TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Center Place Shows Off

Students, Teachers Shine In Art Show

CHERYL KUCK/Photo

Center Place watercolor instructor Sue Allen and student Harvey E.Berman show his painting, "Reflections on the Lake," at the Mook Gallery Adult Student Show.

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHERYL KUCK | The Brandon News & Tribune

Published: April 24, 2007

Despite cramped quarters, Center Place has done more to promote the arts than any organization in the greater Brandon area for the past 23 years.

No where is this more evident than in the Adult Student Art Show, which not only shows off the work of the adult students who take art classes at Center Place but showcases the talents of the art teachers at this nonprofit center.

One exhibitor in this year's show is a Maryland federal service retiree currently employed by a Florida defense contractor. Harvey E. Berman is also a former art teacher who majored in graphics and illustration and received a master's degree in secondary education from George Washington University.
With this background you might ask what more can he learn? Apparently, he's learned enough to want to continue taking classes with Center Place instructor Sue Allen.

"This is my outlet to express myself," said Berman. "The camaraderie of the class brings us together as a solid corps and has helped me tremendously. I have learned to loosen up and use the medium as a transparency."

Allen glows when asked about her accomplished student.

"Color is his great strength as well as his wonderful sense of design and balance," she said. "I encourage my students to use different styles and am delighted that, on the basis of his background and exceptional work, Center Place has elected to give him a one-man show in January."

The show will continue through April 30. Along each painting is a card with the student's name, the name of the painting and its medium as well as the name of the instructor. The teachers represented are Meletha Everett, Sue Allen, Bill Greet, Debra Bryant and Cheryl Jorgensen. Admission is free and it is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Arts Around Town
Tomorrow, April 26, the "challenged" artists of Pyramid Studios will celebrate "Artists Gone Wild-Spring Break" with a gallery opening at their facility, 1508 Sligh Ave. Refreshments will be served to gallery visitors at the 6 to 9 p.m. opening. Along with the works of Pyramid's visual artists, their "Players" will entertain at 7:15 pm. Many Pyramid artists are from the Brandon and Valrico areas. Call 931-3986
Last week, The Brandon News featured a story about Hillsborough County female prisoners who want to give back to the community by hand painting silk headscarves for children who are cancer patients. Their volunteer art teacher is well-known Valrico artist Minnette Webster. The program is in need of art supplies. She requests monetary gifts, with a notation designated for the HCI prison art program, be sent to AOE Art Supply at 12908 N. 56th St., Tampa, 33617, or call 989-6173.
Artists with a heart -- Minnette Webster, Pam Patton of Temple Terrace, Roxanne Tobaison, Yvonne Crissey, Doreen Donovan, Stephanie Grimes, Susan Weilbacher, Meletha Everett, Val Titus, Peggy Little and photographers Katie Weilbacher, Fred Smith and Lew Francis -- have all donated artworks for the Partners in Service second annual Auction for Action benefiting an underprivileged neighborhood in Shreveport, La., which is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The art auction and evening of entertainment by jazz singer and instrumentalist Valerie Gillespie (the featured artist at Della's After Dark restaurant on Oakfield Drive) will be held Saturday May 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church, 821 S. Dale Mabry Highway. For ticket information, call 505-7987 or e-mail kw@tampa-action.org.
The Brandon League of Fine Arts will present its 48th Members Show May 1-31 in the Mook Gallery. An artist's reception will be held May 10, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The 23rd annual patron party, "Lasso the Arts," will be held May 19 at the Tampa Convention Center. Crystal Blue will provide music and Aramark will cater the dinner. There will be a silent and live auction.

To submit your visual or performing arts event, contact Cheryl Kuck through thebrandonnews@mediageneral.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT