Celebrate the arts

Published 9:30 am Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Colquitt County Arts Center is excited about the upcoming CELEBRATE THE ARTS week to be held April 2-9.

Several events are planned for the week including several free performances, free open studio time and a free community event. We will start the week off with a luncheon Celebrating the Legacy of Frank McCall. Sunday April 2, Dr. William U. Eiland, director of the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia, will speak on the works of the Frank McCall, Jr. Collection.

A native of Sprott, Alabama, Eiland has been the director of the Georgia Museum of Art since 1992. He earned a B.A. from Birmingham Southern College in 1970, and an M.A. in 1974 and Ph.D. in 1978, both from the University of Virginia. The luncheon will begin at 12:30 in the McCall Gallery. A limited number of tickets are available for $20 each. Guests will also learn about the progress of the conservation of the McCall Permanent Collection.

Monday, April 3, from 3:30-5:30 in the Wright Auditorium we will Celebrate Dance. The community is invited to come and enjoy a rehearsal of the Colquitt County Dancers as they prepare for their upcoming recital in May.

Tuesday, April 4, from 8 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon we will Celebrate Art with an open studio and plein air painting. Plein air painting is about leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists. Artists are invited to set up in the sculpture garden and enjoy that day!

From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. try your hand at wheel throwing and slab rolling in the ceramic studio. Artists will be on hand to guide you and offer assistance.

Thursday, April 6,    at 7 p.m. we will Celebrate Theater with Songs from the Stage featuring local talent singing tunes from Broadway shows.

Friday, April 7, we will Celebrate our Patrons. The Arts Council will be hosting The Patron’s Celebration. On this night, we will celebrate and recognize the generous giving and support we receive from our patrons annually.  The evening will include demonstrations by our talented instructors as well as a specially curated one time only exhibit of works from our patrons’ private collections. This event is open to patrons only. Not a patron? Learn how you can be a part of this special evening by contacting the Arts Center and becoming a patron today!

On Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. we will Celebrate Community. Come and enjoy a morning of activities including Chalk drawing, Face Painting, Scratch art, giant bubbles, music and more. In the event of rain this celebration will be rescheduled.

Sunday, April 9, at 2 p.m. we will Celebrate Music showcasing the musical talents of some of our Arts Center students.

At the Arts Center we have much to celebrate! We are in the middle of Youth Art Month and last week we celebrated some of the finest student artists in the community with our Middle, Junior and Senior High Youth Art Month exhibit opening. Take time to come and walk through the halls and see just what talented young people we have in this community.

Just this past week we celebrated our theater students with a wonderful presentation of HONK, JR. by our Children’s Theater group, auditions for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” for our teens and auditions for “Southern Hospitality” for our adult spring production.

The Arts Center has a variety of workshops and is looking to build the next Weaving, Stained Glass and Quilt Class — call today to add your name to the list. When we have at least five students we will create the class for you. The Last Thursday class this month is painted silk scarves led by local artist Harvie Ann Cox. The date is Thursday, March 23, (a week earlier than usual due to spring break) and there is a limit to the number for the class so sign up today!

On Friday, March 31, we will host a TGIF/Spring Break event for Patrons and friends as we close the International Craft Exhibit in the Vereen Gallery. Come and enjoy refreshments and music from Easy Day Live of Tallahassee from 5:20-7:30 that evening.

Saturday, April 15, the Friends of the Arts Center are excited to bring back the Warehouse Dance from back in the Festival on the Square days. Join us as we enjoy the music of Sam Burchfield from Atlanta. Check out his music on YouTube! The event will be held at the Mobley Warehouse at 21 Fifth St. N.E. with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. We are grateful to Mobley Gin for making the warehouse available for this event. Tickets are available for this event for $20 person or $30 couple at the Arts Center.

Come by and see us, check out the exhibits, look into a class or workshop and see why YOUR Arts Center is where creativity finds community!