Volume I No. 6| February 7, 2019
This Week
Ginny Piech Street - Marcos Flores@Christ by the Sea- Sebastian Art Studio Tour - Road Trip! Elliott Museum

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Join me Mondays at 5 p.m. for the Cultural Council of Indian River County's Cultural Connection on WAXE 1370 AM, 107.9 FM on the Treasure Coast and streaming at  www.waxe1370.com  at 5 pm. 
Replays are available later at  cultural-council.org .
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" Life is beautiful and you have a thousand things to do. And you have to be not afraid of doing something else.”
Mezzo soprano Anita Rachvelishvili in the Jan. 13, 2019 NY Times
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Love an Artist for Valentine's Day
Treasure Coast artist Ginny Piech Street could use a hand.
An emergency medical situation last week has forced Ginny away from work for the foreseeable future and friends have started a GoFundMe site to help her through tough days ahead. Some of them shared their thoughts on Facebook. Maria Sparsis said, " If you know Ginny, I don’t need to tell you she’s one of the kindest, nicest, most talented people around." Janet Bird Fuller added, "Ginny is the one who gave me my start as a professional artist. She believed in me long before I believed in myself. Her kindness & generosity is unsurpassed." And from artist Sharon Edwards Morgan: "This wonderful lady is very deserving of whatever we can do to help."

These signature whimsical creatures show only one side of Ginny's talents. She says, " For me, art is about process. The medium comes and goes." Ginny's degree is in printmaking but her creative spirit takes her in many directions. Clay has become a favorite medium in recent years, making her a natural to sign on as studio manager for the new Indian River Clay Center in Vero Beach.

Ginny has collaborated with mosaic artist Anita Prentice on outdoor art and it wouldn't be unusual to see her in the foundry studio of Pat Cochran. Ginny sees collaboration as nurturing "a strong creative environment and building lasting alliances in the art community." Those alliances couldn't be more evident than now.
March 12-31
Thank you, Friends and Supporters of Arts Blast!
Have you noticed a subtle change in the weather as February begins our inevitable slide toward spring? And did you catch the not-so-subtle change in the name of this weekly email? We’re all about the arts, so why not flaunt it? We're now
ARTS BLAST!
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Send comments to willi@willimiller.com .

Peter Anastos’s razor sharp parody of Neo-Classical dance,  Go for Barocco  , and Camilo A. Rodriguez’s touching and hilarious  Hang On, No Need To Be Lonely end the season April 5-6 in Comedy Tonight.
Marcos Flores at Christ by the Sea UMC

Marcos Daniel Flores arrived at Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church in Vero Beach 15 years ago, thanks to his older brother, Jose Daniel Flores, at the time director of music and the organist at Community Church of Vero Beach. Marcos was finishing up his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Arizona State University when he got the call.

Not long after taking over at CBTS, Marcos started a modest concert series. In the early days, filling more than a few pews for a concert could be a challenge. The series is now celebrating its 13th anniversary and every concert is packed, with overflow seating in the social hall with big screen and a great sound system, and sometimes two performances scheduled to accommodate the demand.

The concert this Sunday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m., is dedicated to Professor Joachim Bischof, who was a frequent participant in the CBTS concerts. He passed away in September 2018. The first half of the program will have the musicians playing by ones and twos, ending with the full string quintet playing Tchaikovsky”s Waltz from Serenade for Strings. 

Following an intermission, they’ll all take the stage to play Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major Op. 114, “Trout.” The audience is invited to share refreshments with the musicians in the social hall after the concert. In the published program, Marcos thanks the concert’s page turner, Andrew Miller, and the members of the community who were hosts to the musicians. Tickets are available at the door but it’s wise to reserve one in advance at the church office, 3755 Hwy. A1A, Vero Beach, or online at  cbtsumc.org/concert-series/

Ana Ruth Bermúdez
Henry Hutchinson
Matt Stott
Roger Bustamante
Viera Borisova
The Galleries at First Pres are open to the public Monday through Thursday from 12-3 pm and for guided tours Wednesdays 3 - 5 pm. Artists interested in showing their work may contact Peter and Carole Coe at 772-464-6712. The Silver Tones are in concert at 7 p.m. Valentine's Day. 
SEBASTIAN ART STUDIO TOUR - MARY SEGAL This weekend we get to see the inner sanctums of the ten creative artists on the 8th annual Sebastian Art Studio Tour. It’s a free, self-guided tour with the map available for download online at  sebastianartstudiotour.com . The studios are open Feb. 9 only, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tour goers may start at any point.

