Tina Marie Ferguson Ottmar, Owner, Artist, Educator
Seniors have a great deal to offer society, but few avenues by which to contribute, sometimes there are no outlets for their artistic creativity. Artsy Smartsy strives to change all of that!
Artsy Smartsy began in 2009 in the basement activities room of Chandler Place, in St. Anthony Villiage, MN for Dolly Ferguson, Tina's late grandmother. It was a way to encourage her to meet new friends and neighbors and also to help her continue her joyful life and inspire her creativity after her husband Huberts' passing.
As of January, 2012, Artsy Smarty provides monthly classes to over 30 locations across the Twin Cities, Minnesota. We work with Co-op's, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care Residences, Adult Day services, Community Education and even the Wilder Foundation, and the Hennepin County Library system. We also are involved in the Uptown Art Fair and the Minnesota Monarch festival .
"As a professional designer, business owner and artist, I want to bring joy and meaning to seniors now and in the future. Both by encouragement and by example, I will encourage them to express their feelings, their memories and life experiences. Seniors have more knowledge and wisdom than any other segment of society, by showing them the way to make art and providing them the opportunity and materials, everybody learns." -Tina Ottmar
Tina is a Residential Designer in Minneapolis, MN. She received her Master’s Degree in Architecture from ASU in 2000, and has worked in the Architectural field for over 15 years designing custom homes. She is LEED Certified , owns the design firm, T2 Design, and has shown her art in galleries in Door County,WI and in local Art Fairs and coffee shops. Tina volunteer's as the Marketing Lead with MNCAAN (Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network) and was the secretary for MAIHN (Midwest Arts in Healthcare Network.) in 2011. She is sponsored by the Springboard Center for the Arts, for a non-profit grant program for low income seniors called the "Artsy Ageing" 2012 grant program.
We are currently book until July of 2012, and have a waiting list for future classes. If you would like to get on that waiting list for Winter 2012, please give us a call as we are filling up about 6 months in advance. Please call now!!
See more information on Artsy Smartsy and the Senior Community at these webites:
1. Twin Cities Housing Guide:
www.after55publishing.com/emags/twincitieshousingguide/20102011/pageflip.html
2. Care Options Network:
www.careoptionsnetwork.org/guidebook/senior_services/
3. Minnesota Seniors Online:
www.mnseniorsonline.com/hobbies.html
4. The Monarch Festival 2010
http://www.monarchfestival.org/activities.htm
5. Fridley Patch
http://fridley.patch.com/articles/community-ed-is-where-the-art-is
6. Augsberg College of the Third Age upcoming Silk Batik Painting classes
http://minerva.augsburg.edu/node/363