Lehigh Valley Arts Advocate – February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR At only 46 cents per citizen, one has to ask “What does the National Endowment for the Arts actually do for the citizens of this country?” Surprisingly, a lot. The 2016 budget for the National Endowment for the Arts was $148 million dollars. Annually, the NEA awards more than 2,200 grants and cooperative agreements exceeding $130 million, funding the arts in all 50 states and six U.S. jurisdictions, including urban and rural areas, and reaching civilian and military populations. As determined by the Americans for the Arts in their Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study, the nonprofit arts and culture industry in the United States generates $135.2 billion dollars of activity annually. This activity supports 4.1 million jobs and generates $22.3 billion dollars in revenue to local, state and federal governments. That’s quite a healthy return on investment at less than four bits. Economics aside, public funding for the arts validates the important role that the arts play in our lives. Arts are the highest form of expression. They have the power to make our lives better, heal emotional wounds, and spark initiatives, As a citizen, I would gladly support $5 of my tax dollars toward increasing the budget for the NEA. It would go a lot further in bringing people together in this country than spending $30 billion dollars for a wall. Randall Forte, Executive Director

Save the Date for Young at Art!

You won’t want to miss this year’s day of creative fun for the whole family! SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2017 10:00am to 2:00pm Penn State Lehigh Valley free admission for the community lvartscouncil.org/young-at-art The day will be jam-packed with hands-on activities and performances from the participating groups, from dance routines and theatre workshops to arts demonstrations and craft projects. Kids of every age and ability will find a way to sample the arts in all forms, while parents can gather information about classes and summer camps.

Meet Our Exhibiting Artist

THOMAS AUGUSTA January / February “As a painter, I am more interested in how the subject appeals to me. I paint what I think is pleasing or compelling to the eye. My watercolors are more detailed than others, I try to bring in the viewer in with color, composition and detail.” Thomas is a watercolor painter currently living in Bethlehem, PA, painting plein air and in his “Crow’s Nest Studio” at home. His inviting watercolor landscapes and still lives capture light and color, creating a balanced and interesting setting that tells a story. Thomas’s exhibit will be on display in our office until the end of February – stop by and see the collection!

Exhibiting Artist Page

Arts Alive 2017

Engage Your Mind & Spirit! Join us in exploring the “intimacy of space” as imagined by a landscape architect, captured in a musical salon, and depicted in the wearable art of a metalsmith. Expand your appreciation for the arts by attending one (or all three) of our Arts Alive offerings! SPECIAL MEMBER PRICING FOR SERIES TICKET Enjoy all three 2017 Arts Alive events for the price of $60 (savings of $15)!

PURCHASE ARTS ALIVE SERIES TICKET

▪ How Does Your Garden Show? Saturday, April 29, 2017 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | Garden Design, Inc. PURCHASE TICKETS ▪ Music of Friends Saturday, June 17, 2017 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | Home of Janet & Malcolm Gross PURCHASE TICKETS ▪ Wearable Sculpture Sunday, October 15, 2017 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | Studio of Loretta Tryon PURCHASE TICKETS

Upcoming Performances

MORAVIAN COLLEGE MUSIC INSTITUTE February 18 at 7:30pm Sounds of New Orleans Foy Hall, Moravian College February 19 at 2:00pm Gamelan Gita Semara Foy Hall, Moravian College February 26 at 4:00pm An Afternoon of Jazz Foy Hall, Moravian College March 16 at 7:30pm Expressionism – The Art & the Music Peter Hall, Moravian College March 19 at 7:00pm Moravian College Jazz Fusion Ensemble & Jazz Combo II Foy Hall, Moravian College March 24 at 7:30pm Moravian College BIG Band Foy Hall, Moravian College March 26 at 4:00pm Early Music Ensembles Peter Hall, Moravian College March 26 at 7:00pm Celtic Ensemble – “Heather & Thistle – Music of Scotland” Peter Hall, Moravian College March 31 at 7:30pm Moravian College Dance Company Foy Hall, Moravian College

MORAVIAN COLLEGE THEATRE COMPANY February 23 at 8pm Boeing-Boeing Arena Theatre, Moravian College February 24 at 8pm Boeing-Boeing Arena Theatre, Moravian College February 25 at 8pm Boeing-Boeing Arena Theatre, Moravian College February 26 at 2pm Boeing-Boeing Arena Theatre, Moravian College

PENNSYLVANIA SINFONIA ORCHESTRA March 5 at 4pm An Afternoon with Mozart Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown

Mark Your Calendar For Pottstown ArtsWalk – A Free Event – Saturday, January 7, 2017!

POTTSTOWN, PA  –  “We have always recognized and embraced what the arts and collaboration can do for a community”, said Erika Hornburg-Cooper, ArtFusion19464. Join us for a day of discovery on Saturday, January 7, 2017. Arts and culture organizations, local businesses and restaurants are teaming up to bring you an amazing day of fun, food and entertainment. “The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority (PDIDA) is excited to be a part in this venture. It has been very exciting to see our downtown community pull together with our arts and cultural organizations to create this amazing event,” states Sheila Dugan, PDIDA.

