Bringing Communities Together through Art

Selected works from the 7th annual FOCUS 2012 Photography Competition can be seen in our Jean Bulicek Galleria through the month of May.

FOCUS is part of an exciting collaboration between several communities, but the host galleries, Solon Center for the Arts and Beck Center gallery give the photography a place to shine. Over 200 amateur photographers (adults and students) submitted work for this juried competition, with 75 entries chosen by three distinguished judges.

FOCUS is supported by the generosity of KeyBank, which has selected six KeyBank Community Choice Awards, two of which will be on display at the KeyBank locations in Lakewood and Westlake.

You're invited to join us for the Awards Presentation from 6-7:30 pm on May 31 at Beck Center for the Arts.

Rotary Club Music, Speech, and Visual Arts Contest showcases area's most talented high school students

In collaboration with the Lakewood/Rocky River Rotary Club, the Beck Center for the Arts hosted the Rotary Club’s 67^th annual Music, Speech and Visual Arts Contest. This longstanding contest welcomes talented area high school students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of music, speech and the visual arts. Participants are students from the five Lakewood and Rocky River high schools including Lakewood High School, Lutheran High School West, Magnificat High School, Rocky River High School, and St. Edward High School.

For the visual arts competition, a jury of artists selected outstanding works of art meeting the contest requirements. From this gallery of art judges chose winners and prizes were awarded for the most outstanding works of art in the contest including a 1^st Prize $500, 2^nd Prize $300, 3^rd Prize $100, and three Honorable Mention Prizes of $50 each. Contest winners in all categories were recognized at an awards ceremony and reception on Tuesday, March 27 at the Beck Center.

2012 AWARD RECIPIENTS

MUSIC

1^st Place: Jiale Peng (violin), Lakewood High School, Violin Concerto by Sibelius

2^nd Place: Abby Boland (soprano), Lakewood High School, Se tu m’ami, se sospri by Pergolesi

3^rd Place: Jacob Short (trumpet), Lakewood High School, Hummel Trumpet Concerto, Movement 1 by J. Hummel

SPEECH

1^st Place: Connor Hooper, Rocky River High School

2^nd Place: Steve Saed, Lakewood High School

3^rd Place: Alaina Valkoff, Rocky River High School

VISUAL ARTS

1^st Place: Bram Myers, Lakewood High School, Forest in Charcoal (charcoal)

2^nd Place: Montague Cockrell, Lakewood High School, Cleveland Born (acrylics)

3^rd Place: Mike Benesh, St. Edward High School, State Champ (clay/colored pencil)

Honorable Mentions:

Michael Todaro, Lakewood High School, Stun E. Cuffs (ink)

Hannah Frimel, Lakewood High School, Under the Sea (batik)

Blakes Trumbel, St. Edward High School, Croc (clay)

Selected entries from the visual arts contest will be on display in the Rotary Student Art Show in the Jean Bulicek Galleria now through April 29. This exhibit is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours. Call Beck Center Customer Service at 216.521.2540, ext. 10.

The artwork below is representative of selected entries from the five participating high schools.

For more information about the Lakewood/Rocky River Rotary, visit www.lakewoodrockyriverrotary.org.

It's springtime! Celebrate the season by experiencing something new and creative. Discover your inner artist at the Beck Center. The second session of visual arts classes begin the week of April 2. Choose from a variety of offerings including Botanical Painting, Cartooning, Cut Paper Illustration, Drawing Fundamentals, Family Clay Time, Pottery, Watercolors, and so much more!

We offer classes for students of all ages and abilities on different days and times of the week to accommodate your busy schedule. Don't miss out on the fun learning. Bring your family to Beck Center and spend some quality time developing a talent, learning a new skill and making new friends.

New this Spring!

Register for our newest VA class, ArtSmart Artist for ages 8 to 14 on Thursday afternoons from 4:30 to 6 p.m. This 4-week class begins April 19. Instructor Hallie Spooner Coughlin teaches this art history-based class with each session concentrating on a specific artist such as Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh, Matisse, and Georgia O’Keeffe. Students learn about the chosen artist’s life and the techniques used to create his/her art, with students utilizing similar techniques to create their own fabulous art.

Our complete winter/spring 2012 catalog is available online or click here to register today.

See you this spring at the Beck Center.

