the ArtiFactory

The ArtiFactory has space of its own!

Effective May 1 The ArtiFactory has leased space at 120 N Dubuque St (lower level of the Wesley Center).

Art + Science = Fascinating!

Come find out what happens when you merge art and science together! Jason Snell is a nationally recognized multidisciplinary artist with expertise in music, computer programming, artificial intelligence, motion design, and generative art systems.

We invite you to watch Julia Lohrman Audlehelm create a pen and ink drawing before our very eyes!

Julia is a local artist whose Iowa roots are often found in her intricate work. Clients of note include Senator Tom Harkin, the University of Iowa President’s home and the local Unitarian Universalist Society. Join us on March 21 at 1 PM to learn more about Julia’s story and her creative process.

Art in the Afternoon is the cure for the winter doldrums!

Join us as local printmaker Amy Dobrian shares her fascinating story. Learn how she develops unique works that combine printmaking with collage and hand work. February 21 at 1 pm via Zoom.

A few years ago, I traveled to northern New Mexico and visited the stunning canyons at Ghost Ranch. Ghost Ranch was Georgia O’Keefe’s home and where she painted many of the stark landscapes for which she is famous. I later learned that some of her first works were of New York cityscapes, when skyscrapers changed both the skyline and the way people lived in the 1920s. Later in life, her paintings depicting aerial views of clouds and sky were inspired by her airplane travels. O’Keefe was also known for her iconic impressions of flowers.

It fascinates me how art presents itself when we stay open.

Last week, my wife, Laurie, and I were working our morning crossword, puzzling through a series of clues in the form of quotations. As it turned out, all the clues were from famous artists: Picasso, Gauguin, Dali, and Chagall. Picasso is featured in our film review this month, so it seems appropriate to dig a little deeper into his wisdom.

How things have changed in six months!

Last February, ArtiFactory was wrapping up a study that looked at the feasibility of having a community art center in Johnson County. We were also significantly expanding our programming. Most of us had never heard of Covid, Zoom, or derecho.