Viewing the art in a kind of “pub crawl” format adds to the fun and energetic quality of this event. Family-friendly activities are scheduled from 2 to 4 pm and from 4 to 8 pm more great activities designed for adults. Nearly 20 downtown business will be open to showcase original artwork displays and live musical entertainment.

 

“It all starts with the arts!” said Lauren Pierson-Swanson, Steel River Playhouse. “To know Pottstown is to love it. The people behind the businesses and attractions on and around High Street are smart, driven and dedicated to this beautiful historic town. Art has always been a catalyst in the rejuvenation of American communities and is the focus of Pottstown ArtsWalk.”

While this event is free, we ask that you pre-register for your free ticket. Each is valid for one person to join the Pottstown ArtsWalk on Saturday, January 7, 2017, and you can order as many as you need. Visit www.artfusion19464.org/artwalk.

Get a taste for all the activities, food and arts presentations. Here is a list of venues and artists joining us Saturday, January 7th to showcase Pottstown and all that the our community has to offer:

@107, 107 E. High St. and Advantage Insurance – music by Cordilla Arcay and Matt Asti and original artwork display from John Quinn; light refreshments; wine tasting

ArtFusion 19464, 254 E. High St. – local artists’ collections, an interactive art experience, and soup bowl glazing fundraiser

Ballroom on High, 310 E. High St. – free dance lesson and live band dance with Temple Avenue; refreshments

Beverly’s Pastry Shop, 322 E. High St. – discounts on sweet treats

Connections on High, 238 E. High St. – custom portrait making and local artists’ displays; hot holiday beverages

Grumpy’s Handcarved Sandwiches, 137 E. High St.– Pottstown HS Culinary Arts students will be making/serving complimentary hors d’oeuvres; discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

High Street Music, 135 E. High St. – original artwork display by Pottstown HS students and the Craig Clemens Jazz Trio

iCreate Cafe, 130 King St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine, 235 E. High St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

Lily’s Grill, 115 E. High St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

MCCC North Hall Gallery, 16 E. High St. – staged reading of A Bright Room Called Day by Tony Kushner

Memory Madness Photo Studio, 16 N. York St. – open house

MOSIAC Community Land Trust, 10 S. Hanover St. – painting Schuylkill River rocks for placement in gardens around town

Potts & Penn Family Diner, 80 E. High St. – discounts on food/meal during the ArtsWalk

Smith Family Plaza, 100 E. High St. – view sculptures by Eric Berg

Steel River Playhouse, 245 E. High St. – hand-made theatrical costume display by Ally Boughter; artwork by Thomas Poplawski

The Carousel at Pottstown, 30 W. King St. – meet artists of the all-volunteer organization and hear presentations on the project’s history

The Hill School Center for the Performing Arts, 780 Beech St. – paper lantern art activity and backstage tours

Weitzenkorn’s, 145 E. High St. – view works by our families fifth generation, light refreshments

To get the latest update on locations and activities, visit artfusion19464.org or www.steelriver.org. Don’t forget to pre-register for Pottstown ArtsWalk! Visit www.artfusion19464.org/artwalk.

Pottstown ArtsWalk is brought to you in partnership through ArtFusion19464, Steel River Playhouse, @107, Proudly Pottstown and Advantage Insurance Group.

P.S. A great ending to a great day with lots of laughs! The N Crowd Improv Group from Philly will be at Steel River Playhouse for an 8 pm show! Tickets available at www.steelriver.org

ArtFusion 19464 Connects Kids And Art

Pottstown, PA – ArtFusion 19464 is proud to announce three free programs sponsored by The Greater Pottstown Foundation that will be running this fall. Kids 8 to 12 can choose between Art Academy and Clay Academy. In Art Academy, students will explore different mediums from drawing to recycled art. Clay Academy gives each student the opportunity to create pottery using hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques. For teen 13 to 17, Teen Clay Studio will give them the opportunity to design and create amazing self-directed projects in clay.

The application deadline for these programs is September 30, 2016. Applications can be downloaded at artfusion19464.org/classes/scholarshipsprograms/. Interested parents can also stop by 254 E. High St. to pick up a paper copy.  Spaces will be filled on a first come, first served basis. While ArtFusion encourages everyone who is interested to apply, those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and those who have not attended a free program at ArtFusion before will be given priority.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Classes do run outside of gallery hours.

Free Summer Programs At ArtFusion 19464

Images of student work

Images of student work

Images of student work

Images of student work

POTTSTOWN, PA – In addition to their regular class schedule, ArtFusion is very proud to offer three free programs during their summer session of classes. All three porgrams are sponsored by The Greater Pottstown Foundation. For kids ages 8-12, Art Academy is a general arts exploration class where students work with many different mediums. Clay Academy teaches students how to create with clay. Teen Clay Academy will challenge teens 13-17 to design and create an amazing self-directed project in clay.

