Linear Perspective Drawing Class

Jim Stratton is offering a Linear Perspective Drawing Class at Black Creek Arts Center on Saturday, November 14. The class will last from 10-1pm. Cost for the class is $40. Students only need to bring a pencil and drawing pad to class.

The class will include a lecture and demonstrations on simple perspective techniques, aerial perspective and finally linear perspective. The students will "draw along" to the demonstrations and will draw from life during the third hour using the techniques learned earlier in the session. You will learn how to use basic drawing principles and simple shapes to build complicated objects in perspective. You will also recieve several handouts to take home and study after the class.

BCAC to Host Dance Theatre Performance on November 7th

Coker Alum Kirven to Return to Hartsville

The word path could be defined as a route or course along which something travels or moves. Fortunately for Hartsville, Jack Kirven's path has passed through town on more than one occasion.

As a Coker alum, Kirven is no stranger to College Avenue. The Black Creek Arts Center on College Avenue will be hosting Kirven's first professional performance in Hartsville. Along with Annie Vereen, Kirven will perform Path on November 7th at 7:30 in the gallery at the Black Creek Arts Center. General admission tickets are $10. Student tickets are $5.

Kirven and Vereen make up Viscera Dance Theatre, a modern theatrical dance company currently based in Charlotte.

Path is a true multimedia work that uses elements of dance, theatre, live music, storytelling, film and soundscapes. Each component is integrated in such a way that the performance would not be complete with any element missing.

Path is a seven‐section dance‐drama focusing on the gradual transformation of characters over the course of a narrative. Using “Little Red Riding Hood” as a template, the action focuses on the ways in which subtleties are repeated and changed as the protagonist ventures further off the path.

Path has been performed in Charlotte, Rock Hill, and Columbia. Future venues for the performance include Atlanta and California.

Viscera Dance Theatre was nominated for three Metrolina Theatre Association awards in Charlotte in 2009 (Outstanding Special Technical Element, Outstanding Duo, and Best Lead Male).

Path is intended for mature audiences. Call the Black Creek Arts Center to purchase tickets, 843.332.6234. All major credit cards accepted.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

On Display at BCAC: Woodworker Tommy Webb

Above: Seat and Armrest of a Maloof Chair

Sam Maloof is generally considered to be one of America's top furniture makers and woodworkers of all time. Maloof, who passed away in May, has work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. That's alot of art museums to have work in for a man who didn't call himself an aritst. That's right, Maloof preferred to be called a woodworker rather than artist.

In staying true to both Maloof's craft and unassuming demeanor, Hartsville's Tommy Webb has created a technically and visually amazing rocking chair. Webb's chair is currently on display at the Black Creek Arts Center in Hartsville.

Modeled after Maloof's style from the 1970s, Webb's chair is a worthy replica. Just as he shares Maloof's love for woodworking, attention to detail, and humility, it's time for Webb to now share one of Maloof's monikers; you'll agree after seeing the chair, that he's Hartsville's Hemingway of the Hardwood.

Stop by the Black Creek Arts Center at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville to see Webb's chair.

New Exhibit Encourages Viewer Interaction

The next exhibit in the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery at Coker College features work initiated by Wendy DesChene. As you can read below, DesChene is as much catalyst as creator.

The information below was provided by Larry Merriman, Professor of Art at Coker College.

Wendy DesChene wants your stuffed animals. She also invites you to collaborate on her installation in the Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery, which for her show, will become the Wikipedia of art installations. Over fall break (October 15-18), she will install the background paintings and some basic structure for the kind of installations you see above. Ms. DesChene will be present for a short residency Monday and Tuesday, the 19th and 20th, and will work with anyone willing to collaborate on the installation. For the remaining three and a half weeks, her show, much like a Wikipedia topic, can be altered (by anyone) following the guidelines suggested by Ms. DesChene during her residency. For a start, if you have any stuffed animals to donate, now or when you return from fall break, you can put them in the cardboard box next to the art gallery in the Gladys Fort Art Building. Please note that Wendy’s approach to this project is slightly off center—the fluffy white object in the top picture is made from insides of formerly stuffed animals—Peter Rabbit might want to stay home. This project is not limited to art students, but is open to all students, faculty, and staff. If you have questions, please call Larry Merriman at 383-8156 or email at lmerriman@coker.edu.

