Brain Injury Association of Minnesota (CRANESTORM: Wishes in Flight): From February 5th thru the end of March, the customers and staff of Wet Paint folded 5,482 origami cranes for the Brian Injury Association of Minnesota's art project, CRANESTORM: Wishes in Flight. You can find more details about the project and view a couple of videos by clicking here.(Note our initial humble goal below of 1,000 cranes!) The two videos at Wet Paint were produced by Brain Injury Association of Minnesota staff Lee George & Anna Karena. They did a wonderful job with them.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. Special thanks is extended to our origami vendor & friends at Aitoh Company, San Francisco, who recently contributed 9,000 sheets of origami paper to CRANESTORM: Wishes in Flight! --2/11

Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY): Wet Paint and the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth have developed a working relationship through sheer geographic proximity. Housed on Macalester’s campus each summer, MITY provides an educational community where diverse, intellectually curious students can expand their academic and social visions. It is a premiere summer enrichment program.

For two consecutive years, students in the journalism class interviewed Wet Paint staff about our store, then published their video stories on You Tube. We've featured these videos on the Wet Paint website, too. Each year, Wet Paint funds a scholarship for the MITY summer program. Website: mity.org --3/11

The Colleagues of Calligraphy: Wet Paint’s longest running business relationship is with the Colleagues of Calligraphy; we both began in 1976! The “Colleagues” is a non-profit organization whose membership is open to everyone with a love of letters and related arts. Their mission – to promote the study and critical practice of calligraphy as a craft and as an art form, to encourage individual excellence, and to foster a wider appreciation and a deeper understanding of calligraphy, its history and applications through the free interchange of ideas and techniques – has helped to shape and inform the product selection at Wet Paint.

As both the Colleagues and Wet Paint have grown, we have nurtured each other in many ways. We often feature calligraphers brought to town by the Colleagues in our in-store programs. Many of their members have led demos at Wet Paint too. Wet Paint staff has presented at Colleagues’ meetings on new products, techniques and product knowledge.

This summer, the Colleagues of Calligraphy hosts the Midwest Calligraphy Retreat on the campus of Carleton College in Northfield. Wet Paint will travel south to supply the artists attending the retreat. This is an intensive workshop format with programs for both calligraphers and non-calligraphers, too. Website: colleaguesofcalligraphy.com --5/11

The Minnesota Center for Book Arts: One of our strongest bonds in the community is with the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA). Both of us have a deeply rooted respect for the fine art of papermaking. MCBA offers opportunities to book artists, students and the general community to learn about the book arts, develop skills and view accomplished work in the field. Their stature is international, re-enforced by their MCBA Prize, the only U.S. prize for an International Artist’s Book Award.

This award is a highlight at their Book Art Biennial 2011, “Pacing the Page.” The conference runs July 28-31, showcasing workshops, lectures, conversations and exhibits. Also this year, MCBA will create another collaborative Winter Book. Wet Paint has a tradition of purchasing a Deluxe Edition of the Winter Book from MCBA and donating it to the collection of the Minnesota Museum of American Art. In addition, Wet Paint gives financial support to MCBA’s exhibitions and artist support programming. Website: mnbookarts.org --5/11

Grand Avenue Business Association: From the beginning, Wet Paint has been a strong supporter of the Grand Avenue Business Association (GABA). Wet Paint owner, Beth Bergman, has served on the board of directors multiple times and has received GABA’s Doc Chopp Award for community service. We continue in our support by providing free community events that are incorporated into GABA’s Grand Old Day and Paws on Grand during this summer. Website: grandave.com --5/11

Bloomington Theatre & Art Center: Wet Paint’s relationship with the Bloomington Art Center was supportive, although casual & occasional at best, until Andrea Specht became the Executive Director of the Bloomington Theatre & Art Center (BTAC) in 2009. Annie worked at Wet Paint in her student days at Macalester. Through her professional development she remained close friends with Wet Paint & our staff. With her position at BTAC our relationship has grown to include support of their exhibition program, sharing of visiting artists for workshops & product support for their classes. By offering its exhibits & art classes in the Bloomington Center for the Arts (part of the Civic Plaza that also houses Bloomington’s city hall, local government offices & farmers’ market), BTAC is successful in weaving the arts into the everyday life of the citizens of Bloomington. For more information, visit their website at bloomingtonartcenter.com.

The Atelier: BTAC presents an exhibition called “On The Training of Painters: The Atelier’s Past & Present”, September 1st through October 14th. The exhibition is planned & curated by The Atelier, Studio Program of Fine Art, in Minneapolis. This studio program, founded by Richard Lack in 1969 is now directed & taught by Dale Redpath & Cyd Wicker & continues the style of painting passed on from teacher to student. The exhibit celebrates The Atelier’s 40 years of classical painting & education. It will illustrate specific steps taken by the artists when rendering realistic drawings & paintings. Wet Paint is supporting this BTAC exhibition & in addition is supporting the Atelier’s publication of the accompanying catalog. For more information, visit their website at theatelier.org.