The application deadline for all three programs is June 3, 2016. Applications can be downloaded at artfusion19464.org/classes/scholarshipsprograms/. Interested parents can also stop by 254 E. High St. to pick up a paper copy.  Spaces will be filled on a first come, first served basis. While ArtFusion encourages everyone who is interested to apply, those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and those who have not attended a free program before will be given priority.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

MCCC Awards Student Artists At The 38th Annual Montgomery County High School Art Exhibition‏

Students from area high schools participated in Montgomery County Community College’s 38th Annual Montgomery County High School Art Exhibition, and 31 students received Awards of Excellence for their artwork. Photograph by Arnold Winkler.

Blue Bell, Pa.—More than 150 parents, students, teachers and community members attended the opening reception and awards ceremony for the 38^th Annual Montgomery County High School art show on March 9 at Montgomery County Community College’s Fine Arts Center Gallery, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell.

During the awards presentation, 31 students received certificates in recognition of their artwork, along with gifts of sketch pads and pencils. MCCC’s art faculty served as judges of the show, which included 260 entries from area high schools.

The following students received Awards of Excellence:

Hatboro-Horsham High School: Catherine La Salle, “Strawberry Heart;” and Celine Santoro, “Greed.”

The Haverford School: Conor Bradley, “Rainy Day;” and Parker Handerer, “Soda Pop Abstraction.”

Lower Moreland High School: Mary Bridget Dykan, “Lucy;” and Samantha Maurawsky, “Abstract Flower.”

Methacton High School:  Emma Cortellessa, “Pears;” Olivia Lauman, “Electric Bones;” Juliana Nemitz, “Not Your Elvis Pelvis;” Kevin Roy, “Anna;” and Somaly Tum, “Nature.”

North Penn High School:  Nora Alamiri, “Still Life;” Jessica Rogovin, “Breathless;” and Florianna Tulli, “Sister.”

Perkiomen Valley High School: Maura Cunningham, “The Big Tree.”

Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School: Kara Wilson, “Into the Woods.”

Souderton Area High School: Ellie Andrade, “Art Supplies;” Alison Casagrano, “Mosaic;” Caitlin Dechert, “Helpless;” Lydia Kulhanjan, “Tea Tree Set;” and Cara Romaniello, “Yarnspiration.”

Springfield Township High School:  Brennan Grimes, “Skull and Pearls;” and Patrick Pascal, “Trophy Pose.”

Spring-Ford High School: Elizabeth Camilleri, “Café;” Darien Carpenter, “Rose Garden Necklace;” Abbie DelRomano, “All Lives Matter;” and Madison Michel, “Detour Through Central Park.”

Upper Dublin High School: Ester Kim, “Empty.”

Upper Merion Area High School: Douglas Burkitt, “Pensive Stare.”

Upper Moreland High School: Romala Hopkins, “Morning Dew;” and Janet Patel, “Zebra.

The exhibit opened March 9 and will continue through March 25. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed weekends.

The next exhibit at the Fine Arts Center Gallery, the 49^th Annual Art Students’ Exhibition and Competition, opens on April 11 and runs through April 29 and features the artwork of MCCC students. The community is invited to the opening reception and award ceremony on Wednesday, April 20, 5-7 p.m. For more information about the exhibition, contact Gallery Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts for information about upcoming performances and art exhibitions.

ArtFusion Artists Win Best In Show‏

Arboreal by Joe Hoover

Messenger by Gwendolyn Lanier-Gardner

Joe Hoover and Gwendolyn Lanier-Gardner were the winners of the Best in Show competition during ArtFusion’s 2016 Winter Member Show. The two artists won their own show in the ArtFusion gallery in the fall of 2016. The show promises to be an amazing exhibition of work, showcasing the work of Joe, who has been a Working Artist member for over 10 years and Gwendolyn, who joined the group two years ago.

Visitors to ArtFusion’s gallery during the show were asked to choose their favorite artist and make a donation in support of that artist winning Best in Show. Each $1 donation counted as one vote. All proceeds from this fundraiser help support the non-profit community art center.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Free Art Programs‏ Offered At ArtFusion 19464

POTTSTOWN, PA – In addition to their regular class schedule, ArtFusion is very proud to offer six free programs during their winter spring session of classes. Two programs for kids are sponsored by The Greater Pottstown Foundation. For kids ages 8-12, Art Academy is a general arts exploration class where students work with many different mediums, and Clay Academy teaches students how to create with clay. Both classes begin February 26. The application deadline for these two programs is February 5, but applications will still be accepted until the programs are full.

Three teen programs are also sponsored by The Greater Pottstown Foundation. Teen Mixed Media Studio will introduce teens 13-17 to pottery, glass, drawing, painting and recycled art.  Mixed Media Studio begins April 6. Teen Clay Academy, which begins April 22, allows teens to explore both handbuilding and wheel work. The application deadline for both programs is March 16.

Poetry in Place is a brand new program that engages students in reading and listening to contemporary American poetry, including song lyrics.  Students will also participate in experiential activities, exploring how poetic devices help the poet and reader connect. This program begins on March 18 and has an application deadline of March 4.

