Link to Tennessean article

March 14, 2010

When Samantha Callahan and Ben Vitualla opened Blend Studio last summer, they wanted to support artists whose work encouraged community involvement. The latest show, Tina Ahyoka’s Message in a Bottle, continues that focus.

“It’s the artist’s project, but it does become attached to the gallery,” Callahan says. Sometimes the gallery becomes a drop-off point for materials — bottles in this case — used in the show.

Using medicine, beverage and other bottles, local artist Ahyoka creates works ranging from “dragonflies” constructed of bottles, glass beads and copper wire; and Messagettes, a clever riff on word origins.

999 Bottles, a backlit wall made of stacked brown, green and clear beer bottles — still bearing labels and secured by dowels and adhesive — spans the back of the gallery. The jagged pattern formed by the bottles recalls both a heart monitor and Charlie Brown’s pullover.

Message in a Bottle remains on view at Blend Studio, located upstairs in the Arcade at #79, through March 27. (After that, Ahyoka will use some of the bottles in a public art project at Long Hunter State Park.) The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and till 3 p.m. Saturday. There is no admission charge. For information, call 554-1340 or go to www.blendstudio.wordpress.com.

— MICHELLE JONES, FOR THE TENNESSEAN

Opening Reception:
First Saturday Gallery Crawl: March 6, 2010; 6-9pm

Artist Talk:
Saturday, March 13, 2010; 1-3pm

MORE INFO

Opening Reception:
First Saturday Gallery Crawl: February 6, 2010; 6-9pm

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Tina Ahyoka is preparing for the upcoming project “Message in a Bottle”.
If you have glass beverage bottles to recycle, please let us know!

Check out the link for more info…

http://blendstudio.wordpress.com/exhibits/message-in-a-bottle/

MORE INFO

Open Fridays 11-5 and Saturdays 11-3 and by appointment

Learn about Safe Haven and the Seeing Ourselves project!

(Refreshments provided)

Seeing Ourselves: Photographs of Safe Haven
October 3 – 31, 2009

Artist Talk: October 10; 1-3pm

For more info about the Seeing Ourselves exhibit and Safe Haven:
http://blendstudio.wordpress.com/exhibits/seeing-ourselves
http://www.safehaven.org

Seeing Ourselves opens this Saturday, October 3rd, during the First Saturday Gallery Crawl!

Learn more about the Seeing Ourselves project here:

http://blendstudio.wordpress.com/exhibits/seeing-ourselves/

Photo Philanthropy

Jack Silverman

NEWS FLASH: Art isn’t some expendable luxury, like private corporate jets or shaved truffles on your pasta. In fact, it’s the very thing that, for a large segment of the human race, gives life meaning and makes our existence worthwhile. So when the government and school systems of our ass-backward nation slash away at art funding like Jason Voorhees on a Friday night bender, they’re basically helping to suck our souls right out from under us—which is why grassroots efforts like These Small Things are so important. Local photographer Eric Denton has taken four promising young photographers under his wing to teach them the techniques, secrets and joys of fine art photography. Chad Gocking, Caroline Howard, Ethan Howard and and Haddie Salchow, ages 10 to 14, have worked with Denton to co-curate and create the work for the exhibit, and all proceeds from the sale of the art goes to buy digital cameras to be donated to the Sumner County School System. (For info on how to donate money or cameras, visit blendstudio.wordpress.com).

Link to Nashville Scene article online