Community Q and A - Local News - Herald-Standard

Community Q and A - Local News - Herald-Standard



Does this mean I am infamous?

An Encounter With 6 Artists

 

Wow. What an honor. Please join me and these 5 amazing artists for our opening reception on December 6th 5:00 -7:30

An Encounter With 6 Artists
The Nemacolin Galleries, located in the Chateau Lafayette, are proud to showcase some of our region’s finest artists. Every year, select regional artists are selected to exhibit their work either in the gallery or in our Chateau Signature Boutique.
 

Join us for our Artist Exhibit kick-off session, An Encounter With 6 Artists, on December 6, 2014, to meet and greet our artists and to view and purchase their work.

For more information, please contact Melanie Sarver by email at melanie.sarver@nwlr.com.

Nemacolin's Winter in the Mountains Art Exhibit will run from November 30, 2014 – January 1, 2015, and features six local artists and a variety of mediums.
Connie Benline – Pottery 3D
Becky Keck – Acrylic 2D & Pottery 3D
Brian McDermott – Pastels 2D
Sue Pollins – Watercolor 2D
Gordon Sarti – Photography 2D
Susan Sparks – Mixed Media 2D

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Winter in the Mountains Art Exhibit
It’s hard to think of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort without recalling our beautiful Hardy Family Art Collection, but we don’t stop there. The Nemacolin Galleries, located in the Chateau Lafayette, are proud to showcase some of our region’s finest artists. Every year, select regional artists are selected to exhibit their work either in the gallery or in our Chateau Signature Boutique.
Nemacolin's Winter in the Mountains Art Exhibit will run from November 30, 2014 – January 1, 2015 in Nemacolin Galleries One, and features six local artists and a variety of mediums.

Something new

Getting personal

I am Becky and I am a sketchoholic.

Yes I sketch....and doodle....and carry around a mini art supply cabinet in my purse...watercolor pencils and a little water brush...and finely made German pens.

Wearing the potters "hat".

This third weekend in September,
Pocketsize Productions took to the road as Keck Pottery joined up with Great Dame Pottery at the Ebenezer Bridge for the 44th annual Washington and Greene County  overed Bridge Festival.

So instead of sitting behind a desk, on the phone or writing a proposal; the daily life in arts adminstration; I was just another potter selling my wares.

..And it felt good. Thanks to everyone who made this weekend so much fun and the familiar faces who stopped by to say hello!

See you next weekend at Lippencott Alpacas Open House!

Brighten Up!

Fill your day with color!

Off site meetings can be worth the trip!

Some days the idea of dropping everything, jumping in a car and driving to another person's office can  be the most annoying thing in the world. But not today; today a group of great people from Washington, Fayette and Greene counties met at the Intermediate Unit 1 Center for Professional Development in California, PA.

The topic? Artists in Residency, STEAM, and Arts Integration. We even survived the noise from the PA system outside to come to some conclusions that made real sense :-)

These are exciting times, folks! As refreshing as a cool drink of water!

End of summer camp

What a summer it has been... A little over a year ago I walked into a gorgeous facility and met a handful of amazing people.

I was introduced to folks who cared about children, community and the positive momentum to be gained by joining our hands and hearts to seek out our greatest potential.

There have been papers sorted and filed, systems implemented, friends gained, barriers removed, computers crashed, pencils sharpened, ceilings raised, walls painted, tears and laughter. Tools lost, coffee consumed, pizza eaten, jewelry made, pots thrown, sketches completed, holes drilled, hula hoops twirled and songs sung.

These images are a reflection of all of that, seen through the art of the children who have participated in our Summer Garden Camps and Metals Programs. Wash Arts has been blessed this year by a supportive community, Board of Directors, and students of all ages. That handful of people has become the most incredible team I have ever worked with.

Friday August 22, 11am- 1pm will be the showcase for our summer 2014 program. There will be cookies and punch and an opportunity to chat with our amazing young artists.