Stretch, Read, Create! is a free program sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church and the Mary N. Porter Designated Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward County. In this fun program, preschoolers 3 to 5 years old and their parent will participate in a short yoga session, listen to a story and then create an art project based on the book. Classes currently run from 10:30am-11:30am on Wednesdays. This program is free but ArtFusion asks that you RSVP to 610-326-2506. There are a limited number of available spaces.

Applications can be downloaded at artfusion19464.org/classes/scholarshipsprograms/. Interested parents can also stop by 254 E. High St. to pick up a paper copy.  Spaces will be filled on a first come, first served basis. While ArtFusion encourages everyone who is interested to apply, those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and those who have not attended a free program before will be given priority.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Artist’s Reception: Jacqueline Lewis, Fine Art Photography

A Celebration of Art & Travel The Lehigh Valley Arts Council and Discover Lehigh Valley have teamed up this holiday season to present an exhibition of fine art photography by Jacqueline Lewis. Titled “A Celebration of Arts and Travel,” the exhibition features framed and canvas presentations of fifty images, capturing the wonder of Lewis’ travels to both exotic destinations and to cherished sites in the Lehigh Valley. Several award-winning images and a few of her favorites are among the photographs available for sale. Most notable are seven photographs recently selected for permanent display on the 18th floor of new, 40-story, Gensler-designed PNC Bank Tower in Pittsburgh. The exhibition runs November through December at the Arts Council’s office and across the hall at Discover Lehigh Valley in the Butz Corporate Center, 840 Hamilton Street, in Allentown. Proceeds from the commission on all sales will support Arts & Access, the program to expand cultural accessibility for people with disabilities. Please rsvp to info@lvartscouncil.org or 610-437-5915 for the reception on Thursday, November 12, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Visitors are welcome during business hours, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is recommended that you call ahead of your visit to view the exhibit.

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About the Lehigh Valley Arts Council The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is the region’s central voice for the arts, promoting arts awareness and advocating its value while strengthening access to the arts for all citizens in our community. The Arts Council’s mission is to promote the arts; to encourage and support artists and their development; to assist arts organizations; and to facilitate communication and cooperation among artists, arts organizations, and the community. Services include arts research and advocacy, professional development seminars, publications, and cooperative regional marketing initiatives.

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Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101 610-437-5915 / operations@LVArtsCouncil.org www.LVArtsCouncil.org / www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org

New Exhibit Features Best In Show Winners At ArtFusion

Attached: mconceptions.jpg. logo image for the show
© 2015 Microsoft Terms Privacy & cookies Developers English (United States)

Pottstown, PA – ArtFusion’s latest show MythConceptions will open on November 7 and run through November 21.  This show will feature artwork from the winners of the Best in Show contest from ArtFusion’s 2015 Winter Member Show. Visitors to the show voted for their favorite artists and the two artists who received the most votes won their own show. Artists Dora Siemel and Gwendolyn Lanier-Gardner will present an amazing collection of 3D and 2D artwork. Gwendolyn and Dora invite the community to a meet the artists reception on Friday, November 13 from 6-8pm.

Dora Siemel was born in Matto Grosso, Brazil. In addition to being a sculptor, she is a poet, a computer consultant, a martial artist and a yoga instructor.  Dora has had her own studio in Green Lane, Pennsylvania since 1992. Her sculpture medium is clay. The colors come from any combination of glazes, oxides, paints and waxes. Dora says, “When it feels appropriate, I incorporate found objects into my sculptures. These can be metal, fiber, bone or anything else that seems to fit with the rest of the sculpture.”

Her work has been included in various juried shows including the Pottstown Area Artists Guild’s “Art on the Hill” show, the Lansdale Festival of the Arts, the Norristown Art League, the Meadowood Art Show, the Woodmere Art Museum Show, the Phillips Mill Art Show, the New Hope Art League Show, the Bucks Byers Fever Show, the Bucks County Sculpture Show, the FODC Show and the GoggleWorks Annual Show. Her pieces have won numerous local prizes, including three “Best of Show” awards.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Gwendolyn Lanier- Gardner began making art in 2000 at the Essex Art Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts. In 2009 Gwendolyn received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Studio Arts degree at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston MA.  Her primary focus as an undergraduate was Ceramics Figurative Sculpture. In 2012 she received her Post Baccalaureate in Graduate Studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia PA, where her exploration of drawing led her to her current body of work.

Gwendolyn’s art has been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Lawrence Eagle Tribune, and at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts during the 2008 NCECA Confluence Conference. She has shown her work at the Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, Katherine Weems Gallery in Boston, and other galleries across the East Coast. Gwendolyn is currently a Working Artist Member and instructor at ArtFusion.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

ArtFusion Partners With Community Music School

POTTSTOWN, PA – ArtFusion 19464 is excited to begin a collaboration with the Community Music School in Trappe (www.cmsmusic.org). Since 1991, Community Music School has proudly served the region by providing music education and performance experiences for people of all ages, abilities and economic circumstances. CMS has a long-standing tradition of enhancing their musical performances with the visual arts.

