By Morgan Nguyen, Senior Staff Writer
The warm glow of the porch light and a spread of cheese, crackers and wine greet guests at the Oxford Community Arts Center (OCAC). The real treat, however, awaits them on the third floor, where rooms that date back to 1850 and once served as college dormitories for the Oxford Female Institute now function as artists' studios. The OCAC hosts its free "Second Friday" event once a month as a local celebration of the arts.
April's event, featuring a special exhibit from Miami's Opening Minds through Art (OMA) program, will occur from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight, April 8, as an open house.
"It's a social time to enjoy the arts," said Andy Lynn, program coordinator at OCAC. "It's very community-minded as most of the musicians and artists are local. You can visit with artists and see what they do, and some have hands-on activities to share."
The Second Friday evenings feature an opening reception for that month's art exhibitions, open studios where the public can browse and talk with artists, a performance by local musicians and other art activities. The events bring together members of the Oxford community in a casual atmosphere. They also involve a number of Miami students, faculty and staff.
"Second Fridays have a nice and open environment, pretty relaxing," said sophomore Olivia Keefer, an intern with the OCAC. "It's a new and exciting atmosphere each month, but the evening also has a comforting consistency of attendance. Students, professors, OCAC board members and locals all come."
A wide variety of art forms are exhibited at the events including pottery, sculpture, textiles and oil and watercolor paintings.
Biology instructor and laboratory coordinator Mike Wright has a studio where he displays his work in polymer clay painted with acrylic paint. Most are sculpted into animals.
"I've had many unique conversations with visitors to my studio," said Wright. "Some involve the challenges of sculpting and working in polymer clay and some are about the natural histories of the animals I've sculpted or the particulars of the cartoon and children's book figures I've produced."
Artwork created through the Scripps Gerontology Center's OMA program will be displayed in the OCAC throughout April. OMA is an intergenerational art program for people with dementia. Through the program, Miami students and other community members are paired with residents at long-term care facilities in Oxford, Hamilton, Middletown and other nearby locations for a semester of weekly art classes.
All of the pieces featured in the exhibit were created by people with dementia.
Unique to tonight's event is a poetry reading by Dominique C. Hill, live music by Lisa Biales and crafting led by local Girl Scout Ella Cope. The Art Shop Co-op will also be open throughout the evening.
Wright recommended students take advantage of the opportunities and experiences offered at the Second Friday events.
"Second Fridays are a mix," said Wright. "They are opportunities to socialize with other artists while noshing on provided finger foods and beverages. Students will enjoy these events because they are free, and you never know who and what you will see and hear."