Part III reflects on the arts in 2018.
Medford Arts Center provides handicap accessible space at new location
The Medford Arts Center made its move from 18 N. Main St. to 8 N. Main St. in September. Jeffrey Lucas, MAC board president, said the main motive for the move was to create a fully handicap accessible space to welcome all residents to stop by and enjoy the work of local artists.
Once the space at 8 N. Main St. became available, the move was fast-paced. The purchase of the building took place on June 22, construction began on July 2 and the open house celebration was held on Sept. 14.
A ramp was placed at the back entrance, steps to enter different spaces were removed, the floors were made level and a handicap accessible bathroom was added.
“[The MAC] is really the only public art area that anyone can enter an exhibition at — we’re the only ones with our doors wide open,” MAC Executive Director Pat Worley said. “We’re reaching out to appeal to all different types of artists. Art is healing, it is intellectual, and I feel it’s very stimulating — there is not a boring artist out there.”
Medford Arts Center provides free classes for veterans
The Medford Arts Center provides veterans throughout Burlington County with the opportunity to express themselves artistically with a new initiative to give those who have and are serving in the military an outlet for creative expression — The Veteran’s Workshop.
Normally it is $25 for a two-hour session, but this complimentary art class welcomes all veterans, free of charge, including supplies such as canvases, paints, brushes and more provided by Stout & Caldwell Engineers, LCC, a corporate sponsor for the class.
The class takes place on the fourth Friday every month from 9 a.m. to noon. The goal is to expand the program and host it more than once a month depending on how many people continue to show up, MAC board president Jeffrey Lucas said.
He believes these classes provide a “safe” and “happy” place for learning, where all veterans, regardless of experience, can gather and explore their creativity together.
Keeping the art of poetry alive
“I love words, I love conversation, I love poetry — poetry is art, words are art.”
Those are the words of Naomi Dispenza, coordinator of the 11th Annual Poetry Contest, that was held at the Medford Arts Center on Dec. 3.
Ten local poets read their winning pieces at the event, with topics ranging across the spectrum, but each poet shared a similar desire to spread the message of keeping poetry alive.
First-place winner Robert Price said his winning piece titled “The Time Master” stemmed from his love of time, inspired by the book “Time Machine” by HG Wells that he read as a teenager.
“I want to promote poetry, I hope this whole thing will just grow,” Price said. “It’s one of the few art forms that everybody knows, you study it in school, and it never really gets that ultra-high recognition that it should.”
Second-place winner Julianne Basile became involved in poetry at age 7, and her winning piece “Atrial Septal Defect Repair, Female, Aged 6 Years” was written about the experience of her daughter’s surgery that took place this past summer.
Unique to the poetry contest this year was a high school student portion, where high schoolers from the area could submit their work alongside their peers’ work.
Ben Brandreth, a Cherokee High School sophomore, performed his third-place and honorable-mention pieces titled “Eclipse” and “Invitation.”
“I think more kids should be writing poetry,” Brandreth said. “I feel like the arts are something that need to be preserved more.”
The remaining winners are third-place winner John P. Dennison, and honorable mentions Wendy Abramowitz, Lyn Esposito, Pam Spice, Louis Sprouse and Hara.
The first- and second-place pieces for the high school portion were written by Penelope Duran.
