Artists Image Resource Inc

TO INTEGRATE THE CREATION OF FINE ART PRINTS WITH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT EXPLORE THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE. AIR'S PRIMARY ACTIVITIES ARE TO INITIATE AND FACILITATE PROJECTS WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND TO CREATE ACTIVE LABORATORY ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ARTISTS, STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC INTERACT. AIR'S FUNDAMENTAL INTEREST IS IN HOW PRINT AND IMAGING PROCESSES ARE BEING USED IN BROADER CONTEMPORARY ART MAKING PRACTICE AND HOW THESE PRACTICES IMPACT AND REFLECT CULTURE.

PRODUCTION AND EXHIBITION:1. RESIDENT AND INDEPENDENT ARTIST PROJECTSAIR IS AN EDUCATIONAL PRINTMAKING FACILITY THAT INTEGRATES THE CREATION OF FINE ART PRINT WORK WITH INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT EXPLORE THE CREATIVE PROCESS. AIR INITIATES NEW PRINT WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS IN ORDER TO CREATE AN ACTIVE, DYNAMIC WORKING SPACE WHERE ARTISTS CAN EXPAND THEIR THINKING AND INVESTIGATE ISSUES IN THEIR WORK THAT THEY MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE. ARTIST PROJECTS AND THE DYNAMISM OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR ALL OF AIR'S OTHER PROGRAMS.THE EDUCATIONAL AND EXHIBITION PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE EACH ARTIST'S WORK, AS WELL AS THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES, THEIR WORKING METHODS AND PHILOSOPHIES, MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. AIR ACHIEVES THIS GOAL BY MOUNTING EXHIBITIONS OF THE ARTISTS' WORK, BY PRESENTING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE WORK AND THE PROCESSES USED IN ITS CREATION, AND BY MAKING THE ARTISTS AND THEIR WORK ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND TARGETED STUDENT POPULATIONS THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS.PROJECT ARTISTS WORK WITH AIR'S STAFF TO DETERMINE THE NATURE OF A PARTICULAR PROJECT. THIS INVOLVES DESIGNING THE PROJECT AND DEVELOPING A BUDGET AND A SCHEDULE FOR THE PROJECT. AIR PROVIDES ACCESS TO PRINTMAKING EQUIPMENT, STUDIO SPACE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PROJECT. AN EXHIBITION OF THE PROJECT WORK CREATED IS MOUNTED AND DISPLAYED AS PART OF AIR'S ANNUAL "PROJECTS EXHIBITION".2. PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND FORUMSAIR ORGANIZES IN-HOUSE AND TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS OF WORK PRODUCED AT THE STUDIO AND WORK PRODUCED BY OTHER PRINT SHOPS AND INDIVIDUALS. AIR ALSO MOUNTS EXHIBITIONS IN PITTSBURGH OF CONTEMPORARY PRINT WORK CREATED THROUGHOUT THE INTERNATIONAL PRINT COMMUNITY.3. ARCHIVEAN ARCHIVE OF MATERIALS FROM SIGNIFICANT ARTIST PROJECTS IS MAINTAINED BY AIR. IT CONSISTS OF PRINTS AS WELL AS OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL ITEMS INCLUDING PRELIMINARY DRAWINGS AND EARLY PROOFS. THE INVENTORY OF PRINTS IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE, AND THE ARCHIVE OF EDUCATION MATERIALS IS MADE AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH TO ARTISTS, STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS. RESIDENT ARTISTS HAVE ACCESS TO THESE MATERIALS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF A PARTICULAR PROCESS AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR PROJECTS; STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS THROUGH VARIOUS COLLABORATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS; AND INTERNS AND THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS THROUGH VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS AND EXHIBITIONS.

EDUCATION:AIR SERVES ART ORGANIZATIONS, AREA SCHOOLS (K-12), AND UNIVERSITIES BY PROVIDING COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS THAT INVESTIGATE ISSUES OF VISUAL LITERACY, CRITICAL THINKING, TEAMWORK AND CREATIVITY. AIR FURTHERS AND ADMINISTERS INTERNSHIPS FOR AREA HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

COMMUNITY ACCESS:AIR OFFERS TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES IN PRINTMAKING, PROVIDES WORKSPACE AND EQUIPMENT, AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO EXHIBITION SPACES TO ARTISTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PUBLIC.