Volume 2 No. 29 |July 21, 2020
ARTS NEWS
& PROFILES
FROM
FLORIDA'S
TREASURE COAST & BEYOND
Sharing our wealth of arts and culture. We're having an ARTS BLAST!

Promoting The Arts & Arts Councils Everywhere
In This Issue
___________

Tim Womack at 20, Building Music & Arts at First Pres
Thoughts on A Special Show Leaving Backus
Bits & Pieces from Around the Area & Around the Web

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Get Updates on Willi Miller's Arts Blast Facebook Page
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Shared Links on Willi Miller's Arts Blast Extras
Notes from the Arts Blast desk:

It turns out that a couple of my new ideas aren't really working very well. People are not adding events to the new calendar format, so I've scrapped it for now, thinking that when schedules are less subject to last-minute changes, it might be back.

And what I thought would be the solution to several internal problems needs to be revisited. It seems the plan to go biweekly with Arts Blast for the summer to relieve the constant pressure of a deadline causes a bit of anxiety and disconnect for me, so we'll play it loosey-goosey for the time being. It's Be Kind to Your Ulcers season.

Constant Contact is up to its technical tricks this week, so I've pushed back some planned features. Nicole Ballinger, Doug Jewett, Chris Kling, Morikami Museum — I promise to write your stories soon!
We'll get there, but we have to wait patiently and safely and remember that "there" might not be exactly the way we remember it.
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Please encourage friends and even strangers to Like our Facebook pages and become Arts Blast subscribers!

Help someone in the arts while supporting Arts Blast.

Arts Blast is a free, arts-dedicated publication that, not surprisingly, has made the COVID-19 hit list. Here's how to help x2:

Through summer, each $50 Arts Blast donor, named or anonymous, may suggest an artist, musician, writer, or gallery for a feature story in Arts Blast! Email for details.
Listen to Cultural Connection on the Air at a new time and place, Sundays at 8 a.m. on WQOL, 103.7 fm.

If you miss the show Sunday, you can listen to it for one week at willimiller.com.

Members of Cultural Council of Indian River County are eligible to request a guest segment as time becomes available. Segments are very limited.
Watch this space for details from the ELC!
It's the Big Two-Oh for Pastor Tim Womack
Things have changed a lot in our community since a young pastor and his family arrived in Vero Beach in July of 2000 to lead the congregation at First Presbyterian Church. On a personal level, Rev. Dr. G. Timothy Womack and his wife, Stephanie, have watched a newborn son grow into his senior year in the honors program at Georgia Tech. Their pre-school daughter has earned her degree at the University of Florida and is now preparing for a November wedding. And it's just the place for enjoying outdoor activities when time allows. Fishing, sailing, diving, and following a small white ball around a golf course are Womack's favorites.
On a professional level, his July 23rd anniversary is a milestone for Womack. He’s been in the ministry a total of thirty years, first in Palm Coast and then in Jacksonville before finding his way to First Pres. Womack's first experience with Vero Beach was sailing his father’s boat to the city marina. He liked what he saw and is very grateful the congregation at First Pres continues to like what he brings to them. In the Presbyterian Church, Womack said, it’s up to the minister and the congregation. The pastor stays as long as he has something valuable to give. “My biggest fear is that I’ll get stale or not be able to give the church what it needs, and I don’t want to be that person.” If appreciation for successful and popular programs is an indication of the congregation’s approval, it appears that Womack is in for the long haul.
The music and arts programs that have been developed over the years have added a very important dimension to the First Pres big picture. Womack explained, “Our theology says, basically, that we are here to make the world a more beautiful place.” Judith Taylor was his introduction to what would become a great tradition in the church, with her love of great music. Then Thomas Goetz took over with his devotion to the music.

About eight years ago, when it was time to find a new music director, the First Pres search committee took a chance on a young man, Jacob Craig, who came with enthusiastic recommendation from other Vero Beach music professionals. “Jacob is amazing,” Womack said, “not just in the music he brings but his personality. He’s so dynamic and his ability to take on the broader role of not being only our music director but Director of Music and Arts has really been invaluable to us.” Working with several volunteer choirs, outreach with young people, and the award-winning youth string orchestra, Craig brings out the best in everyone, Womack said.
“We have a huge campus, lots of area. It was decided we should promote the arts,
make it a place people wanted to come for other than theological reasons.” Peter Coe, an artist member of the congregation, and his wife, Carol, took on the job of creating The Galleries at First Pres with Craig’s guidance. When there isn’t a pandemic to deal with, the work of three local artists is exhibited in the several galleries every quarter, with an opening reception and artist tours.

