September 2014
Feature
WomanKraft Art Center and Gallery
by Diane C. Taylor
Feature
WomanKraft Art Center and Gallery
by Diane C. Taylor
WomanKraft = Woman Power
by Diane C Taylor
by Diane C Taylor
WomanKraft_photo by Jonathan Duhammel_
Just a few blocks from the heart of downtown Tucson you’ll find a 1918 Victorian mansion, once condemned and now the renovated and enhanced WomanKraft Art Center and Gallery. The pale yellow “castle” is at 388 S. Stone Avenue, just across the street from the Casa Vicente Spanish Restaurant.
Recently I chatted with Grace Rhyne, the very young and energetic executive director and web mistress; Zoe Rhyne, her slightly older and equally energetic sister and the director of exhibits and newsletter editor; and Gayle Swanbeck, a member since 1978 who is founder and director of the School of the Arts, co-director of exhibits. and the ongoing driving force behind the organization. [Full disclosure: the author is a frequent exhibitor at the gallery and, under the direction of the executive director, takes care of email marketing.]
Recently I chatted with Grace Rhyne, the very young and energetic executive director and web mistress; Zoe Rhyne, her slightly older and equally energetic sister and the director of exhibits and newsletter editor; and Gayle Swanbeck, a member since 1978 who is founder and director of the School of the Arts, co-director of exhibits. and the ongoing driving force behind the organization. [Full disclosure: the author is a frequent exhibitor at the gallery and, under the direction of the executive director, takes care of email marketing.]
WomanKraft School of the Arts
DCTaylor: Why the name “WomanKraft”? And when did WomanKraft begin and how?
Grace Rhyne: “Kraft” is German for “power”, so our name is really “Woman Power”. The organization was founded in 1974 to claim, validate and empower women artists as well as artists from other under-represented groups.
Gayle Swanbeck: In 1974 a group of eight women made up the founding mothers. In 1978 the executive director, Nancy Skreko-Martin, was awarded a large federal grant designed to help the under-employed move ahead to full employment. We met once a week in her kitchen to plan exhibits, classes, fundraising, and so forth. In 1986 we were able to rent a space on Congress at 6th Avenue. We made quite a few improvements to the space, including a spiral staircase. And then the rent was increased in mid-1991, so we started looking around for another place. That was when we moved here to the Castle, which was on the verge of being condemned. It was empty, except for the squatters who left us with more than 50 truckloads of trash and human waste. Our first events were candlelight / flashlight tours and a haunted house. The School of the Arts began in 1994, founded and nurtured by Caroline Latron and me.
DCTaylor:. Is WomanKraft a nonprofit?
Grace Rhyne: Yes, WomanKraft is a 501(c)(3) organization. Here at the castle, which WomanKraft bought in 1992, we have an art gallery, a school of the arts and various community outreach projects, It’s important to make art accessible to more people, and that’s what we do here. Over the years we’ve had a variety of businesses here with us. Right now we have the Sanctuary, an all-natural, full-service hair and body salon, as well as some studios for artists. Our staff is all volunteer.
Grace Rhyne: “Kraft” is German for “power”, so our name is really “Woman Power”. The organization was founded in 1974 to claim, validate and empower women artists as well as artists from other under-represented groups.
Gayle Swanbeck: In 1974 a group of eight women made up the founding mothers. In 1978 the executive director, Nancy Skreko-Martin, was awarded a large federal grant designed to help the under-employed move ahead to full employment. We met once a week in her kitchen to plan exhibits, classes, fundraising, and so forth. In 1986 we were able to rent a space on Congress at 6th Avenue. We made quite a few improvements to the space, including a spiral staircase. And then the rent was increased in mid-1991, so we started looking around for another place. That was when we moved here to the Castle, which was on the verge of being condemned. It was empty, except for the squatters who left us with more than 50 truckloads of trash and human waste. Our first events were candlelight / flashlight tours and a haunted house. The School of the Arts began in 1994, founded and nurtured by Caroline Latron and me.
DCTaylor:. Is WomanKraft a nonprofit?
Grace Rhyne: Yes, WomanKraft is a 501(c)(3) organization. Here at the castle, which WomanKraft bought in 1992, we have an art gallery, a school of the arts and various community outreach projects, It’s important to make art accessible to more people, and that’s what we do here. Over the years we’ve had a variety of businesses here with us. Right now we have the Sanctuary, an all-natural, full-service hair and body salon, as well as some studios for artists. Our staff is all volunteer.
view of WomanKraft Gallery
DCTaylor: How are you funded?
Grace Rhyne: We have consistently applied for and received funding from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Tucson Pima Arts Council. We receive contributions from private, board and foundation sources, and we have earned income from sales, fundraisers and events. We raise some revenues through donations of work by artists.
Our members pay $30 a year. Our School of the Arts offers workshops and classes, from making paper and mosaics to wire wrap and painting. These are free to people over 50 on fixed or low incomes and at affordable prices to all other students. We’re closed two months a year, January and August, when we make repairs and have a fundraising rummage fair boutique. We also try to put on an occasional variety show, karaoke show or staged theater performance. Details are in our Castle Voice newsletter or online at womankraft.org.
Gayle Swanbeck: We believe in collaboration. For example, our stage was the first venue for the Speak the Speech Theatre, a separate nonprofit theater organization. We have a great little stage, which we rent to others at affordable rates. We can accommodate an audience of 20 or 25. We even have lights and a high-quality sound board. For bigger performances, we’re happy to publicize the event to our members. However, we NEVER share our email list with other organizations.