Starting in the fall of 2015, ArtFusion will begin curating art exhibits in the CMS facility. ArtFusion is excited about this opportunity to bring their artists to a wider audience and spread the word about their mission. The first show was a student faculty show that ran during September. The second show, opening October 10, features the art of Richardson Comly. The show’s reception will be held in conjunction with CMS’s first Little Night Music concert series of 2015. Guests can view the art and enjoy refreshments from 6:30-7:30pm. Tickets are still available for the concert, which starts immediately following the reception. For ticket information, please call CMS at 610-489-3676.

The two organizations are also working on creating educational opportunities, both at the CMS facility and at ArtFusion in Pottstown. New for fall 2015 is a music and art program for preschoolers and homeschoolers. The class will be held at CMS in the fall and will be held at ArtFusion the following spring. The class for preschoolers runs 9:30am-11am each Monday for 6 weeks and begins November 2. The other class is geared towards elementary age students who are being homeschooled. That class begins November 3. Class runs from 2-4:30pm every Tuesday for 6 weeks. For complete class descriptions, please visit artfusion19464.org/classes.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Community Music School is a non-profit 501c(3) organization where music education is at the core of our programming. Since 1991 CMS has proudly served the region by providing music education and performance experiences for people of all ages, abilities and background. The school’s main campus at 775 W. Main Street in Trappe holds 20 teaching studios and a 200-seat performance hall. New this year, the school is proud to offer lessons at its first satellite location at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Pottstown. With more than 500 students participating in our music programs each week, Community Music School has become the region’s premiere resource for the highest quality music education.

ArtFusion Highlights Inspiring Women

Her Story by Barbara Tschantre

Pottstown, PA – ArtFusion 19464’s latest educational exhibit Her Story opened on September 19 and will run through October 31. This show highlights artwork inspired by women’s history, celebrating notable woman and also addressing important issues, both from the past and today, that highlight the evolution of a woman’s role in society.

ArtFusion is asking for their community’s help in creating collaborative exhibit of the women who have inspired and impacted their lives. The woman can be living or deceased, internationally famous or just a rock star in your eyes. She can be someone you have never met, someone whose writing or actions have inspired you; or she can be someone who has made a difference in your life today through her mentoring, teaching and encouragement.

You can submit your entry through a form on their website or by stopping by their 254 E. High St. location. They do ask that each submission be accompanied by a $5 donation, to help defray the costs of this project and the Her Story exhibit. All submissions will be added to the dedicated community exhibit wall in the ArtFusion main gallery. They will accept submissions until the end of the show on October 31. All entries will be photographed and added to an online archive for the exhibit.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Montgomery County Community College To Host Chester County Art Association’s Invitational ‘Members Show’

Yellow Roof by Sherry McVickar

Floral by Monique Kendikian-Sarlessian

Black Cows by Heather Davis

Red by Favi Dubo

Pottstown, PA— Montgomery County Community College is pleased to host Chester County Art Association’s (CCAA) Invitational “Members Show” at its Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown from Wednesday, Sept. 16, through Friday, Oct. 16.

A “Meet the Artists” reception is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 5-7 p.m. Both the exhibit and the reception are free and open to the community and are sponsored by Alice Legge Penza.

This exhibit features an array of artwork in a variety of media of more than 20 participating members, including:  Annette Alessi, Favi Dubo, Heather Davis, Karen Delaney, Jim Fitzgerald, Marcia Gasser, Joseph Hoover, Hugo Hsu, Rhoda Kahler, Monique Kendikian-Sarlessian, Emily Manko, Jeremy McGirl, George McMonigle, Sherry McVickar, Kathy Miller, Roe Murray, Wendy Scheirer, Don Shoffner, John Suplee, Eileen Tolan and Denise Vitollo. McVickar is the curator of the exhibit.

“The CCAA Members Invitational show at Montgomery County Community College includes a curated selection of CCAA artists. Within the show, visitors will witness tremendous artistic talent and focus, while viewing a range of materials and subject matter. The Chester County Art Association is proud to have these artists represent our organization, and we thank the Montgomery County Community College for this wonderful opportunity in their unique and beautiful venue,” said Karen Delaney, executive director of the CCAA.

CCAA’s roots extend back to 1931 when it was founded by several prominent artists and community leaders, including illustrators William Palmer Lear and N.C. Wyeth, and art critic Christian Brinton, according to CCAA’s website. The group met weekly in private homes to sketch and plan exhibits, and for several years, they held their exhibits at West Chester University.

In the early 1950s, area resident Mary E. Page Allinson donated an acre of land in West Chester, where CCAA’s present art center was built in 1953. With donations from resident WW “Chick” Laird and bequests from Stewart Huston and Alison Farmer Wescott, CCAA added four acres, a second gallery and several studios by 1974.

Since its founding, CCAA’s mission “is to be a source of inspiration, creativity, and community by connecting artists, students, patrons and the wider community to and through art.”  CCAA hosts several art-focused community programs, including summer day camps, classes for adults and children and scholarships for deserving youth, and it has a satellite location known as the Exton Square Studio. For more information about CCAA, visit http://www.chestercountyarts.org/.