After a Covid break to regroup, a 3 p.m. Summer Series String Concert by the Youth String Orchestra has been added to the church calendar August 9, followed by an opening exhibit for the Spring into Summer art installation for artists Suzan Phillips, Donna Wares, and Keith Mills. The galleries will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. First Presbyterian Church is located at 520 Royal Palm Boulevard, Vero Beach.

Womack said he is thankful for “the gift I’ve had, great staff, great lay leaders. I couldn’t have been here 20 years if God hadn’t put some amazing people in front of me.”

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NOTE: A press release correction came in from a spokesman for First Presbyterian Church who had written that Pastor Womack was the longest-serving pastor in Vero Beach:

I was informed by a member of the congregation at Central Assembly church that Pastor Buddy Tipton has been serving at their church since the early 1980s.

My sincerest apologies to Pastor Tipton and the Central Assembly church for this error.
Another beautiful morning on the river captured by Fort Pierce artist Julie Lounibos .
Marshall Adams Reflects on a Very Special Exhibit
On View at the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery through August 9:  James F. Hutchinson: Visionary Truths-
 J. Marshall Adams, Executive Director

Welcoming artist James Hutchinson back to where it all began was a powerful moment. In 1948, Hutchinson began his serious studies of art as a teenager in the studio of A.E. "Bean" Backus in old Fort Pierce. Over the course of more than six decades, he has traveled as an artist far and wide, but he has always had that special, creative affinity for home.
The title of the special exhibition organized by the Backus Museum,  James F. Hutchinson: Visionary Truths , was drawn from the quote by beloved Florida author and journalist Al Burt, who said that Hutchinson's paintings have "kept the disappearing beauty of natural Florida alive, (bringing) form and color to visionary truths about our heritage."

By presenting the special exhibition  James F. Hutchinson: Visionary Truths  here, we have on display a tour de force of three rounds of induction into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame: Hutchinson (inducted in 2012), the 26 Original Highwaymen (inducted in 2004), and of course A.E. Backus (inducted in 1993). The shores of the Indian River have been an inspiring place like no other, and for this moment you can see some of Florida's most celebrated artists at one time, in one place.

The Backus Museum is open on weekends in the summer through August 9, Saturdays 10 am - 4 pm and Sundays 12 noon - 4 pm. Please wear face coverings and practice social distancing when visiting.  www.BackusMuseum.org
I've been getting survery emails from arts councils and entertainment venues asking for resident input. This is from Nancy Turrell, executive director of the Arts Council of Martin County:
How are you feeling about attending events in the coming months? 
We've teamed up with several of Martin County's most loved events to ask you to share your thoughts with us. It's a short and simple 6 question survey, so please take a moment to tell us how you are feeling. Your candor and participation are greatly appreciated. Your response is requested before midnight on Sunday, August 2nd. 
Stay well...and thank you in advance for participating.
Nature is Near You or a Kid You Know at ELC
Sponsorship ranges from $375-500
Lots of exciting ideas are coming from the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance!

Is there a mural or sculpture in your 'hood?
Help us pinpoint all the art treasures in our communities and put St. Lucie County on the cultural map! If you're cruising around town and find a masterpiece, we want to see it. Post pictures and locations on social media and tag us,  @artstlucie , to lead us to St. Lucie's hidden treasures. You may also email us your findings at info@artstlucie.org . The goal is to discover all the gems by Friday, July 24. Let's go!

Call for Junior Art

All K-12 and college students, don't forget to enter our Young Hearts to Arts contest to get your artwork exhibited county-wide and win prizes. Please, submit your work with a short video describing the inspiration behind it by August 2nd.

Support our mission to better position the arts and cultural sector as a significant contributor to St. Lucie County -  become a member ,  donate , or  join our ART SOS volunteer program , and  support local artists . 
Help with small gestures, such as liking and sharing our social media posts and  leave us a 5-Star review on Google .

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Christmas in July begins at 10 a.m. July 25 in Downtown Fort Pierce.
For updates on gallery openings and classes in Melbourne and surrounding Brevard County, check the Brevard Cultural Alliance website and individual gallery social media.
Brevard Zoo is open but with timed-entry tickets, so check the website for details.
This is how to send a free listing to the Arts Blast On the Calendar page. Thank you, Adam.

Who : Foosaner Art Museum at Florida Tech
What :  Animal Nature: Recent Works by Linda Mitchell
When : Opens Aug. 8, on view through Oct. 24. Hours Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where : Foosaner Art Museum, 1463 Highland Avenue, Melbourne, FL 32935
Why : New exhibition
Contact for public (for tickets, questions, etc.) Foosaner Art Museum, 321-674-8916
With the extended deadline for event entries in the Cultural Council of Indian River County's 2020-2021 Cultural Guide, the Art of Networking that is the kickoff for the publication's distribution has been moved back to October. Stay tuned for location and date.

