Whew! Now that my first week at the Community Arts Center is over, I wish I could say I have some time to take a breather and relax. But nope! We don’t stop, and that’s the way I like it.
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’ve been to the Arts Center a few times before, but last week I got a crash course in what we’re all about and all of the events and classes we have coming up this summer. Mariel left the office in great shape and gave me a detailed summary of the deadlines and responsibilities of the Arts Center’s marketing director, but I barely had time to digest all of it before I got to witness and participate in my first events. On Monday morning there was a “Munchkin and Me” class, Tuesday was full of elementary through adult drawing classes, and then Lunch with the Arts on my third day brought woodcarver LaVon Williams into the building to talk about his background and work. Williams was a member of UK’s 1978 NCAA championship team, but he’s made a new name for himself since then with his exquisite carved sculptures. What blew me away was that he always knew he wanted to be an artist! Basketball was always a secondary priority. He also said that some of his works take years to finish – even up to 20! Several pieces of his are on display here through July 27 in his “Sweepin’ Heaven†exhibit, which I love partially because of his depictions of musicians (I’m an amateur musician myself) and also because you get to see some of his pieces in various stages of completion.
Thursday I attended a planning meeting at the Danville CVB for the upcoming Irish Festival! It’s exciting to get the inside look at the planning process behind large-scale events like this. Everything has to be mapped and scheduled down to the inch and the minute, and I think the committee just about has it down. There will be dancing, cricket games, storytelling, genealogy workshops… and FOOD! Even several local churches will be incorporating Celtic elements into their services that weekend. On July 11 during the festival, we’re hosting a special Lunch with the Arts with Irish actor and singer Kieran Cunningham (he’s been in Game of Thrones! One of my favorites) and a Starry Night Studio that night with a brand-new painting by David Farmer, “Enchanted Irish Forest.†(Kieran Cunningham will also be onstage at Pioneer Playhouse in Elizabeth Orndorff’s “The Search for Tinker Doyle.†I won’t be missing that either!)
On Friday evening the Heart of Danville hosted Downtown ’til Dusk, where all of the local bakeries and sweet shops were open late, and we held a Starry Night Sampler in Weisiger Park. We handed out mini canvases and paints for people to paint their own masterpieces for free! We had a great turnout, and it was fun to see people of all ages working together and creaing their art.
Today I attended my first meeting about the Dantastic Race. It’s like a trivia challenge, obstacle course and scavenger hunt all over Boyle County. This will be my first year involved in it and I can’t wait! There’s a lot of history to this event and it’s amazing to me how the staff here keeps it fresh and interesting every year.
My first six days here have been jam-packed! I can’t wait to see what the next week will bring here at the Arts Center…
