As I sit here writing this I can hardly contain my excitement! We have so much happening this week here at the Colquitt County Arts Center!

We are starting the week off by kicking off the upcoming school year with a CCAC Open House. This will be a perfect opportunity to come by and meet our wonderful instructors and to hear about all of the exciting new classes, workshops, as well as all of our other upcoming events and learning opportunities! There is always something new happening here at the Arts Center, so stop by Monday night, August 7th between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM to get the scoop.

Tuesday, August 8th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM the Moultrie Junior Women’s Club, Moultrie Service League, Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s Sterling Center, The Volunteer Arts Alliance, and the Arts Center are sponsoring a Teacher Appreciation event. There will be fun door prizes donated by local businesses, tote bags, and a large variety of free classroom supplies for attendees to choose from. All teachers are welcome and are encouraged to attend!

Also happening this week, is the opening of our newest exhibit, located in the Vereen Gallery, “Dr. Vincent Keesee: A Southerner’s Perspective.”

Dr. Vincent Keesee was born in Campbell County, Virginia, and made his way down to Atlanta, Georgia to work in graphic art and design after studying at the Richmond Professional Institute. Later, Dr. Keesee made his way even further South to Tifton, Georgia where he joined the ABAC teaching faculty and taught fine arts courses until his retirement in 1995. When he is now exhibiting his work, Dr. Keesee now splits his time between his studio in Tifton and his second home on the coast of Virginia.

Dr. Keesee’s work is largely influenced by different time periods of his life, and the experiences they have brought. His oil paintings also often reflect Southern Culture as well as his childhood spent on a family farm and his religious upbringing. Because Dr. Keesee’s paintings are so full of life, expression, and movement, it is nearly impossible not to relate to the figurative scenes he has created. In fact, that is one of my favorite things about his work. Each piece truly gives you a glimpse of a colorful life lived and experienced through his perspective. So I urge you to come by CCAC to experience life through Dr. Vincent Keesee’s eyes.

“Dr. Vincent Keesee: A Southerner’s Perspective” will be open to the public from August 11, 2017 through September 21, 2017.

Last but most definitely not least, we have the opening of the Colquitt County Arts Center Theater production of “A Salute to the Grand Ole Opry!”  This wonderful production pays tribute to some of the biggest Country Music artists such as George Jones, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and many more. Also allow me to spotlight, that this production is comprised entirely of LOCAL vocalists and entertainers. I am continuously impressed by the outstanding amount of talent present in Colquitt County, and am so thankful that we have an Arts Center that facilitates and creates a platform in which we can show it off!

Performances will be Friday, August 11th and Saturday August 12th at 7PM each evening. Tickets are on sale for $15.00 each and are going fast, so drop by the Arts Center and get yours before we are sold out! All proceeds from this event will go to the much needed upgrade of the Arts Center Wright Auditorium.

For more information on all of the exciting new events going on please call the Arts Center at 229-985-1922 or visit our website www.colquittcountyarts.com. For more information on current or upcoming exhibits, email Ashlee Parrish at aparrisharts@gmail.com. Colquitt County Arts Center: “Where Creativity Finds Community!”