Final deadline for everything is August 1st. From Lisa Lindner, who's putting it all together: "Of course it helps us to receive it earlier. I'd like to start letting folks know to have their events listed in the Guide they need to enter them on the calendar   culturalcalendar.org  and then also email info@cultural– council.org  with a list of events so we have a double check. 

Planning for ArtsFest!

Nancy Turrell, executive director of the Arts Council of Martin County , steered me to these Calls for Artists on their website, martinarts.org. Many other artist opportunities are listed there along with news of events and links to resources for artists. Turrell plans to have a virtual meeting next week "with leaders from most of our large events, primarily outdoor events, to have a conversation about collaboration and a possible survey to gauge people's willingness to participate and what they will expect when they do attend."

Deadline to apply:  October 1, 2020
The Arts Foundation for Martin County invites artists to apply to be an exhibitor at our 34th annual ArtsFest on February 20 & 21, 2021 in beautiful Memorial Park in Downtown Stuart. A hometown celebration of local arts and culture, the 2-day event provides the area with exceptional fine art and craft exhibitors, culinary arts, hands-on activities for the family, and a variety of live musical and theatrical performances. From its genesis in 1988, ArtsFest has become one of the Treasure Coast’s most beloved and best-attended community events attracting arts patrons, collectors, residents, and visitors to the City of Stuart during Florida's busy winter season. ArtsFest Stuart has been chosen annually as a Southeast Tourism Society "Top 20 Event" since 2016!
Deadline to apply:  August 19, 2020
The Arts Council of Martin County, Florida invites artists residing in Florida to participate in its 30th Annual All Florida Juried Arts Show. Selected works will be exhibited at the Court House Cultural Center from Tuesday, October 13 through Saturday, December 12, 2020.

Entry information for the All Florida Juried Show is online now. 

The Arts Council of Martin County has made some exciting additions to its website in these months of downtime. There's a long list of Calls to Artists, a Members' Showcase, a page for Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resources for Arts organizations & Artists, and an Artist Registry for council member artists.

Read the spring/summer issue of MartinArts Magazine online, but be aware that it was published before all this happened.
From Jim Van Voorheis:

  we’re playing live jazz on our regular Thursday evening at “Notes Music Room” in Stuart.. We’re wearing masks and owner Priscilla is working hard to make the place very safe. Please join us this evening. Our basic group of four musicians are performing and a few musicians and singers have said that they may drop by.
Community Arts Program (CAP)
2020 VIRTUAL Summer Concert Series

7:30 p.m. (EST) 
EVERY Thursday through August 13

VIRTUAL concerts bringing 
South Florida musicians to concertgoers’ homes!

THE 5 STRING SWING QUARTET
in
The Great American Songbook 
 
Thursday, July 30 7:30 p.m. (EST)

DIGITAL VENUES
Facebook: Community Arts Program 

FREE
Donations are gratefully accepted to help engage the Miami Artists and Technicians performing on the Community Arts Program (CAP) 2020 VIRTUAL Summer Concert Series.
Around the Web
Osceola Arts is livestreaming Once on This Island
From ALLARTS.org :

Streaming options: Amadeus to Macbeth

Leonard Bernstein Mass tonight

Coronavirus: Tower of London Beefeaters face job cuts due to pandemic
From the Boston Symphony Orchestra:

Boston Symphony launches first-ever Summerlong Tanglewood Online Festival this week at  WWW.TANGLEWOOD.ORG

VIEW COMPLETE TANGLEWOOD 2020 ONLINE FESTIVAL  SCHEDULE, July 1-August 23, 2020.
TANGLEWOOD’S FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL GALA TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF ISAAC STERN—ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL CULTURAL ICONS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY—THURSDAY, JULY 23, AT 8 P.M. (EDT), AVAILABLE FREE FOR ALL AT  WWW.TANGLEWOOD.ORG  
 
COMPOSER  JOHN WILLIAMS , CELLIST  YO-YO MA , PIANIST  EMANUEL AX,  VIOLINISTS  GIL SHAHAM  AND  MIDORI , AND MANY MORE HEADLINE SPECIAL ISAAC STERN TRIBUTE TO INCLUDE PERFORMANCES, REMEMBRANCES, AND RARELY SEEN ARCHIVAL VIDEO RECORDINGS OF MR. STERN IN PERFORMANCE
From Polk Museum of Art

Why We Need Journalism Now More Than Ever 
 
Thursday, July 23 at 7 pm via Facebook Live and Zoom! 
 
