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The 2016 Ames Area Studio Tour: Meet the Artists - GREG LAMONT

7/31/2016

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The 2016 Ames Area Studio Tour will be Saturday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, October 9 from noon to 4 p.m.  Over the next few weeks we'll introduce you to our artists and attempt to give you a small glimpse of what you might see when you visit their studios.  We hope you are able to join us!  
Find more information here. 

Greg Lamont - Northwood Clay Studio  [CASA, 130 S. Sheldon Ave., Suite 108, Ames]

Functional Pottery

Greg grew up in west-suburban Chicago, and discovered pottery at an early age.  One of his earliest works in high school – a sculpture of various leaf forms joined together – earned him an honorable mention in a regional high school art competition.

While Greg continued to work in clay when he started his first college career at Columbia College, he chose to major in graphics arts because careers in clay seemed few and far between.  After getting married his junior year, he left college to be an artist.  Working in The Loop in downtown Chicago, he was employed in retail and commercial art sales.

In 1983, Greg’s wife got a job at Iowa State University, moving them both to Ames. He worked at the bookstores in town, continuing to deal in art supplies.

Greg returned to college at Iowa State, this time focusing on the medium that had always called to him – pottery.  He worked hard to hone his craft during his time in college.  Influenced by the nature of functional ceramics, Greg draws his most significant inspiration from Shōji Hamada, a twentieth century Japanese potter who was a major figure in the mingei folk-art movement.  Mingei is built upon the philosophical pillar of “hand-crafted by ordinary people.” 

While creating his pieces now, Greg focuses more on the interaction of the pottery with the buyer.  As he continues to evolve as an artist, he would like to pursue blacksmithing and wood-turning, finding inspiration in three-dimensional art. 

When visitors come to his space during the Studio Tour, Greg hopes to help people understand how difficult it can be to create a quality piece of pottery.  Unlike a commercial cups or bowls, an item made by a potter is truly one-of-a-kind, and carries with it a part of the artist. If a buyer drinks out of the cup of Lamont’s, he hopes s/he is inspired by it and builds a special attachment to the piece.

By participating in the Studio Tour, Greg hopes his visitors will develop a greater appreciation of the hand-made artwork that they see in galleries and art fairs, and perhaps become more frequent patrons and consumers, based in part on what they have learned about the artist’s personal journey of making art.


Learn more about Greg, his work, and the Ames Area Studio Tour by visiting our website, here.
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2016 Ames Area Studio Tour: Meet the Artists - JEFF BOCK

7/31/2016

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The 2016 Ames Area Studio Tour will be Saturday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, October 9 from noon to 4 p.m.  Over the next few weeks we'll introduce you to our artists and attempt to give you a small glimpse of what you might see when you visit their studios.  We hope you are able to join us!  
Find more information here. 

Jeff Bock - Bock Custom Cycles  [1593 Xavier Ave., Ames]
Custom Bicycle Frames / Vintage Bicycle Restoration

Have you ever wondered about the art of making bicycles? Jeff Bock specializes in just that. With his custom built made to order lugged steel bicycle frames and vintage bike restoration, Bock is truly making a statement in functional art.
 
Following his graduation from University of Northern Iowa’s Art program, Bock began working in a local bike shop, where his interest in bicycle making began. “I wanted to know more and more,” he says.
 
After doing a few top of the line production bikes, Bock realized the next step up was custom built frames. In 1975, he built his first frame, and he claims, “That is where it all started.”
 
Over more than forty years of practice, which was done alongside teaching in the Des Moines public schools, Bock has done a variety of different designs for his clients. In his most recent restoration projects he is looking back at the work of the Wright brothers.
 
“I have always worked with very smooth lines, but now I am working on more ornate pieces,” he said as he showed off some unique new lugs.
 
For anyone wondering about his approach to his work, Bock simply quoted a line from the film Zoba the Greek: "It takes a little madness."  He then went on to add, "...and a lot of intensity, passion, and work.”
 

In participating in the upcoming Studio Tours, Bock is looking forward to gaining more exposure, to sharing his work, and to having fun with the public. 

Learn more about Jeff, his work, and the Ames Area Studio Tour by visiting our website, here.


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The Psychology of Art: A Brief Understanding                                                                                by Arts Council Intern Sarah Reiss

7/24/2016

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​Psychology is the science and practice of discovering the behavioral and thinking patterns of an individual. Most of this can be accomplished through art, such as art therapy. As I mentioned in my introduction a few weeks ago, my internship focuses on taking art and incorporating it into therapeutic entities, specifically at nursing homes.
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It is known art can spark many emotions inside of us, but understanding why can seem complex.  Observing art and also practicing making art are two ways we can become more aware of  ourselves. Psychological art can trigger learning and memory aspects. In working with senior citizens, I have discovered there are various cognitive and physical skills in this group of people, and it is influenced in the art they choose to make.

To gain a simple overview of what art therapy is, I will reference ‘Art as Therapy’ by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong. De Botton states there are seven main functions of art: remembering, hope, sorrow, re-balancing, self-understanding, growth, and appreciation. Look at each of these words, then reflect on the art in your life. How is it represented? How would you display these functions for someone else to see?

Something else I discovered in learning more about the psychology of art is making art a practice. Art is a broad term, but there is a certain magic to it which intrigues us. It is never too late to discover your creative side, to let your dreams in to be expressed. As they say, “the journey is more important than the destination.” We explore and challenge ourselves when we allow our feelings to be open. I highly recommend the book ‘Making Art a Practice’ by Cat Bennett, to gain a deeper perspective on the practice of art.

I hope you all allow the magic in your lives to be expressed for others to see!
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ISU College of Design: Art and Visual Culture department - An Overview                                 by Arts Council Intern Alyssa Steinhagen

7/13/2016

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While Iowa State University’s College of Design offers a variety of different enlightening degrees, the Art and Visual Culture department is one to note. With a unique curriculum that incorporates various media, the program allows students to learn the process of design as well as develop skills in their desired areas of focus.

The eight areas of focus include ceramics, textiles, jewelry/metalsmithing, furniture design, painting, printmaking, digital media, and photography. Along with these courses, students engage in multiple Art History classes, which enhance their development in the studio.

Ingrid Lilligren, who is head of the department, says, “The Art and Visual Culture department programs help students gain skills and knowledge in a broad range of topics and media.  Students are encouraged to participate in exhibition opportunities located on and off campus that are open to the Ames community.

Students serve as interns in the gallery at Design on Main, where they have the opportunity to interact with passers-by and members of the Ames arts community.  Combined with their academic courses, we prepare students to be successful professional studio artists, or to continue their studies in a competitive graduate program.”

The talent, skills and ideas that these students yield is something that feeds into the art culture of Ames. Ames has a booming art scene, and these students are continually proving their upcoming presence in it. In a world where graphic and technical design seem to conquer, the Art and Visual Culture program is giving their students an opportunity to keep traditional media alive.
Pieces by Ames Community Arts Council Intern and Public Relations and Arts and Visual Culture major, Alyssa Steinhagen.
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The Ames Community Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded through memberships, donations, and grants, including the City of Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA).

© 2021 Ames Community Arts Council
Our Mission:
The Ames Community Arts Council is dedicated to celebrating the arts in Ames. To this end, we strive to bring people together through the arts, and to increase arts awareness, collaboration, participation, and education.​

Mailing Address:
PO Box 1842, Ames, IA  50010
Email Address:
info@amesart.org
Phone:
515.259.0494
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