Even as an occasional artist, the thought of inviting people into the jumble that is my studio is a scary idea. Mary Segal, who has been on the tour since the beginning, has the system down pat. “The first order is cleaning up the studio.” That can mean a single dedicated room, a converted garage, a screened porch or a freestanding building, she said. After that, you figure out an attractive way to display the art. “Most participants offer snacks and drinks, … some create informational materials for visitors to take along.”

Segal was one of the organizers of the first event. She had been inspired by the art studio tour culture during a visit to New Mexico. She said, “This year I was again in New Mexico for the art tour season in September and October, where each weekend offers one or more tours in the small towns and villages.”

The artists whose studios will be open to visitors Saturday are Rita Bernstein, Robert and Lynn Johnson, Sheila Lougheed, Suze Lavender, Lana McConnell, Geoffrey Myers, Mary Segal, Quentin Walter at Stouthouse, Roy Woodall, Richard Ramirez, Elena Ramirez, and Julie Hewitt. 
Mary Segal
SUNBONNET SUE QUILT GUILD

There’s an art show of a different sort at the Indian River Fairgrounds Feb. 7-9. The Vero Beach-based Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Guild’s biennial show offers a gallery of quilted art in all shapes and sizes.

Of special interest is the king-size Centennial Quilt, A Day at the Beach, designed by Ann Bryant and executed by members of the organization. The process from idea to completion began with making a full-size paper model so quilters could see the big picture and do any necessary tweaking before taking scissors to fabric.

Individual blocks for the large quilt were appliquéd or embroidered and then pieced by more than a dozen quilters. After that, the finishing committee put it all together into a priceless prize to be raffled off at 3 p.m. Saturday. A surprise Quilt of Valor presentation will be at 1 p.m. the same day. Co-chairs of the quilt committee were Barb Scamehorn, Ann Bryant, and Laddie Kruiten. Hours for the show are 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Feb. 7-9.

Guild members show a tender side with the quilted animals they make for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office . Miller said, "We make these animals so that when parents are arrested and children are upset and crying the other parent can give them this animal to hug. 

For information on the Centennial Quilt or Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Guild, email Diane Miller at midiane15@gmail.com .
The Making of the Centennial Quilt
A Night in the Theatre
Feb. 8-10.
ROAD TRIP!

Road trips on the Treasure Coast for the next two months might include a visit to the Elliott Museum. The Museum is always a magnet for car lovers because of the extensive collection of vehicles of all sorts and the state of the art display system, but coming up is an extended celebration of the car.

The champagne reception for Octane & Opulence II: Gentlemen Prefer Race Cars is Feb. 7, just “to get our engines revved up,” said Deb Banta, special events coordinator. For those who don’t make it to the gala evening, the show will be available for viewing through March 31. 

Consider yourself a true aficionado if you recognized the car in the poster pictured here as a 1958 Tojeiro-Jaguar. According to Robin Makowski, a rt studio & exhibitions coordinator, this is the only one in the United States and one of only four in existence. The other three are in Europe. The owner, Rocky Grady, is guest exhibition curator. Makowski said, “She and her husband, Henry, have several cars in the show including one Henry built and raced in the ‘60s.”

This exhibition will include paintings by John E. Schaeffer, “who specializes in auto and chrome acrylic paintings that roll off the canvas,” Makowski said. The Art Down the Hall space will have race car photos by Bob Bennett, a local photographer.

More car-related events this month at the Elliott are the Feb. 9 Autogeek’s Cars & Coffee free parking lot event. “Bring your ride and see some of the coolest cars in town!” It’s 8-10 a.m.

On Valentine’s Day, the Curators & Cocktails event celebrates Gentlemen Prefer Race Cars with Associate Car Curator John Giltinan. This one requires a reservation in advance.

If You Go:

The Elliott Museum is located on Hutchinson Island at 825 NE Ocean Blvd. in Stuart. Open daily from 10 am – 5 pm. Admission: Adults - $14; Seniors - $6 for kids from 6-12; Under 6 free. Call 772-225-1961 for more information or visit the website: www.elliottmuseum.org .
1983 Winston Cup Ford. Owner Donnie Gould (L), John Giltinan, Rocky Grady, Rob Steele
Donnie Gould, Rob Steele, Rocky Grady with the 1958 Tojeiro Jaguar
On The Calendar
This is not intended to be a complete list of events. Check the Easy Links section below.
Indian River   Classic Albums Live- Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours is presented by   Live From Vero Beach!   Feb. 8 at the Emerson Center, Vero Beach.