Farewell to Betty

Several days ago my community lost a woman of vision, a sweet but strong spirit who had the rare ability to stand up for her beliefs within anger. A woman who worked with her friend to save a town and its historic properties from demolition. A woman who loved people of all ages and somehow could make each on feel as if they were the most cherished person of all. An entrepreneur in a time before many women worked outside of the home. A wife, mother, sister, grandmother, advisor, mentor, and friend.

Accepted!

Wow. Super exiting news! I will be presenting a hands on workshop at this years Pennsylvania Art Education Association along with Highland Middle School's Art Teacher Leslie Kunkle and Pittsburgh Center for the Art's Mary Brenholts.

“Experience an Arts in Education Partnership in Action!”
Participants will learn how teachers, teaching artists, arts organizations, and state arts agencies can work together using best practices to develop a partnership designed to educate, inspire, encourage, and motivate individual students while building and fostering positive group dynamics through whole-school arts initiatives.
An effective arts in education partnership places emphasis on both process and product, setting students up for success in learning by providing clear, sequential instruction, high quality art materials, and an infinite amount of insight and flexibility that encourages asking questions, taking creative risks, and learning from mistakes.

Days in the sun.

Keck Pottery and Great Dame Pottery spent the weekend in sunny Occoquan, Va. The weather was hot, the folks were friendly and it was a lot of fun stepping out of the office to sell our wares!

Tiny trays

Highland Middle School gives students creative outlet - Community news - Timesonline

Highland Middle School gives students creative outlet - Community news - Timesonline



What a great way to wrap up the residency! A great day raku firing the kid's pinch pots and a great article in the paper. A great big thank you to all of the staff of Blackhawk Middle School, especially the amazing  Leslie Kunkel for inviting the PCA into her classroom and to Mr. Mooney for his generous support and most importantly to the 6th 7th and 8th graders who all collaborated to the project.

"Miss Becky"

Highland Middle School gives students creative outlet - Community news - Timesonline

Highland Middle School gives students creative outlet - Community news - Timesonline



What a great way to wrap up the residency! A great day raku firing the kid's pinch pots and a great article in the paper. A great big thank you to all of the staff of Blackhawk Middle School, especially the amazing  Leslie Kunkel for inviting the PCA into her classroom and to Mr. Mooney for his generous support and most importantly to the 6th 7th and 8th graders who all collaborated to the project.

"Miss Becky"

Mosaic madness!

So much work Ms. Kunkel has to stand on the table!

Busy day at Highland Middle School!

Principal Mooney and several teachers stopped by today to do their part in the project! Band, Science and Phys Ed were represented as well! Students work as teams to use the roller and cut pieces. There have been quite a few slabs rolled and tiles made so far the new kiln is loaded and firing the first round of the component parts! We compared and contrasted the work of Antoni Gaudi's architecture and tile work to what we are used to seeing in our own community and public spaces and I learned how to use alphabet noodles as stamps by impressing them into clay!

It really was a learning experience for everyone!

PF/PCA at Highland Middle School

Highland Middle School in the Blackhawk School District has had a lot of amazing updates and new construction, and the addition of a brand new Brent SR 20 slab roller. So this year Ms. Kunkel is working with Pittsburgh Filmmakers/ Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Department of School & Community resident artist (me) to make a  collaborative mosaic installation. I'm working with one 7th grade class and two 8th grade classes while Ms. Kunkel works with one 7th grade and two 6th grade classes. Today each student was able to use the slab roller in the process of creating small tiles  to use in the mosaic.

Time to say goodbye....

As the program director for a nonprofit dedicated to bringing arts programming to the underserved, it is easy to see potential for reuse in everything. But today, my IT Coordinator and I had a moment of celebration by removing an obsolete printer from the premises. The feeling of accomplishment was huge, not only because we rid ourselves of one of the peskiest pieces of equipment ever known to office- kind,  but that we had a successful enough winter term to buy what many places take for granted.
I am grateful that we were able to squeeze out some extra life from this old printer; and it did serve us well. But I am sure that it will rest in peace. To see more about what we do at Wash Arts visit us at www.wash arts.org

Dream big.

