Click here for the prospectus and submission form.

The NAA is sponsoring a national, juried, all-media show of artwork that "defines the state of mind of a specific personality/identity at a particular space and time."
This exhibit runs from September 5 through October 11
at the Newark Arts Alliance in Newark, DE.

 

 

 

250 sculpture ‘on a roll’ for Newark’s parade
NAA Grand Opening packs them in!

The morning of Newark’s Heritage Parade, John Crowther was headed to a hardware store to save the Newark Arts Alliance’s entry. The “250 sculpture” – three colorful, five-foot-high numbers created to honor the city’s 250th anniversary, each decoupaged with historic memorabilia ­– were scheduled to be hauled along the parade route in a hay wagon.

However, nobody came through with a truck to haul the wagon, and the “float” required a quick rethinking. Crowther came up with the idea of adding wooden braces and attaching four wheels to the bottom of each number.

He and a handful of helpers got the work done on a tight deadline. As a finishing touch, they stapled colorful fringe around the base of each number.

The result was fantastic. The numbers became rolling kinetic sculptures, pushed along Main Street by Crowther, Stephen Webb, and Dave Ostheimer. The trio occasionally grabbed the handles attached to each number and spun them around, much to the delight of the crowd.

A banner preceded the numbers, carried by Terry Foreman, the NAA’s Executive Director (and Crowther’s wife), and Terri Gillespie. Susan Moore, Merry Ostheimer, Julie Webb, and youngsters Isabel Crowther, Luci and Rory Ostheimer, Cece and Helen Moore, and Zoey Webb also marched and handed out cards promoting the NAA’s new location. The chant “Hey, hey, NAA! Did you do your art today?” also rang out periodically from the marchers.

The NAA’s entry was featured with an article on the parade on the front of the local section in Sunday’s News Journal and on the paper’s Web site. Sunday evening, the numbers made an appearance at the  Newark Anniversary Banquet.

Grand opening shows off new site

Everything went beautifully Friday evening, too, as the NAA held its grand opening in the new location at 276 East Main Street. Nobody’s quite sure how the team managed to pull it off. As late as Thursday, the space didn’t look anywhere near ready.

But by 6 p.m., the “Impressions of Newark” exhibit was hung, the Gallery Shop was open for business, the red carpet was out, the tables were packed with refreshments, and the Shakin’ Sharks Steel Band from Downes Elementary School was making music out front and drawing a crowd.

The fifth-graders played steel drums and a variety of percussion under the direction of Joe Ambrosino. The students included Cole Bedford, Julia Bosso, Luke Dwornik, Mave Haimbodi, Brandon Holveck, Jared Huddleston, Finn Malmquist, Julia Murphy, Autumn Purnell, and Justin Saum.

The entertainment also included guitarist Ambrosino, guitarist/vocalist Steve Hobson, a demonstration by the Ming Tao Tai Chi Studio, strolling magician Tom Way, and belly dancer Maya.

The evening concluded with Mayor Vance Funk III presenting the NAA with a key to the city.