Grace Rhyne: We have consistently applied for and received funding from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Tucson Pima Arts Council. We receive contributions from private, board and foundation sources, and we have earned income from sales, fundraisers and events. We raise some revenues through donations of work by artists.
Our members pay $30 a year. Our School of the Arts offers workshops and classes, from making paper and mosaics to wire wrap and painting. These are free to people over 50 on fixed or low incomes and at affordable prices to all other students. We’re closed two months a year, January and August, when we make repairs and have a fundraising rummage fair boutique. We also try to put on an occasional variety show, karaoke show or staged theater performance. Details are in our Castle Voice newsletter or online at womankraft.org.
Gayle Swanbeck: We believe in collaboration. For example, our stage was the first venue for the Speak the Speech Theatre, a separate nonprofit theater organization. We have a great little stage, which we rent to others at affordable rates. We can accommodate an audience of 20 or 25. We even have lights and a high-quality sound board. For bigger performances, we’re happy to publicize the event to our members. However, we NEVER share our email list with other organizations.
WomanKraft Variety Show event
DCTaylor: Tell me about your gallery and shows.
Grace Rhyne : We have five shows a year. Each show lasts two months. We have an opening reception on the first Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. The themes of the shows vary, so we can encourage artists to submit work in all media. We offer more accessible art, for people who want original art but at reasonable prices. We have functional art, which people can better justify buying, because it’s useful, too. We also have art that’s been donated for sale, helping us raise additional revenue.
DCTaylor: And you’re all artists?
Grace Rhyne: Zoe and I work in mixed media and assemblages, as well as teaching classes in a lot of different areas. I dance and choreograph for the nonprofit group SAFOS Dance Theatre, too.
Gayle Swanbeck: I have a degree in art. I began selling art at 13 and have spent the last 36 years teaching art. I do a little of everything, mainly what interests me at the moment. That’s been painting, jewelry, collage, mixed media, assemblage, mosaics… I like to come up with new media, such as using coffee as paint or address labels to collage.
Grace Rhyne : We have five shows a year. Each show lasts two months. We have an opening reception on the first Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. The themes of the shows vary, so we can encourage artists to submit work in all media. We offer more accessible art, for people who want original art but at reasonable prices. We have functional art, which people can better justify buying, because it’s useful, too. We also have art that’s been donated for sale, helping us raise additional revenue.
DCTaylor: And you’re all artists?
Grace Rhyne: Zoe and I work in mixed media and assemblages, as well as teaching classes in a lot of different areas. I dance and choreograph for the nonprofit group SAFOS Dance Theatre, too.
Gayle Swanbeck: I have a degree in art. I began selling art at 13 and have spent the last 36 years teaching art. I do a little of everything, mainly what interests me at the moment. That’s been painting, jewelry, collage, mixed media, assemblage, mosaics… I like to come up with new media, such as using coffee as paint or address labels to collage.
DCTaylor: You’re always making improvements to the building….
Grace Rhyne : Yes. Thanks to Josh Smith, who’s a talented metal artist, and another dedicated member, we have added a railing on the ramp to the back entrance as well as an outer front gate with wonderful metal handles on it. He also made metal doors inside the front entrance of the gallery. We’re handicap accessible and always planning more renovations, including a fence and a wider sidewalk. We’re working on expanding a recycled patio area and much more.
DCTaylor: What do you see in the future for WomanKraft?
Gayle Swanbeck: We’re working on getting people back downtown and to the gallery. It took us 22 years, but our openings saw up to 200 people. With all the downtown construction, that dropped by about 75%.
Zoe Rhyne : We’re working on building up our volunteers and members. We have a good relationship with some snowbirds, people who stop in when they get back and help out in the gallery. We don’t charge to show in our gallery. And if a person’s work is not quite ready to be shown, we’re happy to provide advice and morale support.
Gayle Swanbeck: Over the years, we’ve seen lots of lives changed. Lots of artists began with us. With the classes, participants realize dreams they didn’t even know they had….
WomanKraft is on the web at womankraft.org. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Closed for the months of January and August. Classes run year round. WomanKraft is always looking for good volunteers.
Diane C. Taylor is at http://dianesfusedglass.com/
Grace Rhyne : Yes. Thanks to Josh Smith, who’s a talented metal artist, and another dedicated member, we have added a railing on the ramp to the back entrance as well as an outer front gate with wonderful metal handles on it. He also made metal doors inside the front entrance of the gallery. We’re handicap accessible and always planning more renovations, including a fence and a wider sidewalk. We’re working on expanding a recycled patio area and much more.
DCTaylor: What do you see in the future for WomanKraft?
Gayle Swanbeck: We’re working on getting people back downtown and to the gallery. It took us 22 years, but our openings saw up to 200 people. With all the downtown construction, that dropped by about 75%.
Zoe Rhyne : We’re working on building up our volunteers and members. We have a good relationship with some snowbirds, people who stop in when they get back and help out in the gallery. We don’t charge to show in our gallery. And if a person’s work is not quite ready to be shown, we’re happy to provide advice and morale support.
Gayle Swanbeck: Over the years, we’ve seen lots of lives changed. Lots of artists began with us. With the classes, participants realize dreams they didn’t even know they had….
WomanKraft is on the web at womankraft.org. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Closed for the months of January and August. Classes run year round. WomanKraft is always looking for good volunteers.
Diane C. Taylor is at http://dianesfusedglass.com/
Security doors-Josh Smith
Stained glass-mosaic insets
by Gayle Swanbeck and Zoe
Rhyne
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WomanKraft widened sidewalk, mosaic
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WomanKraft new handrail, mosaic mural
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