Join Dr. Alex Rich, Executive Director and Chief Curator, for an interactive happy hour and Q&A as he chats LIVE with YOU and special guests Barry Friedman, Editor and Publisher of LkldNow, Kimberly Moore, Senior Reporter at The Ledger, Jamie Cook, News Videographer at WFLA, and Staci DaSilva, Polk County Reporter for WFLA. They are excited to take YOUR questions live, eager to discuss the powerful role journalism plays in our everyday lives, our community, and in the arts. 

Join us on Facebook Live or through Zoom Thursday, July 23, at 7 pm for this informative and exciting Q&A where we will learn together about the experiences of the journalists behind the impactful stories, how traditional journalism is transforming in a digital world, and why journalism has proven to be especially vital in a time of uncertainty.
From Florida Humanities:

To assist our state’s most at-risk and critically important museums, libraries, historical societies and other cultural partners, Florida Humanities proudly opens these new grant opportunities to support our partners’ vital – and virtual - public humanities programming in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. The new grant opportunities include:
Apply now for up to $2500 in funding to purchase (either print or digital) democracy and civics-themed books for circulation. NEW! This grant opportunity is now open to Florida libraries, K-12 libraries, educational institutions and cultural organizations with widely accessible literary collections.
Deadline to apply: September 23, 2020

Apply for up to $5,000 through Florida Humanities’ Community Project Grants to orchestrate bold and innovative humanities programs (either virtual or in-person) that strengthen vibrant communities through the humanities.
Deadlines to apply: July 22, September 9 (New), and October 14, 2020

Questions about these additional grant opportunities or want to discuss your proposed project? Reach out to Florida Humanities staff – we’re here to help!
Lindsey E. Morrison
Florida Humanities Grants Coordinator
From the Jupiter Jazz Society:
 
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are temporarily discontinuing our *Sunday Jazz Jam* until further notice. Thank you for your love and support. It was a pleasure bringing you these events and we are looking forward to what the future holds. Till then be well, be safe, and keep the Jazz alive. 

Thursday, July 23 at 2 PM (Eastern)

From her stage and concert performances to her television and film roles, six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald is recognized for both her artistry and her activism. She is joined by music director Andy Einhorn for a varied selection of songs, as well as a conversation with Mo Rocca about the role of artistic expression in times of social change.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates Open Select Evenings
 
Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers will be open on select nights this summer, so that visitors can enjoy the cooler evening air along the riverfront. On Tuesday, August 4 and September 1 from 6-9 p.m., the public is invited to take an evening stroll around the property. Guests will also get to listen to a talk in the Moonlight Garden about fragrant plants and the history of the garden.


Dr. Marcos Daniel Flores is a piano performance graduate from The Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico B.M., The Eastman School of Music M. M., and Arizona State University where he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Flores is an active performer as well as an experienced and inspirational piano teacher.
Like it or not, it's not unusual for event schedules to change, often at almost the last minute. Verify, double check, and then do it again before you head out the door. And when you do go out, take a mask. Without one, you risk being turned away.
Classical Guitar
Live via Skype or archived on YouTube
For more information and to register: veroclassicalguitar@gmail.com
Trumpet Lessons
Call or text: (772) 532-2083 or email annora.daige@gmail.com
Piano Instruction
For more information and to register: E mail  drmdflores@comcast.net
Piano Instruction

https://www.facebook.com/soliviapiano/
LIBRARIES - IF YOU GO (ONLINE)
Scroll down for guidelines for submitting calendar items and feature suggestions to ARTS BLAST.

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Please share this to help Arts Blast reach more readers and spread the word.

As always, For Helen Miller 
Information is to be received in an email at least one week before publication.

Use this format:
Who (organization)
What (Event)
When (dates, time)
Where (Name of venue, address)
Why (a brief description of the purpose)
Web address
Contact for public (for tickets, questions, etc.)
Then add a short, descriptive release if available.
Send only one photo, with caption, until more are requested.
Media contact with email for my followup (not for publication)
Here's a suggestion for uploading information to calendars that allow you to input your own events.
In the body of the listing, sometimes called Description , make sure to include all dates in each upload. For example: Performances are on March 12-31; or the exhibit is open March 12, 14, 15, and 17. That information should be in all dates you post individually.

If you are a member of the  Cultural Council of Indian River County , you need this information:

IMPORTANT: In order to promote your events as a member of the Cultural Council, you must enter your event on the CCIRC calendar via this link:  https://www.calendarwiz.com/culturalcouncil and click on "Submit your event"
The deadline is MONDAY - 10 days prior to the Wednesday publication.
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