   Beloit Art Center is pleased to announce the February exhibits which will open with a First Friday Gallery Reception on February 2nd from 5-7pm. A gallery talk featuring the artists will be held at 6 pm. Both exhibits will be open through February 22. In recognition of Black History Month, please join us as we celebrate the work of Danny Burks and Cheria Giles.
In the Sveum Gallery, we welcome Danny Burks, a longtime resident of Rockford, Illinois. His method of woodworking is called intarsia, which uses varied shapes, sizes, and species of wood fitted together to create mosaic-like pictures with an illusion of depth. The colors in the wood are all natural, not stained.. Always sketching as a youngster he remembers “clearly how excited I was when my mom purchased me a tabletop easel. Both of my parents supported me in my art. My father was blind, so he could not see the pieces, but he could feel the wood.” In the Bell Gallery, welcome Cheria Giles. Cheria Cheria Gillespie, an artist based out of Beloit, has always been drawn to the arts. Some of her earliest memories are of drawing cartoon characters from her favorite TV shows. Most of her art has that fantastical element to it, reminiscent of how she saw the world when she was younger. More recently she has taken a dive into the digital art world. Be sure to stop by the Beloit Public Library to view featured art by Roberta Haakinson, and Bagels and More to view featured art by Jean Apgar. Beginning Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel six week class Tuesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. February 27th through April 2nd. Students new to wheel throwing or wanting to brush up on their skills will begin to explore the world of throwing on the potter’s wheel in this introductory class. Students will learn glazing methods needed to finish their projects. The cost is $140 and clay and glaze will be provided. Intermediate Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel six week class Tuesdays from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. February 27th through April 2nd. This is an intermediate wheel throwing class. In order to enroll in this class, students must have taken a pottery class at Beloit Art Center within the last year, be able to confidently center and raise a cylinder, and have prior approval from the instructor. The cost is $165 and clay and glaze will be provided. Come Make Ceramic Turtles! This one day class will be held on Saturday February 24th from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Instructor Rebecca Rehpohl will lead the class in making pinch pot turtles. The cost is $40 and includes glazing and firing. Hand Building Pottery Class six week class Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. February 29th through April 4th. Students will explore the world of handbuilding with clay by examining fundamental techniques including pinch, coil, and slab. All skill levels are welcome. The cost is $165 and clay and glaze will be provided. Students will need to provide their own tools, apron, and hand towel. Beloit Art Center is located at 520 E. Grand Ave. in downtown Beloit. The gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery and gift shop hours are Monday 10 am – 2 pm, Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm and Saturday 10 am – 2 pm. The Sveum Gallery Presents Daniel Burks  In the Sveum Gallery, we welcome Daniel Burks a Rockford based artist born in 1961. Burks has been painting and creating art using many different mediums all his life. After his tour in the US Navy, Daniel became a career HVAC Mechanic. Now retired, he is perfecting the art of Intarsia. The Bell Gallery presents Cheria Gillespie  ""My name is Cheria Gillespie, and I'm an artist based out of Beloit Wisconsin. I’ve always been drawn to the arts. Some of my earliest memories are of me drawing the cartoon characters from my favorite TV shows. I loved the Teen Tiitans and Courage The Cowardly Dog and I just remember sitting for hours trying to perfect their image in my notepad. During my school years, art class was always where I felt most at ease. I was able to create my own little world through the images that I’d come up with. As I grew, my focus on art diminished greatly. The realities of the real world began to occupy all of my free time and I completely forgot about my love for this talent I once had. But then the pandemic hit, and the world was changing around me, and suddenly I had nothing but time to think about life, about its meaning and what I wanted out of it. So I ordered a paint set online and decided to give art a try again. Soon I began filling all of my free time cultivating this skill that I forgot all about. And just like that, whenever I picked up a paintbrush, I was back in my own little world like when I was a kid. A lot of my art has that fantastical element to it, reminiscent of how I saw the world when I was younger. Everything was colorful. Sometimes I didn't understand why or what I was seeing, but I was always curious, and I try to keep that curiosity alive in my paintings through my use of color. I don't believe in having only one art style. I think if we have this chance to explore all things, then why not?" "Last year I decided to start taking my art more seriously, taking on commissions and diving into the digital art world. Creating prints of my work and custom art tote bags. I was also given an opportunity at 5BAR here in Beloit as a live painter. Every Thursday I start with a blank canvas and complete a painting live for the bar patrons. I’ve also had some of my work displayed at 317 Art Collaborative in Rockford, and now the Beloit Art Center. I almost can't believe my love of art was something that I forgot about for so many years."
