There are so many great community events coming up in the last days of December and into the New Year at the Arts Center. Get your calendars out and mark these dates!

Dec. 17

UNITED WAY FAMILY CHRISTMAS SHOW

This annual production has taken a new turn this year as it will be a collection of skits and music performed by members of the community including a couple of Arts Center Instructors, the Show Choir and Violin Students. CELEBRATE The Season is free to the public and doors will open at 6:45 Monday night for a 7 PM show.

Dec. 20

HOLIDAY SHOPPE EXTENDED HOURS

Our Holiday Shoppe is full of beautiful art created by local and regional artists. If you are struggling to find that one of a kind unique gift for someone special- here is the place to shop! The shop is open daily 10 am until 5:30 and will be open until 7 PM on Thursday, December 20th. The Shoppe closes Friday the 12st so you won’t want to miss this opportunity! Hand blown glass, wood turned bowls, painted canvas and more are here ready to complete you shopping list.

Jan. 8

RAINBOW FISH AUDITIONS

Kindergarten -5th grades will audition for the brand new delightful musical- RAINBOW FISH. Auditions will be held from 5:30-7:00 and no previous experience is necessary to participate. Based on the bestselling book by Marcus Pfister. The story is about a fish with shiny, multi-colored scales named the Rainbow Fish. He has blue, green, and purple scales; and among them, he has shiny silver scales he is always fond of, until one day, a small fish asks him if he could have one, to which the Rainbow Fish refuses in a very rude manner. The other fish are very upset about his behavior and don’t want to play with him anymore.

Feeling upset, his only remaining friend, the starfish, tells him to go visit the wise octopus for advice. The Rainbow Fish finds the octopus and asks what he should do. When he goes to the cave, he sees the octopus. And when he meets the octopus, she says that she has been waiting for him. She explains that the waves have told her his story. Then, she tells Rainbow Fish that he must share the beauty of his scales with his friends (which means “to give one glittering scale to each of the other fish”). She tells him to share his scales with each of the other fish. And she continues to tell him that he may no longer be the most beautiful fish in the ocean, but he will discover how to be happy. When he encounters the small fish a second time, the Rainbow Fish gives him one of his precious scales and, seeing the joy of this little fish, immediately feels much better. Very soon the Rainbow Fish is surrounded by other fish requesting scales and he gives to each of them one of his shiny scales. Finally, in the end, despite having one shiny scale left (as he has given them all away to the other fish), he becomes very happy. Performances will be March 15-17, 2019.

Quilt Guild

Our very talented Quilt Guild meets the second Thursday of each month to learn new techniques, enjoy demonstrations, and share their creations through show and tell and plan for quilter’s events. The guild meets at 6:30 PM. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Febraury 23, as the Guild hosts a workshop on creating a string quilt. A great way to use up those strips and squares from other projects.  

Jan. 12

EMPTY BOWL PICK AND PAINT

The community is invited to once again support the Colquitt County Food Bank through the Empty Bowl event. Come to the Arts Center 9 a.m.-noon Jan. 12 and paint a bowl for the Thursday, February 7th Empty Bowl Soup Supper. All bowls will be available for ticket holders to choose from and take home to remind them they helped fill an Empty Bowl for someone in our community. There will be a final Saturday paint day on Saturday, February 2nd from 10 AM until Noon. Volunteers are welcome to come to the Arts Center anytime between 10 AM and 5:30 beginning January 7th to paint a bowl.  We welcome groups of all sizes! Can’t come during the day? Groups of five or more can set up an evening paint opportunity- just give us a call!

Jan. 25-March 29

VILAS TONAPE PORTRAIT ARTIST EXHIBIT OPENING & WORKSHOP

Vilas Tonape is an internationally recognized artist and a teacher. He chairs the department of art at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Tonape is a native of India and has been creating art for over thirty years. He received his BFA in Drawing and Painting with distinction from the Sir J.J. School of Art, University of Bombay, India. He earned and MFA in Painting from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. His work has been exhibited internationally, including venues in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Bombay, and Canada.

Tonape has won numerous awards throughout the United States and India, and his work has been critically acclaimed. Palm Beach Post says: “Tonape’s paintings can be described as classically inspired, contemporary-realism—interpretive images that enchant the eye.” Gazing Moments by Vilas Tonape will be open and free to the public to enjoy January 25th – March 29th, 2019

Enjoy a workshop exploring portrait painting in watercolor media. All levels of artists are encouraged to participate. Participants will learn the basics of creating watercolor portraits and develop their existing portraiture skills. Layering, color mixing, and color theory relative to portraiture will be taught using a live model from direct observation. Workshop days are January 25 – January 27, 2019, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm each day. $200.00 per participant – call the Arts Center for the supply list for the workshop. Deadline to register is January 18th.

Jan. 25-Feb. 22

HANNAH FRIEDLANDER IN THE TRAVERSE GALLERY

Hannah Friedlander’s collection of photographs from her University of Georgia Lamar Dodd School of the Arts Senior project will be showcased in the Traverse gallery from January 25th through February 22nd.

Jan. 26

HAWKINS FAMILY & FRIENDS IN CONCERT  

Come and enjoy a night of music performed by some of the finest musicians in our community. A blend of Bluegrass, traditional and contemporary country and maybe even a few surprises! Concert starts at 7:30 PM and tickets are $10.

Feb. 1

ANNUAL HUNT DINNER

This is the 28th year of this fabulous evening of feasting and fundraising.  The Volunteer Arts Alliance is a small but mighty group that hosts this unique game dinner with a silent and live auction to benefit the Colquitt County Arts Center.  

Feb. 7

EMPTY BOWL SOUP SUPPER

This is the second annual Empty Bowl Soup Supper to benefit the Colquitt County Food Bank. In addition to enjoying a delicious soup supper, participants will take home a bowl painted by someone in the community to remind them they helped fill an empty bowl for someone else in our community.

Feb. 9

KALEIDESCOPE KIDS

Children in Pre-K 4 year old to 5th grades will enjoy a morning of heartfelt activities including making old fashioned valentines and candy making. Cost is $10 per students and preregistration by February 6th is required for participation in the workshop.