OC group works to promote culture

The 14-year-old Oil City Arts Council marked another year of bringing diverse entertainment to the city that included concerts, community events and art and music classes.

Established within the City of Oil City government, the council has provided cultural programming to the region with the support of the public and private sectors.

The council is operated by a board of 17 members who have a range of artistic interests. More than 200 people were listed as arts council members last year.

The board holds monthly open meetings, and the council interacts and cooperates with other arts-related organizations in the region. The city’s bureau of planning and community development provides staff support to the arts council.

Arts in the Park/Jolly July 3

Annually, the Arts Council presents a free summer Arts in the Park concert series with all events held in Justus Park.

This year’s Arts in the Park roster continues with a half-dozen concerts including the Katy Bowser Duo, Franklin Silver Cornet Band, Fireside Harmony and Rhythm and Flair, Mark DeWalt and Catro, Big Leg Emma and Yankee Zydeco.

While performers for all concerts are selected with children, youths and families in mind, children became the target audience in 2005, when the arts council assumed responsibility of the city’s Jolly July 3 celebration.

This replaced the arts council’s former Children’s Day that featured professional entertainment and hands-on art activities. Typical Children’s Day activities were combined with the traditional Jolly July 3 events in 2006.

The council has similar entertainment planned this year with the addition of Dave Brozeski’s Big Band playing the evening concert. Brozeski is the son of the late Carl Brozeski, for whom the Justus Park bandshell is named.

Oil Heritage Festival Art Show

Each summer the Arts Council presents the Oil Heritage Festival Art Show that features the work of artists who live in the area. The show is held in the Oil Valley Center for the Arts.

An evening art show reception with musical entertainment is held each year for the public to mingle with the artists whose works are on display. A professional artist judges the show and prizes are awarded. Oil City artist Evelyn Wheeler, who also plans to hold a children’s show in a separate location, will coordinate this year’s event.

Musical attractions

The arts council brings major musical attractions to the community each year and capped 2006 with the Tommy Sands Quartet, the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra with special guest and Oil City native Jim Self, Red, Hot … & Blue and concert pianist Clipper Erickson.

American roots performers Jay Ungar and Molly Mason performed in October and the Clarion University Madrigal Singers presented their annual Yuletide Medieval Feast — a program sponsored by the council and Clarion University-Venango Campus.

This year’s concerts began with Nego Gato, an Afro-Brazilian dance ensemble that presented a fiery mix of Brazilian music and martial arts in January.

Other offerings planned for this year include The Nearness of You, a Canadian trio paying tribute to the music of American songmaster Hoagy Carmichael and an evening with Joe Negri, who will present a program to local elementary students called “Jazz in the Neighborhood” reflecting Negri’s role in Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. His evening concert will take place in the Arlington Hotel’s Riverview Ballroom.

The concert also will present a “Blues Blast” this year, featuring Max Schang’s “Blue Max” from the Sharon area, Jill West’s “Blues Attack” from Pittsburgh and the Colin Dussault Blues Band from Cleveland. Tentatively scheduled for October is the Southern Fried Jazz Band from North Carolina.

Other tentative concerts include the Masinkoff Russian Folk Dance group and either another blues blast or a bluegrass blast. The Yuletide Medieval Feast will return in December.

First Night Oil City

First Night Oil City celebrated its 10th anniversary in December, and continues to reign as a premiere community winter event.

Chaired by arts council board members Linda Morrison and Ron Shoup and coordinated by Lynn Pacior-Malys, the New Year’s Event is funded by the Samuel Justus Charitable Trust, contributions from local businesses, corporations, and individuals and by admission button sales

“Since its debut in l997, First Night has received high praise for the quality and variety of entertainment and experiences it offers,” said arts council chairman Libby Williams.

While attendance at the 2000 millennium celebration drew crowds of nearly 6,000, the 10th anniversary brought 4,000 revelers who welcomed favorite entertainers like Tanglefoot, Cahal Dunne, Stevens and McLain, and Guy Davis, who returned for the anniversary celebration.

“Plans for this year’s First Night are well under-way, thanks to the efforts of the First Night Committee and the hundreds of volunteers who assist them,” Williams said.

Transit Fine Arts Gallery

The Transit Fine Arts Gallery, located in the National Transit Building, marked its 10th and most lucrative year in operation last year.

The ongoing project under the auspices of the Oil City Arts Council offers a showcase for regional art. The non-profit gallery is managed by arts council board member Marilyn Karns.

More than 80 artists exhibited or sold their work last year in the gallery, and nearly all the artists are from western Pennsylvania; most live in or around Venango County.

