From Studio B Art Gallery
Pictured above: “Soldiers in Service of Freedom,” oil painting by Robert Louis Williams. The picture was cropped for use with this article.
Studio B Art Gallery, 39 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, PA, announces the opening of an art exhibit entitled “In Service” on Friday, June 26, from 5-7 p.m., featuring artwork from dozens of local artists. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will run through Sunday, Aug. 23.
Artists were encouraged to interpret the theme of “service” in their unique styles and media. The exhibit is curated by artist Bob Hakun, Studio B’s gallery director. Juror for prizes in the exhibit is artist Robert Louis Williams. Bob is known locally for painting several murals in Boyertown and creating a handful of Bear Fever bears. Visit Bob’s website to learn more about him and his work at robertlouiswilliams.com.
Funded by a grant award provided by the Marlene L. Driscoll Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, Studio B Art Gallery has been engaging members of the community over the past few months in efforts to collect examples of “service” to remind us how important we are to one another, to heal perhaps some of the divisiveness we’re witnessing in our communities, to inspire us all to commit more acts “of kindness and of love,” and to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. through a recognition of service personnel.
Notes of thanks
Studio B’s art exhibit will include a display of notes of thanks from members of the community and from students of Boyertown High School who were invited to share their thanks for meaningful assistance provided by their friends and family members, teachers, aides, and others. Members of the community are encouraged to add a card to the display expressing their thanks throughout the summer. Several versions of the thank-you cards to be added to the display are available at Studio B.
Bells of Boyertown
The “In Service” exhibit will include a mural by the exhibit’s juror, Robert Louis Williams, as the studio’s entry into the “Bells of Boyertown” activity of Freedom Fest presented by the Boyertown Area Historical Society.
Publication of poetry and prose
Area writers who submitted examples of poetry and prose in which they addressed the theme of “Service” will find their poems or prose submissions published in the digital news site The Boyertown Area Expression throughout the summer. Readers can find them at boyertownareaexpression.town.news.
Reading and reception for writers
A reading and reception for writers will be held at Studio B on Sunday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Members of the community are invited to the reception to meet the writers and learn more about them and their work.
Our “service” to one another comes in many forms, and everyone has stories of times when someone offered to help them or when they provided some kind of service to another. Examples of service will be “on display” in collaboration with Studio B in various ways sponsored by businesses and other nonprofit organizations throughout the summer at Studio B and other locations.
Visit Studio B’s website at studiobbb.org, Studio B Art Gallery on Facebook for more details, or stop into the gallery during its extended summer hours: Thursday through Sunday afternoons from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