Indian River - The Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Show is at the Indian River Fairgrounds Feb. 7-9 . Tickets available at the door. 1-day tix $10, 3-day tix $15. vbsunbonnetsue@gmail.com

Indian River   - "The Navy Seal Museum: History Unfolds on Our Beach" is the  Florida Humanities Council  lecture presented by Richard (Rick) Kaiser,   U.S. Navy SEAL (Ret.),  at the  Emerson Center   Feb. 7 , 7 p.m. This is a free event.

Indian River   The Sebastian Art Studio Tour  is Saturday, Feb. 9 . There are 10 studio stops on the tour, with everything from ceramics to steel sculpture to paintings and wearable art. The list of artists and a downlable map are on the  website .

Indian River   - The next in the Vero Beach Historical Series is at the Indian River County Main Library Feb. 11 , 6 p.m. There is no charge but you must register in advance. hjenkins@irclibrary.org

Indian River   McKee Botanical Garden  has the 10th Annual Motor Car Exhibition Feb. 9 , 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and
the fabulous Seward Johnson sculpture exhibition throughout the garden until April 28 . See the  website  for hours and ticket information.

St. Lucie   Celebrating Florida Landscapes featuring  Anita Prentice  and  Doretha Hair Truesdell is at the Platts/Backus House , 122 A.E. Backus Ave., Fort Pierce, Feb. 7 , 5-7:30 p.m. and Feb, 8 , 11 a.m. to 2 p.m . Call (772) 466-3880.
Truesdell is the widow of original Highwayman Alfred Hair and painting partner on some of his paintings.
Prentice is well known for her mosaic benches placed in more than 150 locations in St. Lucie County. In this show, she will have a design inspired by artist Julie Lounibos' Sunrise over St. Lucie Village photos.

Indian River - Laura Riding Jackson Foundation has a salon- like setting for A Pairing of Poetry and Art Feb. 9 .

Indian River - Indian River Symphonic Association brings the Brevard Symphony to Community Church for a Pops concert Feb. 8 at 7:30p.m.

Martin - Jim van Voorheis' Jazz in the Sanctuary has a Valentine's Jazz concert Feb. 11, 7 p.m., at the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Palm City. There's a jam session at Notes Music Room Feb. 7.

Indian River - Vero Beach Book Center has Mary Davis Feb. 7, 6 p.m., Karen Rose Feb. 11, 6 p.m., and E.G. Scott Feb. 12, 6 p.m.
Indian River - Riverside Theatre has The Last Romance on the Stark stage and the final performances of Next to Normal on the Waxlax stage.

Brevard  - A fundraiser for  Surfside Playhouse   in Cocoa Beach is scheduled for Feb. 9 at the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront.  The Surfside Playhouse and Surfside Players, a not-for-profit organization, have been around since 1963. It's "Where the Beach Meets the Stage," Brevard County's only beachside community theatre.

The Jazz Market is every Saturday, rain or shine, along the waterfront in downtown Fort Pierce. 

Indian River  - The Silver Tones , under the direction of Jacob Craig, have a Valentine's Day concert Feb. 14 , 7 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach.

Martin -   T he Arts Council of Martin County 's 2019 ArtsFes t  will be at Memorial Park, Stuart,  Feb. 9-10 . Tickets are $10 per day.

Brevard   The Melbourne Chamber Music Society  brings the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet to St. Marks United Methodist Church, Indialantic, FL, Feb. 22 . Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. and last approximately two hours.

Indian River   Vero Beach Art Club's ART IN THE PARK  days this month are Feb. 17 and 24

Indian River  - Jill Kerwick's multi-media art is on display in “Leaving Home and Other Stories” at the  Center for Spiritual Care   in Vero Beach  through Feb. 22. The exhibit is open to the public Saturdays 1-4 p.m. and by appointment.

Indian River - A Night in the Theatre is the latest Apron Series shows at Vero Beach Theatre Guild , Feb. 8-10 . Call

Indian River - The a cappella St. Olaf Choir is at Community Church of Vero Beach Feb. 10 at 3 p.m.

Martin -ABBAcadabra: The Ultimate ABBA tribute is at the Lyric Theatre in Stuart. Feb. 8.

Indian River - Night Sounds at Sebastian Inlet State Park Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. features SIRSY.

Indian River - It's Sunset Saturday Night on Ocean Drive in Vero Beach Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m.

Brevard - The Brevard Watercolor Society's Splash will be at the Azan Shrine Temple Feb. 15-17.

Martin - It's Copeland Davis with the Pops!, the Indian River Pops Orchestra, Feb. 9 at First United Methodist Church, Stuart.
Easy Links