Artist’s Statement
Currently I have a body of work touring called WYSIWYG. So far it has made stops in Philadelphia Texas, Florida, and Ohio. It's an installation that began as a personal exploration of cute, which I was also using to parallel American art history. In the same way a grizzly bear is made acceptable for a babies crib, the great avant- garde of art has been made palatable and cuddly by being put on the life support of the museum wall, or on a coffee mug in the museum shop. After WYSIWYG, a large-scale oil painting/installation was retired from its original site, it continued to grow and change meaning by interacting with new communities. In each new community a workshop is held which invites the new audience to donate materials from their lives and create elements to add to the installation. At every stop it grows both in size and universal significance. It is a B-Movie monster, eating away at the gallery walls and Frankenstiened by my own reactions to art materials, audience, environment and critical reactions to philosophy and art history.

Biography Wendy DesChene is a Canadian multi-disciplinary artist working in America. She has exhibited her work in China, Japan, Italy, and Canada and all over the United States. Often she creates situations for community to become involved in arts creation. By doing this she works against creating art whose presence exists only on the life support of museum and gallery walls. Another of her interests is to critique the systems of art historical guardianship, while weaving issues of her identity and the conflicts created therein. South Carolina is WYSIWYG’s 8th stop on its national tour.

Coker College upholds and defends the intellectual and artistic freedom of its faculty and students as they study and create art through which they explore the full spectrum of human experience. The college considers such pursuits central to the spirit of inquiry and thoughtful discussion, which are at the heart of a liberal arts education.

Stained Glass Class with Cheryl Wingert

Cheryl Wingert will be offering a Beginner's Stained Glass Class on Mondays in November beginning November 9th. The class will meet 6-8pm and the cost is $65. Students will be provided with overview of stained glass methods, including copper foil and leaded glass. Students will make one or more copper foiled sun catcher projects (or Christmas ornaments). All materials included. Instruction time will be approximately 8 hours. Class limited to 6 students.

Call Bethany at the Black Creek Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.

Business of Art Series at BCAC

Erica Bailey will be offering a day long workshop series on the Business of Art. It will include 4 sessions on topics such as pricing, creating a low cost online presence, building & writing an artist's resume, artist statement and bio, and digital tips for artists. It will also include a mini session on digital photography. This class should be a great resource for artists in our area.

The class will take place at the Black Creek Arts Center on Friday, November 13. It will last from 9:00-4:00. The cost for the class is $150.

Call Bethany at the Black Creek Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.

Reclaimed, Recycled, Hardware Store Jewelry Workshop

Let's have fun! This workshop will combine a variety of unique techniques and materials. Using a variety of re-purposed objects (tin cans, old jewelry, buttons, bottle caps, etc.) and cool stuff from the hardware store we will create some really great jewelry. Earrings, necklaces and/or bracelets can be created. Come and join us- this will be a blast! Bring any old bits that you have hanging around...we may be able to turn them into something fantastic.

This class will take place Saturday, November 14, at the Black Creek Arts Center from 9-4. Erica Bailey will be instructing the workshop. The cost for the class is $150 and includes consumable supplies and materials. Click here to access the supply list.

Call Bethany at the Black Creek Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.

Come & Explore Art History

A new children's class EXPLORING ART HISTORY, is being offered in November with teacher Bethany Perry. The class will explore several famous artists' lives and work, through art making, story telling, books, games and songs. The class will be offered on Wednesdays in November, from Nov 4- Nov 25. The class will take place at Birds Of A Feather, in Darlington. The time for the class is 4-5:15. 5k through 3rd grades are welcome. The cost for the class is $35.

Call Bethany at the Black Creek Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.

Mondays with Michelle Starting Again for November

Beginning on November 2nd, Michelle Morris will be offering art classes on Mondays from 4:00 to 5:15. These classes will cover all types of art, from painting to mixed media, and from drawing to sculpture. Mondays with Michelle will run for four weeks. The cost for the class is $25.

Call Bethany at the Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.

Glass Bead Making Class Coming Soon

Local artist, Tim Walters will be offering a one day workshop on Glass Bead Making-the ancient art of flame-working glass. The class will teach the basics of the art form and give everyone a chance to make their own glass bead or sculpture.

The class will take place at Black Creek Arts Center on November 21, from 10-2. The cost for the class is $75 and includes all supplies needed for the class. This class will be a fun learning experience and a great chance to give a hand-made gift to someone for Christmas.

Call Bethany at the Black Creek Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.

Jim Stratton to Teach Intermediate Oil Painting

Jim Stratton will be instructing an intermediate level oil painting class. The class will meet on Mondays from 10-12, starting on October 19, and last for 5 weeks. Cost for the class is $85. This is a great class for painters with some experience looking to skip the beginner instruction of working with oils.

Call Bethany at the Black Creek Arts Center to sign up, 843.332.6234.