The work varies from paintings to pottery, from jewelry to photography, from glassware to fine porcelain and offers a range of items, both functional and decorative. Most of the work on display is one-of-a-kind and some production work also is available, such as signed and numbered prints by several artists.

Among the local artists represented in the gallery are Fred Carrow, Robert Elliston, Mary Hamilton, Pauline Case, Ellen Amsler, Judy Slater, Jill Mattson, Helen Oxenham, and Jack Paluh. Their painting talents extend from watercolors, oils, and acrylics and from folk art to impressionism with a wide variety of themes.

“Photography is well represented by local experts like Dr. John Karian, Jerry Sowden, and Mike Henderson,” Williams said.

A special section of the gallery houses a growing selection of books written by area authors and many feature books about the history of the Oil Region.

The gallery names a monthly artist of the month with special displays of their current work and often holds an evening reception in the artist’s honor.

“These events are free to the public and intended as times for the artist to meet and greet guests and to answer questions about their work,” Williams said.

The gallery welcomed its first non-human artists in February. The gallery teamed with the Venango County Humane Society to present “PawCasso,” an exhibit of work painted by animals from the Deep Hollow Road shelter.

Next month’s exhibit will feature a collection of oil paintings by Oil City artist Georgia DiDominic.

Others who will display this year include Clarion resident Cathie Joslyn, who brings a series of large, colorful fabric prints titled “Luminous Threads” which is work from her second trip to Peru. Ancient Andean masks, birds, animals and magical motifs speak of her experiences teaching art during a Fulbright in South America.

“In May, ‘Petals and Feathers’ will help us celebrate spring and National Bird Day,” Williams said. “ ‘Petals’ is an exhibit of flowers grown, dried, and pressed by a school class of youngsters in Canton and then turned into artwork such as note cards, candles and more. ‘Feathers’ is a collection of hand-carved birds and bird photography by area carvers and photographers.”

New artists are encouraged to take a sampling of their artwork to the gallery, where a jurying committee helps to select new work for exhibit. New volunteers are always needed to help staff the gallery. More information is available by calling 677-3707.

Oil Valley Center for the Arts

In September l997, the Oil Valley Center for the Arts was created as a non-profit project of the Oil City Arts Council under the volunteer supervision of Carol Boyle and Charles Stubler. Using grant funds of $30,000 from the Dr. and Mrs. Arthur William Phillips Trust and 6,350 hours of donated labor, OVCA renovated and restored the first floor of the historic National Transit Building in downtown Oil City to house its facilities.

Volunteer director Nancy Wilson and assistant Sharyn Stephenson administer the facility today.

During its nine years, the center has become a multi-disciplinary arts facility that includes a large performance space, classrooms, recording studio, offices, art studio and an art resource area.

It has offered numerous quality, low-cost music, art and writing classes to the population of Venango County and three surrounding counties.

The Edith C. Justus Charitable Trust has funded scholarships for under-privileged youths.

Ongoing classes are offered in piano, organ, and violin. Also, cardio kick boxing classes are available for anyone older than 16, and Tai Chi classes held at noon on Tuesdays. In addition, vault demo recording studio sessions are offered by appointment.

Classes will be offered this season in creative writing, landscape painting in oils, watercolor, photography, jewelry making, and quilting. Weekend workshops will be held in pastel painting, fiber arts, and watercolor painting. Those interested in enrolling or obtaining more information may call 676-1509 or 432-5270.

“In addition to classes, OVCA has hosted nine very successful and well attended seasons of jazz and folk concerts performed by acclaimed regional musicians, 10 First Night concerts, and nine years of the annual Oil Heritage Art Show,” Williams said. “OVCA also provides recording studio and art studio space for working artists as well as meeting space for several local clubs and organizations. The Great Room is available for rental purposes for community events at a modest cost.”

An ongoing book sale is held in the OVCA lobby where a variety of fiction and non-fiction books are for sale. Proceeds benefit the center’s operating costs.

The center is funded through arts council memberships, class fees, concert fees, donations, and grants.

Continued growth

“The Oil City Arts Council is grateful for the community support that has enabled it to continuously expand its programs,” Williams said.

Much of the support has come through annual arts council memberships at $10 per person that help fund events and provide matching money for grants. Members also volunteer to help staff art shows and other events and provide hospitality for receptions.

“The Arts Council Board is also grateful for the support of the City of Oil City, the generosity demonstrated by the business community, local and state granting sources, and by individuals who have given the arts council support by buying memberships and tickets and making donations,” Williams said.

For more information, interested persons may visit the council’s Web site: www.ocartscouncil.com.