An afternoon walkabout turns into a chance meeting with friends...and a chat about a summer full of dreams!

Website news!

http://keckpottery.com/news.html

What a Tuesday!

Last day at Wylandville.

Making Memories

You never know what moment that is in front of you will become as cherished memory. What quiet conversation, what play of sunlight, spoken word or moment of laughter. All you can do is be ready to receive the moment and hold it in your heart to encourage you when you are down.

Be aware and those moments will happen more often than not.

Raku baby!

So this little kiln is ready to go! Looking forward to a hot Friday night at the Geek Arts/Geek Innovators Festival!

Making plates at Wylandville Elementary

Mrs.Tyree joins in as her First Grade class compresses clay to create a larger vessel.

What a great morning in pottery class today!

Check out @pocketsizePA's Tweet: https://twitter.com/pocketsizePA/status/445019916522250240

Getting ready for GA/GI!

Super excited to be participating in this amazing event!

www.gagifest5.blogspot.com

An old electric kiln gets a new life. First step is to remove the elements and controls.

Next step is to start gathering up a burner, regulator and gas line to connect it to a propane tank!

Operation Interdependence

www.oidelivers.org

Just because I don't believe in war doesn't mean I don't believe in our soldiers. We made cards.

Juicy questions!

http://opd.mpls.k12.mn.us/ArtfulTools
No, I'm not cheating... but the link above is talks about a topic that I relevant in the Teaching Artist's practice much more eloquently than I can!

Sometimes called critical responses, probing questions, or even juicy questions, getting students to dig in deeply and think is a good thing...!

Here we go!

Well, Spring teaching season is right around the corner. Wednesday is Journeys in Raku with the Phoenix Arts Center. This class will be held at the Uniontown High School Art Room with a field trip to the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts!  www.thephoenixartscenter.org to register.

My little corner of the world.

Keeping it simple. I am back in the sketching routine after quite some time. This may seem like adding one more thing to do, but for me it is a part of getting back to the basics of being just Becky, nothing more, nothing less.

So if you would like to join me, take a look at my pal Leslie Fehling's blog, for she is truly an Everyday Artist. Be inspired. Then sketch it!

Internationally Inspired

Post cards are everywhere, excitement is building and Pittsburgh Society of Artists members are getting fired up about the 2013 Carnegie International.

I can't wait to see what the responses will be! I am working feverishly to complete my submission!

This is a wonderful group of artists; supportive, active and talented! Make sure you save the date for March 8th and stop by the 3rd St. Gallery at 220 3rd St, Carnegie, Pa 15106 ! It so sure to be a blast!

Collaborative Community Mosaic@ Wash Arts

This is a project that just keeps moving along! Eventually it will be a section of a 30 foot mosaic that will be installed at the Pittsburgh  Center for the Arts Ceramic Studio. It started at the 2013 Three Rivers Arts Festival, next stop was the PCA yArt Sale,  A Fair in the Park, Art Blast on the Mon, Handmade Arcade, Martin Luther King Day at Schenley Park and now Wash Arts in Washington, Pa. Whew!  We incorporated it into our sessions on mosaics. The kids placed the pieces on the backing according to the pre -painted  code.

A Little Bit of Chalk

As I was thinking of what to write today, I ran across this photo of my friend Melissa. This was simple moment, but precious nonetheless. My daughter and some friends were drawing on the sidewalk and Melissa joined in...

A simple act of being freed from the day to day by a little bit of colored chalk... that is the power of art.

Catching up...

Last weekend was so full that it's hard to tell where bit ended and the week began. Last Saturday the Instructor Exhibition was a full house and the good energy filled the room up!

Sunday was another day in Pittsburgh! Friendship Circle at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. Day 2 of making wind chimes with some great kids. Friendship Circle is a program that works to provide children of all ages with a hands on art experience, and they were able to visit ceramics, printmaking, mosaics and more at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts!

