MISSION STATEMENT

MISSION
Why do we exist?
The Bloomington Art Center exists to stimulate creativity by making high quality arts programs accessible to people of all ages, skills and abilities.

AUDIENCE
Whom do we serve?
1. Citizens, primarily from the southwest metro region, seeking creative experience either as artists or viewers of art.
2. Families with children, providing art education to all ages and abilities.
3. Artists, primarily at the emerging level, from the five-state region, providing opportunities for exhibitions, performances and employment.

VALUES
What principles guide our decision making?
1. We value the importance of art in every day life.
2. We value creative work of high artistic integrity when measured by accepted critical standards of artistic quality.
3. We value freedom of artistic expression within the
acceptable norms of the community we serve.
4. We value service to our audiences and respect for our customers.
5. We value stewardship of all resources.

VISION
What does success look like five years from now?
We are a highly visible, vibrant and financially stable organization offering quality art, education and entertainment programming with broad community participation, outreach and membership.

ABOUT THE ART CENTER
Founded in 1976, the Bloomington Art Center is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Operating funds are generated by membership donations and special events, as well as corporate, government and private contributions. The Art Center is also supported by the City of Bloomington, a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as a grant from the McKnight Foundation.

The Bloomington Art Center is a member of the Bloomington Fine Arts Council, Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization, Local Community Arts League, American Association of Community Theaters and Minnesota Association of Community Theaters.

EDUCATION
The Bloomington Art Center offers classes for children and adults, for beginners and those more advanced. Sessions are offered each fall, winter and spring. The summer offerings consist of art day camps for children as well as shortened, flexible sessions for children and adults.

The studio spaces allow for work in painting, drawing, printmaking, pottery, ceramic sculpture and stained glass. Classes incorporate art history and the renowned artists, as various techniques and skills are explored. In addition to regularly scheduled classes, the Art Center offers advanced-level workshops featuring nationally-known instructors.

ARTISTS' RESIDENCIES
The Art Center has established an Artist Residency Program in which professional artist/instructors go into the schools to teach special classes or workshops. The residencies may incorporate aspects of the school curriculum or special topics requested by the individual schools. The goals are to expose students to artists and their profession, culturally enrich their scholastic experience, and encourage creative thinking.

OUTREACH
In addition to the Artist Residency Program, the Art Center brings youth hands-on art experiences by providing after-school enrichment classes to area schools. Classes are offered to preschool and home schools as well.

EXHIBITIONS
The Bloomington Art Center's Exhibition Program shows artwork of professional artists residing in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. There are usually six exhibitions per year showing quality artwork executed in a variety of media and styles. In addition, an annual 3rd District Congressional High School Art Competition is held each spring at Wells Fargo Bank, Bloomington. Free guided tours of the Bloomington Art Center Gallery are available by appointment.

MEMBERSHIP & DONATION
Membership to the Bloomington Art Center is open to individuals, families, businesses and clubs. Members receive such benefits as reduced rates for classes, eligibility to enter our annual Members' Juried Exhibition, invitations to special events and exhibit openings and the loan of books from our library.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer opportunities allow members to assist with exhibit openings, special events like our annual antique sale and gala, and general office responsibilities. Call Kristine at (952) 563-8587 if you would like to volunteer.

BAC DONORS
The McKnight Foundation
Minnesota State Arts Board
Allan and Debby Schneider
Charlotte Davis
Diana & Craig Llewellyn
The Malm Family Foundation
Sharon & Bruce Hendry
Don G. Davis Memorial
Eleanor Lee Memorial
Henry Thibault Memorial
Sandra & Richard Jacobson
Phyllis Meredith
William Muchow
Kathleen Pettit
David & Jolene Phillips
Glen Prairie Press

BLOOMINGTON FINE ARTS COUNCIL "GRAND GIVERS"
Thank you to the following businesses, foundations and individuals who support the Bloomington Fine Arts Council at the $1,000 level or higher:
Bloomington Acura Subaru
Bloomington Chamber of Commerce
Buuck Family Foundation
City of Bloomington
Crowne Plaza Bloomington
Donaldson Company Inc.
HealthPartners
Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington Hotel
Kraus-Anderson Realty Company
Mall of America
Park Nicollet Foundation
Park Nicollet Health Services
Ramada Mall of America Hotel
Richfield Bloomington Credit Union
Rotary Club of Bloomington Noon
The Toro Giving Program
Wells Fargo Bank
Xcel Energy

"GRAND GIVERS: IN-KIND"
Thank you to the following businesses that supported the 2008 Taste of Chocolate with in-kind donations of $1,000 or more:
Award Baking International
Blue Water Grille, Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul
     Airport Hotel
Ganache: Truffles for Every Occasion
Godiva Chocolatier: Mall of America West Side
     and IDS Tower, Minneapolis
Groveland Confections
The Hotel Minneapolis and restaurant Max
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant
Minnesota Monthly
Obsession Chocolates
Patisserie Margo
River Chocolate
Thomasina's Cashew Brittle
Toro Giving Program
Truffles & Tortes

OFFICE HOURS:
Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00 pm

GALLERY HOURS:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, 1:00-10:00 pm

GIFT SHOP HOURS:
Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00 pm

BAC STAFF MEMBERS

KATHLEEN H. CORLEY
Interim Executive Director
952-563-8745
kcorley@bloomingtonartcenter.com

RACHEL DALY FLENTJE
Exhibition Director
952-563-8570
rachel@bloomingtonartcenter.com

