Yocum Institute Hosts Amos “Lemon” Burkhart, "Stay Alive, Make Art" Interactive Exhibit

“Untitled (Black Hair)” 2018 Watercolor and ink on paper 12” x 10” Delray Beach, Florida, Amos Lemon Burkhart

On Exhibit October 29 – November 26, 2022

Opening Reception Saturday, October 29 at 4:00 PM

The Yocum Institute for Arts Education is proud to host a month of arts experiences to inspire teens to “Stay Alive and Make Art” this November.

The Holleran Gallery will display a selection of the work of Amos Lemon Burkhart. “Lemon”, of Mohnton, was a driven young artist who created hundreds of paintings, works on paper, digital art, and animations between the ages of 15 and 19. He died tragically at 19, drowning in an accident fueled by a combination of Xanax and alcohol, after a year of struggling in treatment for addiction, depression, anxiety, and issues around gender identity and relationships. His work is an emotional touchpoint that initiates conversations about mental illness, substance use, gender identity, and other issues that affect teens and young adults. His fascination with the human figure, the incorporation of animated “zoetrope” sequences, and sophisticated use of color and technique place his innovative works in a class of their own. As a junior at Governor Mifflin, Burkhart won the Coggins Award in the Yocum annual high school exhibit, and he was enrolled as a toddler in the Institute preschool.

In addition to the art on display, there will be a number of interactive stations that encourage participants to process emotions through reflecting, writing, reading, talking, playing games and making art. All the activities are evidence-based, grounded in neuroscience, and engage multiple learning modalities.

“Adolescents are experiencing a national mental health emergency. The exhibit we have created is one part of a critical community-wide system that supports mental health. The exhibit is packed with information and offers a lot of new ways to approach the topics of creativity, addiction, and mental illness. We hope that every young person in Berks County gets a chance to see the art and interact with the installations,” says Ann Lemon, the mother of Amos Lemon Burkhart and Executive Director of the Foundation dedicated to his legacy.

On the weekend of November 11th, 12th, and 13th, Yocum Institute’s Schumo Theater will present a special performance creating a new collage performance with selections from musicals, scripted plays and devised pieces. Artistic Director, Beverly Houck, Head of Theater Department, Andrea Hart and through special workshops with Corinna Sowers Adler the cast of Yocum theater students ages 12-18 will bring together work that that centers all we love about the arts and how we use our talents to create a space for the performer and the audience that is cathartic to celebratory!

“I don’t think there is a family anywhere who has not been touched somehow by the issues of mental illness or substance abuse,” says Lemon. “Now more than ever we need to be able to think and talk about them without shame or blame. Anyone who has struggled with or lost someone to one of these issues is going to have complicated feelings. We hope that the exhibit helps the community find some healing and even joy.”

The Yocum Institute connects and enriches our community through arts education, creative performance, and innovative programs. Established in 1934 by Dr. Chester Wittell, the Wyomissing Institute of Fine Arts as it was originally called opened its doors to ensure that people living in West Reading and Wyomissing would have the same opportunities to experience excellence in arts instruction as people in the city. More than 80 years later, the Yocum Institute for Arts Education is the home to the Halloran Gallery, Primary Stages Productions, Art Goes to School, the Berks Art Alliance, and Neighborhood Bridges©, a critical literacy program created by the Children’s Theatre Company.

The Institute, as it is still affectionately called, remains a strong resource for education in and through the arts as it continues to offer on-site private and class instruction in all art disciplines. In keeping with the mission and long-term strategic plan of delivering relevant arts programming beyond the physical walls of the building, “The Institute” has developed an extensive outreach program. Through partnerships with schools, colleges, universities, libraries, recreation centers, and other nonprofit organizations in Berks County, Institute programs impact over 20,000 people annually – truly helping to realize our vision of “making the arts make a difference.”

The mission of the Amos Lemon Burkhart Foundation is to sustain and promote the legacy of the artist and inspire teens to stay alive and make art. The Foundation funds scholarships for college art education, and for treatment at Caron.

The show will open on Saturday, October 29th, and close on Saturday, November 26. The Holleran gallery is open during regular hours at the Yocum Institute.

Holleran Gallery Hours: