And The Show Goes on Pt 3: A Closer Look With Chelas & Nobody
The next feature spotlight for the 3rd Annual Marion Courtroom Art and Music Festival shines on a woman named Chelas, and she likes to show off (and we think she should!).
Chelas and Mr. Nobody, in collaboration with The Theater of the Seventh
The Stahr Center
Sister, and in recognizing the community’s need, have turned the crumbling Stahr Amory in Lancaster, Pa. into a clean, bright, shared community art space worthy of the caliber of artists that inhabit Lancaster. Offering square footage to artists in exchange for elbow grease and muster, Chelas and Nobody embody the true community art spirit. They have and continue to provide the resources, the skills (through seminars and how-to’s classes) and the framework to make this area a truly viable Art destination by empowering its artists.
Amazing duo, Mr. Nobody (Yes, that’s his name) and Chelas, have a goal. Together these two Lancaster artists are focusing their energies on encouraging and inspiring other artists to create more art.
How are they doing this?
Chelas and Nobody's Studio Room 1 - Before
Nobody and Chelas have opened an artist studio in the lower level of the STAHR Center at 438 N Queen St in downtown Lancaster. There they have transformed the old armory, once home to the National Guard, into an artists’ wonderland. Creating whimsical art of their own and offering up wall space to other artists in exchange for volunteer work, the two of them have instigated much-needed renovations in a building that would have otherwise remained dormant.
Fulfilling The Need for Storage - Artist Studio 1 - After
What started with the need for a useable bathroom next to their studio grew into an amazing concept that they have titled “The STAHR Center Art Gallery”. Lancaster’s first volunteer based art gallery which gives beginning artists a chance to display presentable artwork free of charge, have first art shows and a chance to sell their artwork. The STAHR Center offers over 4500 SF of wall space in exchange for a few hours of cleaning, painting or fixing the old building and making it presentable to the public giving the artists, the building, the community and a dream a chance.
Chelas and Nobody's blog feature: How to Stretch A Canvas on www.stahrcenter.blogspot.com
If you want to see more projects that Nobody and Chelas are involved in, you may go to their website at www.theartiststudio.info . Not only do they offer workshops teaching people how to create quality art from practically nothing, they also involve themselves in community events such as sponsoring poetry night twice a month and a free weekly Life Drawing session. To add to their resume, they have a knack for getting artists to work together and involving themselves with collaborative art. A community wall mural and a wishing tree are just two wonderful examples of their successful inspirational projects. Keep an eye out for the upcoming “Yes Lancaster, Wishes Really Do Come True!” art show. Ooooh! And you definitely don’t want to miss their newest endeavor, Lancaster’s very first “Zombie Art Crawl” the last Saturday in October!
”The Fine Art of Zombie Crawling You might just be asking yourself, “Zombie Crawl? What in the living daylights is a zombie crawl?” Well, my friends, there is nothing living about it. Imagine you are going about your day as usual, walking down the streets of the town you live in. Nothing out of the normal but there is an odd sound in the air. It isn’t cars alarms or semi‐trucks. Wait. Is that groaning? Yes! Yes it is. Slowly, from buildings and street corners emerge none other than the living dead. Zombies of every shape and size are converging upon you. An entire hoard of them floods the sidewalks and even the streets. Coming closer with that patented zombie walk, they reach out their arms with their eyes fixed on you. So, what do you do? Join them of course!”(Snippet from the website 1st Annual Save the Bowen Foundation Zombie Crawl)
Stop by the STAHR Center Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings and see what these two artists have accomplished so far. Get involved! Check out the art! Meet the community! Get your face painted! Chelas is also one of the best face and body painters on the Eastern Coast!
Yes, this is true. Here is a Youtube Video of a slide show of Chelas’ work, more of which can be found at her website: Chelas is a Show Off
Chelas will be face painting at the http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ki0Q_ckorio“>3rd Annual Marion Courtroom Art and Music Festival and providing information about the Stahr Armory, its art studios, and her and Nobody’s services there.