NANCY LAMBERGER
Publicity Director
952-563-8568
nanlamb@bloomingtonartcenter.com

KRISTINE MARKOVICH
Administrative Associate
kmarkovich@bloomingtonartcenter.com

BAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2009
Diana Herman - President
Geoffrey Gothro - Vice President
Karen Heintz -Treasurer
Bob Hawbaker- Secretary
Lynn James
Kate Pettit
Bruce Wiessner

BAC Artist Instructors:

Mary Axelson (BA/Concordia College, Moorhead; post graduate studies in painting and drawing, University of Minnesota; MIM, St. Thomas University) has a watercolor painting hanging in the Minnesota Governor’s Mansion.
Denise Bunkert (BS/University of Wisconsin-Stout) won a merit award in the Lake Country Pastel Society show in October. www.paintedplaces.net.
Nancy Carlson (BFA/ Minneapolis College of Art and Design) is an accomplished children’s book author and illustrator who has published more than 50 books. www.nancycarlson.com.
Paul R. Coate is a professional actor/educator who comes to Bloomington from the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival. He has taught middle and high school students theatre and music theatre. At the Bloomington Civic Theatre, he has appeared in "Fiorello" and "The Music Man." Other professional acting credits include Highland Summer Theatre, Opera Omaha, Skylark Opera and Nebraska Repertory Theatre. He holds a master's degree in Theatre from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Saundra Trom Corliss (BFA /University of Minnesota; studied at Ray College of Design in Chicago) served as an active member of the Chicago Artist’s Coalition for 15 years. She works out of her private art studio in Burnsville. www.tromstudio.com
Fred Dingler (graduate/American Academy of Art, Chicago) has had a successful career in illustration and is an acclaimed painter in both watercolor and oil.
Megan Fae Dougherty ( BA in Theatre Arts and a B.S. in Secondary Education Social Studies, History) has been working with the Bloomington Civic Theatre since last summer as a stage manger. Other theatre credits include a nation tour with Troupe America Inc. and summer stock theatre with The Utah Shakespeare Festival, and The Santa Fe Opera. She has taught many theatre classes to young people, and has coached a high school speech team. She's also worked on elementary school productions of "The Land of the Dragon" and "Winnie the Pooh."
Chrissy Fournier's career includes performing in the original Broadway production of "Sweet Charity" directed by Bob Fosse, and the Broadway and National company of "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying." She also worked with Jerome Robbins in the International company of "West Side Story" in Tokyo, Japan. Chrissy was the first choreographer for the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and a member of the original acting company. She performed at the Friar's Dinner Theatre in Minneapolis; choreographed and taught at the former Chimera Theatre Company in St. Paul as well as Wayne State University; and Oakland University in Detroit, Michigan. She has assisted John Command with Bloomington Civic's Theatre's productions of "Sweet Charity," "Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,"
"Follies," "How To Succeed In Business," "The Full Monty," " Funny Girl," "Pajama Game," "Fiorello," "Man of La Mancha," and more recently, "The Music Man."
Daniel Gardner (MFA/Indiana University-Bloomington; BFA/Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; BA/Southwestern University) is a recent transplant from Bloomington, Indiana.
Connie Gunderson (workshops in hot glass techniques in New York and Oregon) has over 30 years of experience creating beautiful works of art from stained, fused, and slumped glass to clay pottery.
Douglas House (BFA and MS/University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) teaches painting in all media for adults. See doug's work at www.douglaslhousefineartist.com.
Kim Huseonica (BA in Theatre Arts/Directing and an MFA in Acting) has worked with hundreds of young people in Bloomington and throughout the region, to explore the world of theatre and to bring its magic into kids' daily lives. She has 19 years of teaching/directing/acting experience.
Christopher Kelly is the owner of FK Art Glass and teaches classes in glass blowing, fusing and equipment design and building.
Rebecca McPeek (BA/Metropolitan State University; studied ceramics at University of Minnesota and drawing at St. Ives School of Painting, Cornwall, England) is a member of Northwoods Pioneer Gallery, an artist cooperative in Castle Danger, MN.
Cynthia Starkweather-Nelson (MFA/University of Minnesota; BFA/Northern Illinois University, DeKalb) has artwork in many corporate collections in the Midwest. A member of WARM, she was recently part of the WARM Invitational exhibit at Banfil-Locke Center for the arts in Fridley. www.starkweather-nelson.com.
Chiaki O’Brien is a certified SAORI instructor.
Claire O’Connor (MA/University of Regina, Saskatchewan; BA/University of Minnesota) has a studio at Northern Clay Center.
Erik Pearson (BA/University of Wisconsin-Superior) is the muralist who painted “Creating Together” on the northeast corner of the Bloomington Center for the Arts. He lives and works in the Carleton Artist Lofts in St Paul. www.ensnared.net.
Penny Richter (BS/Bemidji State University) is an elementary school teacher.
Janna Schneider (BA/Macalester College) recently received a Fellowship for Environmentally Sustainable Art-Making Practices from Public Arts St. Paul. She has a studio and exhibits her pottery at Fire on the Greenway in Minneapolis.
Holly Stone (BS/Wayne State University, Detroit; AA/University of Minnesota) has created murals and set designs for a number of local organizations, including a mural on permanent display in the Becker Community Center in Becker, MN.
Tom Tyler (BA/University of Minnesota) is a highly awarded painter.
Susan Fryer Voight is an award winning-artist and has studied with leading artists in many mediums. She has a studio/gallery at the Northrup King Building.
Andrew Urch (BA/St. Olaf) sells his ceramics in many regional festivals including the Uptown Art Fair. www.urchworks.com.
Troy Williams (BFA/University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire) is a ceramics artist.