MCCC’s gallery hours are Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about the exhibit or the gallery, contact MCCC Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

For the more information about upcoming exhibits and activities, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts, and visit our website at http://mc3.edu/arts/fine-arts.

Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of the Galleries. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College Foundation at 215-641-6530.

Fall Classes And Programs Set To Start At ArtFusion

single messy hands

POTTSTOWN, PA – ArtFusion’s fall session of classes is set to begin the week of September 22. Perennial favorites for young artists like Creative Kids, Crafty Kids, and Teen Studio are back as well as some great new classes like Cartoon Painting and Sew Fun.  Adults can also get in on the creative fun with great classes teaching drawing and painting, pottery, stained glass, art journaling and more. ArtFusion offers one day workshops as well as multi-week classes. To see a complete list of classes please visit artfusion19464.org/classes.

In addition to their regular class schedule, ArtFusion is very proud to offer five free programs this fall for kids of all ages. Applications can be downloaded at artfusion19464.org/classes/scholarshipsprograms/. Interested parents can also stop by 254 E. High St. to pick up a paper copy.  Spaces will be filled on a first come, first served basis. While ArtFusion encourages everyone who is interested to apply, those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and those who have not attended a free program before will be given priority.

Four programs are sponsored by The Greater Pottstown Foundation. For kids ages 8-12, Art Academy is a general arts exploration class where students work with many different mediums, and Clay Academy teaches students how to create with clay. Thai Language and Art is for kids 10-14 and teaches the Thai language through interactive art projects. All three programs begin Friday, October 2 and run from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm. The application deadline is September 19.

Teen Mixed Media Studio, also sponsored by The Greater Pottstown Foundation, will introduce teens 13-17 to pottery, glass, drawing, painting and recycled art.  Mixed Media Studio begins Wednesday, September 30 and runs from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm for 10 weeks. The application deadline is September 16

Stretch, Read, Create! is a free program sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church and the Mary N. Porter Designated Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward County. In this fun program, preschoolers 3 to 5 years old and their parent will participate in a short yoga session, listen to a story and then create an art project based on the book. This program is free but they ask that you RSVP to 610-326-2506. There are a limited number of spaces available.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 am-5:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am-3:00 pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

SUMMER FAMILY WHEEL THROWING (Adults And Children) With Kristen VonHohen

$20.00–$45.00

Want a taste of throwing on the wheel without signing up a multi-week class?  Try this mini 2-day workshop!  Your first day will be spent learning how to throw clay on the wheel.  A few weeks later, in your second class, you will glaze your creation, making them beautiful and food safe.  Class size will be limited based on the availability of the wheels.  SUMMER SESSION:  Friday, July 24 from 10:30 am-noon for your wheel class. All students will come back on Friday, August 14 from 10:30-11:30 am to glaze their work. $40 (member), $45 (non-member). Tuition covers one adult and one child. Each additional child or adult is only $20.

PLEASE NOTE:  There is room for 2 parent/child pairs on 7/24.

Click here to go to the ArtFusion website.

Pittsburgh: Best Places In The World To Visit

Honors Anthropology Students Gain Cultural Insight Through Service Learning

CCATE 1: Montgomery County Community College Honors Program student Sussan Saikali works on homework with Kevin, a participants in the Center for Culture, Art, Training, and Education’s (CCATE) after school program.

Blue Bell, Pa.—Eleven students enrolled in Dr. Lynn Swartley O’Brien’s Honors Cultural Anthropology course at Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) recently participated in a service learning project in partnership with the Center for Culture, Art, Training, and Education(CCATE) in Norristown.

“I wanted to give [the students] an immersive experience in another culture,” O’Brien said. “I wanted them to experience culture shock and look at others, and ultimately themselves, in a new perspective.”

Throughout the fall semester, the students—all scholars in MCCC’s comprehensive Honors Program—volunteered at least two hours, one night per week as peer mentors at CCATE’s after school program. The program works to equip Norristown Latino middle and high school students with the skills needed to succeed socially and academically in American culture, while respecting their Latin roots.

O’Brien believes that service projects, particularly peer-mentor programs, are innovative because they create a mutually beneficial relationship between mentors and mentees.

CCATE 2: Montgomery County Community College Honors Program student Samantha Smyth read with students in CCATE’s after school program in Norristown.

“Students in CCATE had positive role models who helped them with their homework [while]…the Honors students reported that the experience was a positive one,” O’Brien said.

Cassandra Davis, one of the Honors students who volunteered at CCATE, felt culture shock in the form of a language barrier.

“My first Spanish reading session at CCATE made me feel completely isolated. All the students and even most of the volunteers could speak Spanish,” Davis said.

Davis could not speak the native tongue of many of the young children with whom she worked.

The culture shock did not last long, however. The reciprocal relationship of the mentor-mentee model was illustrated when two of the young mentees helped to ease Davis’s anxieties by teaching her some Spanish.

