Soft Cafe Table by Vanessa Georg Vargas, Center Program artist

Vanessa Georg Vargas reminds us that although objects in our lives impact us deeply, whether beloved treasures or practical tools, they can all easily disappear. Do you want to know the questions the Center Program is forcing the artists to ask themselves? Read on!

Studio Landscape, 2009-2012, mixed media on paper, 72 inches x 72 inches

We recently sat down in Istria Cafe for an interview with Melissa Oresky and Zak Boerger to discuss the works in Melissa's solo show at the Art Center. The exhibition, Trail , features 40 works on paper, as well as Melissa's first work in animation, for which Zak provided sound design.

Creativity lives within me. Creativity is the fuel that keeps me going and art is the vehicle that allows me to share my creativity with the world. There is not a day or a moment when I'm not thinking about art, from the clothes I wear, to the pictures I take, or the pots I throw. Even when I don't try to think about it I do. I can't stop. Art is just a part of who I am.

Edward Harris, member of ARTSHOP and Youth Art Board

I wish this experience could last longer. It honestly saddens me that it will be coming to an end soon because I had a great experience during ARTSHOP. I highly recommend it to other teens looking to gain a fun and engaging arts learning opportunity.

Isiah Benson, ARTSHOP teen

Charles Heppner, Center Program artist

Charles Heppner, a multidisciplinary artist in the Center Program, has complex relationships with writing, meditation, and his faith.

We talked with artist Faheem Majeed about his inspiration and process for the installation "Planting and Maintaining a Perennial Garden," on view through July 29 as part of the Hairy Blob exhibition at the Art Center.

Faheem Majeed, "Planting and Maintaining a Perennial Garden"