By KATE SNYDER

Community Arts Center 

The Community Arts Center will host Danville’s first-ever Art-A-Thon on Saturday, May 13. In addition to showcasing the talents of over 60 regional artists, the event is an opportunity for community members to explore new art forms.

“We originally envisioned the event as being entirely about demonstrations,” says committee member Carlotta Kustes. “But as artists began signing up to participate, quite a few asked if it was okay to include a teaching element to their work.” 

Waynesburg artist Roni Gilpin will be creating glass tile mosaics for the event. An accomplished painter, Gilpin decided to do mosaics because the art form lends itself to collaboration.

Kevin Overhulser of Williamstown will be cutting freehand silhouettes for any interested Art-A-Thon spectator. According to Overhulser, the entire process of cutting, mounting and packaging a portrait can be completed in under five minutes. He’ll be performing his art free-of-charge, giving participants a unique and personal reminder of their visit to the event.

Several quilting groups will be working throughout the day inside CAC, and event spectators are invited to add their own stitches to a community quilt square while also learning about the process of quilting. Other fiber arts demonstrations on the agenda include needle tatting, knitting and felting.

Artist Kandice Williams will be demonstrating paper crafting and stamping. Williams says, “Creative expression is such an innate part of me. I can’t help but create. I’ve dabbled in a variety of arts and crafts over my lifetime. My current passions are quilting, cake decorating and paper crafting. This month is my 11th anniversary as an independent demonstrator for Stampin’ Up. To celebrate that, I am participating in the Art-A-Thon to raise money for local scholarships.” 

Visitors to Williams’ table will have a chance to create their very own hand-stamped gift tags.

Also on Saturday, anyone needing a mental health break after a busy week can try Tai Chi at 10 a.m., join a yoga practice at 1 p.m. or learn some basic martial arts moves throughout the afternoon.

For those more interested in seeing art than creating it, the event will include demonstrations of wheel-thrown pottery, painting, drawing, sketching, wood-carving, bead-work, jewelry-making, collage and mixed media. There will also be demonstrations by the Arts Center’s children’s drama students, dancers with Danville Dance at Bunny Davis and tumblers from KC’s Gymnastics. Musical performances will include Centre College professors Larry Bitensky and Nathan Link, student vocalist Londyn Jackson and the Steel Appeal steel drum band.

If You Go

Art-A-Thon

10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, rain or shine  

www.communityartscenter.net/art-a-thon

Participating Artists

For a full event schedule, including timing of demonstrations and activities, visit www.communityartscenter.net/art-a-thon

ActUp Children’s Theater Workshop – Musical Theater

Elle Ahnquist – Kids Art

Connie Estes Beale – Collage

Ginny Birney – Painting

Larry Bitensky – Music

Tressa Brown – Beadwork

Sophie Byerly – Kids Art

Sarah and Clay Cheatham – AcroYoga

Amelia Cloud – Drawing

Chris Conley – Ceramics

Amy Cooley – Mixed Media

Andrea Cutts – Woodworking

Trevor Cutts – Watercolor

Danville Dance (Bunny Davis) – Dance

John Andrew Dixon – Collage

Ruth Dove – The Coloring Table

Donna Elam – Painting

Donna Forgacs – Painting

Roni Gilpin – Glass Tile Mosaic

Kevin Greer – Painting

Katie Haefner – Coloring

Paxton Harper – Drawing

Steve Hoffman – Photography

Londyn Jackson – Vocalist

KC Gymnastics – Tumbling

Diana Kestly – Charcoal Sketching

Nick Lacy – Photography

Nathan Link – Music

Brandon Long & Family – Kids Art

Miranda Lopez – Ceramics

Nancy Martindale – Felting

Thelma Mills – Needle Tatting

Joni Morgan – Quilting

Charlotta Bright Norby – Quilting

Kevin Overhulser – Freehand Silhouettes

Pieceable Friends – Quiting

Lori Price – Painting

Debbie Sears – Jewelry

Peggy Sherry – Painting

Carrie Snow – Painting

Eliah Snyder – Kids Art

Francine Southerland – Yoga

Tillie Sowders – Pastels

Steel Appeal – Steel Drum

Tai Chi Demonstration

Carol Taylor – Ceramics

Mayme Taylor – Drawing

Catherine Thomsen – Ceramics

Jonathan Turner – Martial Arts

Erica Weil – Ceramics

Mark Wilhelm – Digital Art

Kandice Williams – Papercrafting

Sarah Wiltsee – Pen & Ink Sketching

On Exhibit
Student Showcase – through May 25

Artwork by over 300 local students

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday

Suggested donation $5.

Coming Up

• Starry Night Studio: Tree Hugger

7-9 p.m. Tuesday, May 23, $28

Capture a favorite childhood memory with this lovely painting of a tree with tire swing. Register online at www.communityartscenter.net

• Lunch with the Arts: Featuring Heather Henson and Liz Orndorff

noon Wednesday, May 17, $7 at the door

First came the play, then the children’s book!  Join playwright Liz Orndorff and children’s author Heather Henson for a discussion of the story that inspired both an award-winning play and a children’s book. 

• Munchkin & Me Preschool Art Class

10 a.m. Mondays

A FREE visual arts class for children ages 18 month – 4 years, with an adult caregiver. Experiment with new techniques and new mediums each week! No preregistration required.

• Ceramic Lotus Candle Holder Workshop
Saturday, June 17 | 10am to 11:30am
$30 per person

In this 90 minute beginner clay workshop, each student will create two lotus flower candle holders. Keep one for yourself and give one to a friend! 

• Ceramic Woven Basket Workshop
Wednesday, June 21 | 7:00pm to 8:30pm
$30 per person

Learn to create a beautiful ‘woven’ ceramic basket/platter in this beginner clay workshop. 

• Introduction to Wheel-Thrown Pottery

7-9 p.m. Thursdays, June 22-Aug. 3, $120

Special summer pricing for this introductory pottery class! 

Bookworms Art Camp – June 5 to 9

Rainforest Adventure Camp – June 12 to 16

Fabulous Food Art – July 17 to 26

Take Flight – July 24 to 28

Camps for rising 2^nd through 6^th graders

9am to 12pm OR 1pm to 4pm

$100 per camper ($125 after May 14)

Register online at www.communityartscenter.net

Middle School Nerd Camp – July 28 to August 4

Rising 7^th through 9^th graders

1pm to 4pm

$125 per camper ($150 after May 14)

Register online at www.communityartscenter.net