party & End of Silent Auction: Friday, March 31, 5-7PM. Auction ends at 6PM.
  6. If your entry receives no bid, pick it up for the $10 minimum bid. All artwork not picked up or claimed by April 1at 4PM will be recycled. 

For questions about Pizza My Art contact Chico Art Center at (530) 895-8726 or email gallerydirectorcac@gmail.com

Click here to fill out a Drop Off Form

In previous years, our sponsors for this event, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Grana, Woodstock’s Pizza, and Farm Star Pizza donated pizza boxes, gift certificates and in-kind prizes for Pizza My Art. Cash prizes were donated by Chico Art Center members. This year, Lindsay Hammelspach, manager of Mountain Mike's Pizza on Mangrove will be the juror for Pizza My Art. From day one, Lindsay has been super enthusiastic and a major sponsor for Pizza My Art.

Click here to learn about this fundraising exhibition
Click here to view 2022 Pizza My Art
Kelly Thomas, "Pizza is My Paradise", 2021, Acrylic & Sharpies
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