Monday morning I met up the Jessica and Alyssa at Schenley Park Ice Rink and we took the Collaborative Community Mosaic that began at Three Rivers Arts Festival to its 6th location...and what a blast! Hundreds of people came out to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. It was great to see Katy from the Center for Creative Reuse and Jeff from SCA!  So many wonderful organizations and volunteers came together to make this great day happen!

This Fall at Touchstone

It's never too early to think about my favorite season, Fall... and there is no place more beautiful than Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands. Save the date for a great weekend workshop! Bring some burnished and bisqued work and we will fire it up!

September 19–21

Primal Pottery

Becky Keck

All Levels | $200

Weekend Workshop

You will begin with basic pinch pot techniques and will progress through traditional and experimental forms in this fast-paced and fun class. Various surface treatments will be explored, including organic material, chemical treatments, terra sigilatta, and masking. Work will be fired overnight in a sawdust firing. Other alternative firing methods may be explored as interest and time allow. You are encouraged to bring 3 to 5 bisque-fired pieces.


Becky Keck began her studies in art at Edinboro University in the 1980s and completed her BA in fine arts at Waynesburg University. She teaches privately and is a frequent regional demonstrator. Her approach to teaching combines the historical uses of clay in the southwestern Pennsylvania region with a more modern sculptural approach to pottery. Becky is the curriculum coordinator for the Washington Community Arts and Cultural Center in Washington, Pennsylvania, and a juried member of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists. Learn more about her work at www.keckpottery.com.
> Weekend workshop dates include check-in and check-out.

> Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Check-in at Blaney Lodge

> Friday, 6:00 p.m.: Meet and Greet, and Orientation at the Dining Hall

> Friday, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.: Programming in Studios

> Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Programming in Studios

> Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Programming in Studios

> Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Checkout

  

Register HERE!

Students are welcome to work in studios after the posted workshop hours as long as the instructor or appointed staff member is present. Unfortunately, due to liability risks, students are not permitted to work in the studios without one of these forms of supervision. While staff members and instructors will often be found in the studio during evening hours helping students, they are not obligated to be present after the posted workshop hours. Students are also encouraged to participate in evening activities such as studio demonstrations and the Thursday evening auction. Touchstone asks that all students respect the campus-wide quiet time of 11:00 p.m.

GA/GI Fest 5: Geek Art/Green Innovator's festival Hits 5-year Mi...

GA/GI Fest 5: Geek Art/Green Innovator's festival Hits 5-year Mi...: Since 2010 The Geek Art/Green Innovator's Festival, affectionately known as GAH-gee, has been highlighting and presenting the most uniqu...

Friendship Circle 2014 at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

This is a group visit where a group of incredible kids rotate through the studios at PCA/
These pictures are from Day 1 of making wind chimes!

Firing with Laura Jean McLaughlin

 One of the highlights of 2013 in my time as the Ceramics Coordinator at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts was to facilitate a raku firing for the amazing Laura Jean McLaughlin. Here is a link to her blog for a wonderful residency project through PF/PCA
 
http://grungar.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/raku-at-the-pittsburgh-center-for-the-arts/

Residency Blogs and Community Projects

As part of my "resolution" to simplify in 2014... Here are the links to past Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Residency Projects .. all in one place..

http://vimeo.com/57222006

2012: This is the 10 week journey of young artists as they see at their environment as Artists and bring their reflections to life as a "multi-media movable mural"

http://muralodeon.blogspot.com/

2012: This 10 week Residency in Rices Landing, Pa was a community project that represents some local legend, pop culture and lots of love! Installation was stalled due to some extenuating circumstances, but is back on track for this year when the weather breaks!

http://riceslandingmural.blogspot.com/

2010 Greene County Historical Society -Pit Fining on site at the beaultiful Greene County Museum in Waynesburg. Photos Courtesy of Pete Zapadka

 Photo courtesy of Pete Zapadka

History Days Greene County Historical Society