“I would help them with homework, then they would help me with Spanish during reading time,” Davis said.

O’Brien said that some students have reported that the experience was “life changing.”

This seems to be especially true for Davis, who still volunteers at CCATE even though the requirements of the project ended months ago.

Davis and her classmates are not the only students who have seen the value of service learning projects under O’Brien’s tutelage.

In fact, last semester, O’Brien had her online cultural anthropology students research charities that work on significant social issues outside the United States and Europe. One group of online students chose to raise money for Heifer International, a non-profit organization that works to eradicate poverty and hunger through sustainable community development.

“[The students] raised over $300—enough to buy a water buffalo for a family in need,” O’Brien said. “They learned about the sustainable gift of an animal—a gift that will keep giving and producing more for an agricultural family in need.”

O’Brien has also overseen fundraising projects that have procured money for Aid for Africa and other organizations. She has even organized a project that had students volunteer at a local excavation site as part of her archaeological anthropology course.

“Overall, I think my civic projects have been successful,” she said. “Some students have initially been resistant or indifferent, but many more students have had positive outcomes.”

Multiple Honors students reported that they have benefited from the cultural values they learned from the predominately Latino community at CCATE. For example, student Jessica Miller recognized the emphasis Latinos place on family.

“I believe there are hidden diamonds in every culture, and we need to be active in discovering them and, if appropriate, incorporating them into our own lifestyles. For example, Latinos highly value family relationships. I want to do the same,” Miller said.

O’Brien believes that anthropological studies are an important component of a liberal arts education, emphasizing multiculturalism for this very reason.

“Students in cultural anthropology learn about the endless cultural diversity that abounds in our world. It is amazing when students learn that things in their world that they take as ‘natural’ such as family, gender, and economics, can be construed and understood in profoundly different ways by different cultures in other parts in the world. I think it is inspiring,” O’Brien said.

“When we have the self-realization that our circumstances are a product of culture, we begin to understand the power we have to change them,” she continued. “As the anthropologist Margaret Mead said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’”

These lessons seem to be firmly engrained in Samantha Smyth, another one of O’Brien’s Honors students.

“CCATE has made me understand that it is important to be involved in your community and that things are not just going to magically get better in society. We have to work towards betterment and it takes efforts like this to begin the process,” Smyth said. “I now know that all it takes is two hours a week to change a young person’s outlook on things.”

Miller also recognized how easy it was to make an impact on a child.

“Because of [those] 10 weeks, I believe that I can make a difference in the life of a child, even if I never verbally express how important they are. By taking the time to listen to their stories; by chasing them up and down the gym; by dancing with them to help them memorize their multiplication tables, kids realize that they are worth a person’s time, energy, and resources,” Miller said.

“Overall,” Miller added, “service learning has a circular effect and creates role models for the next generation.”

O’Brien is encouraged by the work her students did in the fall semester and believes that she will see the rewards of this “circular effect” in the near future.

The mere presence of college students who care implicitly communicates a very important message to the young middle and high school students—that college is an attainable goal.

“I can’t wait to see some of these students at CCATE in my classes at MCCC in just a few years. I know that what we are doing there as mentors and volunteers will help to pave the way for these young people going to college,” O’Brien said.

See Life Through Their Lens

“Nightfire” by John Rizzo

“Vineyards in Winter” by Mary Kosar

“Rusty Summer” by Carol Brightbill

POTTSTOWN, PA – ArtFusion 19464 is proud to announce a new all photography show opening in their main gallery. Shutter showcases the work of 20 local photographers, giving visitors a unique view of the world of each artist as seen through the lens of their camera. The show includes a wonderful diversity of style, from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and textural pieces that intrigue the eye and engage the mind.

Shutter will run through March 21 and can be viewed any time during regular hours. The ArtFusion gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-3pm. They are closed Sunday and Monday.

ArtFusion invites the greater Pottstown community to a reception on Saturday, March 14 from 12-2pm. Light refreshments will be served. All receptions are free and open to the public. RSVPs to 610-326-2506 are appreciated.

Participating artists are George Abruzzo, Kristy Bell, Carol Brightbill, Melanie Franz, Lisa Foster, Bob Hakun, Crystal Haring, Joe Hoover, Mary Kosar, Sylvia Landis, Charles McCann, Pam McLean-Parker, Donna Meyers, Geoffrey Meyers, Beverly Nuzzo, Gwendolyn Parrish, Peter Rampson, John Rizzo, Richard Whittaker and Jacqueline O. Young.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

MCCC To Host ‘Color Blast’ Exhibit In Pottstown

“Winged Victory,” 2014, oil on linen, by Valley of Peace Burke.

Photo caption: “Dancing the Night Away,” acrylic, by Lois Schlachter.

Photo caption: “Dancing the Flamenco,” by Patricia Wilson-Schmid.

Pottstown, PA— Montgomery County Community College continues its 2014-2015 fine arts season with the exhibit “Color Blast,” which opens on Monday, Nov. 3, at the Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown. A “Meet the Artists” reception is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 5-7 p.m. Both the exhibit, which continues through Dec. 12, and the reception are free and open to the community.