Beck Center for the Arts presents Material Matters, an exhibit of unique contemporary fiber art in the Jean Bulicek Galleria February 17 through March 19. This exhibit features the work of six Northern Ohio artists who each use different types of materials and processes in their distinctly personal work.

Material Matters includes the art of Liz Burgess, Si-Yun Chang, Linda Grashoff, Sue Copeland Jones, Ruta Marino, and Kathleen Van Meter. These women who reside across Northern Ohio, from Beachwood to Wakeman, have been meeting monthly for several years to provide each other with artistic criticism and support. While clearly divergent in their choice of materials, processes and expression, they all share a common passion and commitment to the creative process.

Meet these amazing artists at an Opening Reception on Friday, February 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. and be the first to see this inspiring exhibition.

For more information about the artists and a calendar of other upcoming art exhibits at the Beck Center for the Arts, visit beckcenter.org.

Art Discovery Studio
This is a hands-on artistic experience that welcomes creativity and discovery with a variety of multimedia arts experiences. From clay and drawing to painting and more. . . students will be immersed in the art making process.

Participants will work with instructor Darrelle Centuori who will guide the class and its activities while creating, learning, growing and expanding their knowledge and experience in the arts.

Enter FOCUS 2012 photography competition and become a part of an exciting collaboration with Beck Center for the Arts and Solon Center for the Arts. Only amateur photographers (adults and students) are eligible. This is a juried competition with awards in each category, including "Best in Show"!

Categories are:

• People/Portraits
• Architecture/Cityscape
• Nature/Landscape
• Animals
• Botanical
• Macro

Entry Deadline: Saturday, March 17 by 2:00 p.m.

Host Gallery Exhibitions

• Beck Center: May 4 - May 31
• Solon Center for the Arts: April 16 - May 25

Click here for complete entry details and important dates.

A Photography Competition Bringing Communities Together Through Art, presented by

The New Year starts off with a fantastic show of drawings and etchings from Beck staff alumnus, Justin Wisniewski. Justin taught at the Beck Center for five years and left to attend graduate school Edinboro, Scotland to study painting.

We are thrilled to have him back as the first artist in our gallery year. Justin’s show “Perceptual Romanticism” will be on display in the Jean Bulicek Galleria  through February 12, 2012. As always, all Beck Center exhibits are free and open to the public. Click here for a complete list of 2012 gallery shows.

Bring-A-Friend Week is back! Students can invite a friend to their class or lesson for FREE the week of December 5 through 10.

Bring-A-Friend Week is a great opportunity to experience all the Beck Center has to offer and allows you to engage in the creative process first-hand. If you've been thinking about taking a class or lesson at Beck Center and want to participate in Bring-A-Friend Week, contact Ed Gallagher at 216.521.2540 x12 to find class that's right for you! Click here for the complete class catalog.

We offer over 200 classes each week in dance, music, theater, and visual arts – something for every age and ability.

A Creative Cure for Cabin Fever!

This winter, beat the blues, get out of the house and join us at the Beck Center for the Arts for some creative fun! Learn a new skill, develop a hidden talent and make lifelong friends at the Beck Center. We offer more than 200 classes for all ages and abilities in dance, music, theater, and visual arts – including Broadway “Glee” Club, Cut Paper Illustration, Kids-N-Tunes, Hip Hop, Suzuki Violin, Public Speaking, Tone & Stretch, and Family Clay Time – to name just a few.

Winter/spring classes begin the week of January 30. Classes fill up quickly so register today. A complete class schedule, course descriptions, and convenient online registration are available here - or call Beck Center Customer Service at 216.521.2540, ext. 10.

Join the thousands of students from across Northeast Ohio who participate in our excellent arts education programs – whether it’s a one-day workshop or full 18-week semester. Our outstanding faculty and staff look forward to welcoming you to the Beck Center in the New Year.

Private music lessons in all band and orchestral instrument are available and registration is ongoing throughout the year. To learn more or to schedule private lessons, call the Music Office at 216.521.2540, ext. 37.

Beck Center for the Arts presents the final exhibition for 2011, the Holiday Art Show, from Thursday, November 17 through January 1, 2012. Stop by and view these wonderful works by five local artists: Ann Caywood Brown (pastels and photo transfers), Bonnie Gordon (pottery), Joseph Gregg (photography), Mardel Sanzotta (painting), and Debra Sue Solecki (drawing).

Local original art makes the perfect holiday gift!