 December 31, 2023, Beloit, Wisconsin – Beloit Art Center announces January Gallery Exhibits
Beloit Art Center is pleased to announce the January exhibits which will open with a First Friday Gallery Reception on January 5th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. A gallery talk featuring the artists will be held at 6:00 p.m. Both exhibits will be open through the end of January. In the Sveum Gallery, we welcome Judith Meyer who was born in Detroit, Michigan. Throughout her childhood and her years at universities, Judith studied different cultures, corresponded with people in Indonesia, The UK, France and Uruguay. “I loved all aspects of these endeavors. I developed an open mind to different ways of thinking, believing, seeing and living. My work, though sometimes not readily apparent, reflects all these experiences as well as how I regard those people who come into my life. Without knowing it, this became a gift that I gave to myself.” Her work centers around her life and global events, stories, myths and personal beliefs. This allows her to have a wide palette from which to move and has inspired her work in many ways over the decades. In the Bell Gallery, we welcome Michael Contreras. Michael has always been fascinated with the creative process. Most of his work is in photography, and graphic design, but he has been working on a painting work-flow that he can stay curious about. “Most of my creative work is driven by that curious feeling. “Where can we go from here?” “What can we make now?”. It’s always been a priority for me to hold on to that curious feeling over anything else.” He finds himself thinking about painting in terms of concept, iconography, text, and aesthetics. Be sure to stop by the Beloit Public Library between now and the end of March to view art by Roberta Haakinson. Beginners Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel. A six week class held Tuesdays from January 9th through February 13th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The cost is $140; clay and glaze will be provided. Students will need to provide their own tools, apron and hand towel. Sets of pottery tools are available for purchase in the BAC Gift Shop. Students new to wheel throwing or wanting to brush up their skills will begin to explore the world of throwing on the potter’s wheel in this introductory class. Class size is limited to 7 students, age 17+. Pre-registration is required by visiting www.beloitartcenter.com/classes Intermediate Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel. A six week class held Tuesdays from January 9th through February 13th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The cost is $165; clay and glaze will be provided. Students will need to provide their own tools, apron and hand towel. Sets of pottery tools are available for purchase in the BAC Gift Shop. This is an intermediate wheel-throwing class. In order to enroll in this class, students must have taken a pottery class at the BAC after January 2023, be able to confidently center and raise a cylinder, and have received approval from the instructor. Class size is limited to 7 students, ages 17+. Pre-registration is required by visiting www.beloitartcenter.com/classes Introduction to Digital Photography I. A four week class held Mondays on January 15th, 29th, and February 12th, and 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This course is for those with any type of digital camera who want to get out of Auto and start unleashing the creative potential of their camera. We will learn how to utilize shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to control exposure and explore how aperture and shutter speed can be used creatively. The cost is $80. Bring your own camera and camera manual. To register visit: www.beloitartcenter.com/classes--events Mosaic Club with Cheryl Kitzman. A five week class held Tuesdays from January 9th through February 6th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $100; includes use of the classroom space, cutting tools, the grinding wheels, and instruction from Cheryl Kitzman as needed. Mosaic Club is for anyone interested in practicing their skills and techniques with mosaics. Beginners are welcome and will be guided on the supplies to buy (not included in club price) to create their own project To register visit: www.beloitartcenter.com/classes--events Beloit Art Center is located at 520 E. Grand Ave. in downtown Beloit. The gallery is free and open to the public. Gallery and gift shop hours are Monday 10 am – 2 pm, Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm and Saturday 10 am – 2 pm. |