“Color Blast” features the vibrant artwork of three artists, who are brought together through this exhibit and their shared enthusiasm for color:  Valley of Peace Burke of Long Island, New York; Lois Schlachter of Spring Mount, Pennsylvania; and Patricia Wilson-Schmid of Lederach, Pennsylvania.

While color unites the exhibit, each artist has her own distinct style and personality, as reflected in the art.

Working as both an artist and a registered cardiac surgery intensive care nurse, Valley of Peace Burke reinterprets the visual elements of the medical world into an artistic expression that explores the interwoven relationship between body and spirit. She believes and portrays the body and mind as “sacred and whole.”

“Color is healing. It carries life and beauty into the world. I have spent most of my life near the sea and am influenced by the elements of nature. These elements are also internal, as the human body is a microcosm of the earth,” she says.

This multi-faceted artist has studied oil painting under Judy Dupic in France and has traveled and painted throughout England, Ireland, Italy, Mongolia and Spain. In addition to her nursing degree, she also is a master of oriental medicine and acupuncture physician. Her great-grandfather, Joseph A. Burke, was composer well-known to the Philadelphia area during the 1920s-40s, and his songs were recorded by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, among others. Valley is pleased to be exhibiting in the Philadelphia area where much of her family resides.

As an abstract artist, Lois Schlachter is in love “with the line, handsome vibrant color and a comfortable composition” and describes her work as simply “fun.” Working directly from her hand to the canvas, she lets her imagination direct her as playful and colorful images emerge.

“I feel that acrylic paint gives me the brilliant and intense color that I love,” she says. “I use color to navigate the viewer’s eye across the canvas providing an avenue to discover one fun spot after another.”

Schlachter is a graduate of The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and The University of the Arts, formerly Philadelphia College of Art.  She will be exhibiting approximately 40 acrylic works on canvas in a variety of sizes, all of which were created in the past 15 years.

For artist Patricia Wilson-Schmid, her style spans the range from representational to abstract, based upon her feelings when she views and interprets her subjects. Like her co-exhibitors, color profoundly impacts her work.

“As I paint from my emotions, the act of painting is who I am,” she says in her artist’s statement. “It is a line, a color, a shape, or an effect of light that inspires me. My spirit than directs me through the painting. Time embellishes my approach. In the end the paintings and I have traveled through much effort and feeling. Color is the vehicle by which I express my feelings. It is a part of who I am.”

Wilson-Schmid enjoys working in oil, watercolor, acrylic and pastels and has been painting since 1962. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and has taken post-graduate courses at Temple University, Lehigh University, Penn State University, Samuel S. Fleisher Art Institute and Montgomery County Community College. She has exhibited her work at various galleries and shows throughout the tri-state area, as well as in juried international online exhibitions hosted by Upstream People Gallery.

The show is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Mon.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about the exhibit or the gallery, contact MCCC Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

For the more information about upcoming exhibits and activities, like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts, and visit our website at http://www.mc3.edu/arts/fine-arts.

Help support the arts and art education programs at Montgomery County Community College by becoming a Friend of the Galleries. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, contact the College Foundation at 215-641-6535.

3 Youth Artists Will Win $500 In Art Supplies!

Snikiddy is proud to be supporting Youth Art!

Submitted art will be displayed in grocery stores around the country for two months. Three lucky entrants will also win $500 worth of art supplies.

Submit your child’s original signed artwork to:

Snikiddy, LLC
8603 Long Acre Ct
Bethesda, MD 20817

All artwork must be 9″ x 9″ and submitted with a signed release form. Download the form here and get more information about Snikiddy’s Youth Art Project!

Submissions are due July 31st; winners will be announced October 15th.

Snikiddy * 2505 Walnut St. Suite 100 * Boulder CO 80302 * http://www.snikiddy.com

Local Senior Wins $10,000 Arts Scholarship

Scholarship winner Jaid Mark with “Her Flaws” watercolor and acrylic in background

POTTSTOWN, PA – On Saturday, May 31, the Greater Pottstown Foundation awarded a $10,000 scholarship to Jaid Mark, a Pottsgrove High School senior. Jaid is the 2014 winner of The Greater Pottstown Foundation Scholarship for the Arts, which is designed to financially assist a local high school senior in obtaining a degree from accredited academic institutions of higher learning for study in the arts.

Jaid will be attending Philadelphia University this fall to pursue a degree in art therapy. Cynthia Scherer, her high school art teacher, said: “This young lady has a wonderful work ethic, a motivational spirit that influences others and creativity which will help her to excel in her college endeavor.”

The scholarship was awarded based on an essay and on artwork that Jaid created for a show currently on display at ArtFusion 19464. The three pieces she entered into the competition will become part of the Foundation’s permanent collection. This is the fourth year that ArtFusion has partnered with the Foundation to present this scholarship.

The show will be on display at ArtFusion through June 14 and can be seen any time during normal gallery hours: Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm. ArtFusion is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. The school offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.