by TASI Executive Director, Greg Busceme, Sr.
Change is good, or at least inevitable. In the new year we will revamp our administration to continue to serve our community and respond to your needs. We are saying goodbye to Stephanie Orta who has served TASI with dedication and care. Thank you, Stephanie, for your diligence and dedication to our administrative office. In her place will be a crew of staffers ready to fill her shoes. We continually adjust to the needs of our arts community and work to do the best job we can. We hope to make this transition as smooth and painless as possible.
Our 40th year is upon us and the best way to celebrate is through the Beaux Arts Ball!
This year’s theme is a gem, literally, for the anniversary stone, Ruby! Instead of costumes as the main theme we thought using a color with a formal flair would be fun and let us be gorgeous in our own creative way, stretching the idea of “Ruby” in any way you desire. The team we have for the ball committee is a dynamic crew of studio volunteers who are going to blow the doors off their hinges with this event.
The BAB is derived from an end of semester celebration of students of the French Ecole De Beaux Arts, (said “boze are”) or School of the Beautiful Arts. Beaux Arts celebrants paraded through the streets on floats of nude students painted white, depicting great sculptures of the past. Like most art schools, the end of the semester is always a hectic and tortuous time of getting work finished and readying for critique by the school masters. The Ball was a perfect way to blow off steam with lots of wine and bawdy behavior (think punk band nite).
Of course, there is a more important reason for our event, as the BAB is our way to say thank you to all our members and participants and celebrate the near miracle that is The Art Studio. The love and support over these past 40 years is a testament to the unwavering support and participation of our members, artists, volunteers, and donors. We are dedicated to the support and advocacy of creative people and assisting them in their pursuit of perfecting their art. Our programs do not always make a profit, but the continuation of these programs is essential to the artistic growth and education of the children, teens, and adults’ community at the heart of what the Studio does. Our current and future programs are needed and vital to offer real help to future and veteran artists in our community. The Art Studio is a generational organization, successfully engendering all ages of participants from grandmas to grandchildren, anticipating a 4th generation as we continue to grow and flourish.
Our collaboration with United Way and the Empty Bowls project has been simply incredible. Karyn Husbands and John Rollins and all the UW Staff have been wonderful to work with and we are already talking about next year and how we can put a new spin on the project. Thanks to all the UW family organizations for becoming a part of this project by decorating the bowls and contributing your creativity to the cause. I hope the groups with whom I had the honor of working will come back to TASI and be a part of our community.
I hope everyone has a very merry holiday season, and enjoy our 40th anniversary at the Beaux Arts Ball on January 21st!
