Each session of Art in Focus will be hosted by South Shore Arts Deputy Director Micah Bornstein. Thursday evening sessions at 7:00 will be live events with the opportunity to engage directly with the presenting artist. Monday morning sessions at 10:00 am will be rebroadcasts with post-presentation conversation hosted by Micah. Links to participate will be posted on the website.
Art in Focus
Art in Focus is an exploration of the arts through film, lecture and thoughtful dialogue. Art in Focus is for adult learners of all ages who are interested in the arts and their impact on the world. Founded in 1996 by Rita M. Ray, South Shore Arts continues this series annually with a variety of topics and guest speakers. Several lectures will coincide with upcoming Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra concerts and South Shore Arts exhibits. An important aspect of the program is the thoughtful dialogue between the program facilitator, the guest speakers and the attendees to broaden views of the arts and individuals in our world. Our goal parallels that of the U.S. Department of Education, “Learning Never Ends.” Art in Focus is open to the public and, thanks to generous support from Community Healthcare System, it is always free.
How To Watch
This year Art in Focus will take place virtually, with live interaction between the presenter and the audience. Each presentation will be screened virtually on two separate dates.
Thursday at 7:00 PM
Thursday evening sessions will be live events. During these screenings, the audience will have the opportunity to engage directly with the presenting artist.
Monday at 10:00 AM
Monday morning sessions will be rebroadcasts of the Thursday evening presentations. Monday morning rebroadcasts will be hosted by Micah Bornstein, Deputy Director, who will facilitate post-presentation conversation.
Information for how to access these virtual presentations will be posted on https://www.southshoreartsonline.org/art-in-focus closer to the presentation dates.
PRINTABLE ART IN FOCUS SCHEDULE
2020 SCHEDULE
January 7, 2021, 7–8 pm & January 11, 2021, 10–11 am
The Healing and Spirituality of Jazz
Sam Miltich is a jazz guitarist and composer from rural northern Minnesota. In the age of the pandemic, Sam has been focusing on producing and performing “Live From the Living Room” on social media. Join us as he shares his story of hope and recovery from two major disabilities. Sam will reflect on his struggle as a professional musician to adapt and cope. An acceptance of his disability and a committment to never giving up on his creative pursuits have formed the spiritual foundation that has allowed him to achieve greater mental well-being.
GUEST LECTURE
January 21, 2021, 7–8 pm & January 25, 2021, 10–11 am
Art & Community in Difficult Times
Art in Focus welcomes special guest Francisco Loyola, a working artist and community organizer from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Francisco, a mixed media, graphic and visual artist, is also the Executive Director of Kenosha Creative Space, a hub for artists and creatives. In the aftermath of the August 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake, protests, riots, and civil unrest occurred in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and around the United States. Francisco will discuss Kenosha Creative Space’s response and the importance that the arts played in the community during that time.
GUEST LECTURE
February 4, 2021, 7–8 pm & February 8, 2021, 10–11 am
In the Atrium
Photographer Matthew Kaplan’s presentation will coincide with an exhibition of his work in the atrium at the Center for Visual and Performing arts. Matthew has been photographing the Calumet Region and its industrial structures since the 1970s, recently focusing on the boundaries where residential neighborhoods are juxtaposed to factories and refineries. His work is a meditation on the interplay and struggle between industry, community, and nature, as expressed over time in the Region’s built environment.
GUEST LECTURE & VIRTUAL GALLERY TOUR
February 18, 2021, 7–8 pm & February 22, 2021, 10–11 am
A Portrait of People in Motion
Kerianne Quick is a jeweler/artist and Assistant Professor of Jewelry and Metalwork at San Diego State University. She has produced several bodies of material-specific work considering subject matters that range from communal sheep farming practices in the Orkney Isles to the derelict brickyards of New York’s Hudson Valley. Kerianne will present on her recent project, A Portrait of People in Motion.
GUEST LECTURE
March 4, 2021, 7–8 pm & March 8, 2021, 10–11 am
My Motherhood Is ______.
Education at South Shore Arts, will share her recent body of work about success and failure, love and depression, support and judgment, joy and exhaustion. For the past two years, Summer has created a collection of paintings that serve as the visual journal of one mother, depicting a variety of moments and emotions through the media of permanent ink and watercolor. Summer will share her motherhood experiences via a virtual exhibition of the artwork and open a dialogue about other stories and experiences through art.
VIRTUAL EXHIBITION & CONVERSATION
March 18, 2021, 7–8 pm & March 22, 2021, 10–11 am
Art and Earth
Bennett is a ceramicist and conservationist from Gary, Indiana. He has started his own ceramics company, Infinite Roots Pottery, and is currently teaching adult ceramics classes at South Shore Arts. Ryan’s work is founded on the idea that we are in control of our humanity and need to prioritize the importance of adopting good social and ecological practices: “The qualities of the world are as malleable as the finest clay and can only be as good as the practices to form them.” Ryan will demonstrate how to create a wheel-thrown vessel and engage viewers in a conversation about ceramics.
CERAMICS DEMONSTRATION & CONVERSATION
April 8, 2021, 7–8 pm & April 12, 2021, 10–11 am
COLOSSUS
Please join us for a presentation from Micah Bornstein, Deputy Director of South Shore Arts. Micah will discuss COLOSSUS, a collaborative art project between he and artist Lou Joseph. Micah and Lou have managed to maintain their COLOSSUS collaboration via USPS Priority Mail for fourteen years. Lou Joseph is a Visual Arts Specialist with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts and the Director of ICA Baltimore.
GUEST LECTURE
April 22, 2021, 7–8 pm & April 26, 2021, 10–11 am
You Don’t Have to Love It
Many people today can understand and appreciate Impressionism, but that wasn’t always the case. Art educator Marcia Carson will conduct a close examination of several notable artworks with the goal of highlighting the historical significance of each piece. The focus will be on understanding and enjoying art, whether you love it or not!
GUEST LECTURE & CONVERSATION
May 6, 2021, 7–8 pm & May 10, 2021, 10–11 am
A Tireless Advocate for the Arts
For more than a decade, Jamie Schumacher has been playing a pivotal role in the Twin Cities arts scene. Jamie is an entrepreneur, author, artist and community organizer. Join us as she shares stories of struggle and triumph from her first book, It’s Never Going to Work, and a sneak peek into her second book, Butterflies and Tall Bikes, about community, creativity, and change.
GUEST LECTURE
Lecture topics are subject to change.
South Shore Arts is designated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
South Shore Arts programs are provided with support from the Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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