BBAC Celebrates 65th Anniversary

ARTS&LIFE

ART

BBAC Celebrates 65th Anniversary

Honorees from the Jewish community selected to showcase their work at annual Current Student Works Show.

RACHEL SWEET ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ROBIN SERVO

“You did what,” casted sterling silver, by Jodi Galperin

The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC) has reached a milestone, celebrating its 65th anniversary this year. The art center has provided, “art for all” since 1957 and will be honoring some of its students at its annual Current Student Works Show that is open now through March 3.

Works by 25 BBAC student artists were selected by Ani Garabedian, artist and community arts coordinator at the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. The show features 185 works (chosen from 300+ entries) across four BBAC galleries. The winners selected will share in cash prizes, tuition certificates and gift cards for art supplies totaling nearly $3,000.

Annie VanGelderen, president and CEO of Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, told the Jewish News in an email, “The Exhibition represents the incredible talent of our adult students — in all mediums — that emerges from our studios and also the dedication and expertise our instructors have that nurtures their creativity. The show encompasses all our galleries and gives the viewer an opportunity to see many forms of art that have been completed in the

past year.

“Whether you are drawn to paintings, ceramics or fiber, this exhibition showcases what can be accomplished if you just take the leap to explore your artmaking potential,” she wrote.

JEWISH ARTISTS

Among the honorees are a handful of artists from the Jewish community. The JN caught up with three of them: Barbara Bayson, Jodi Galperin and Marlene Galperin.

Bayson of West Bloomfield says the painting itself makes her happy and the fact it was selected to be showcased means so much to her. “I’ve always been interested in arts. I’ve taken classes all my life and I was not an art major in college. I had been a special education teacher as my career, but I always knew that once I retired, I would go to art school,” she said.

“I realized doing the art and being in classes with other very talented people just made me happy. The BBAC is a very welcoming non-judgmental place for people of all levels. I felt like I was in the kindergarten of painting learning basics. I feel like I have learned a lot, and I’m not in kindergarten anymore. Now I take advanced classes and I’m able to just paint the way I see it the world,” Bayson said.

Bayson says she’s been taking classes with BBAC for about 10 years. She is taking two classes with the art center and usually takes four but has eased up since the pandemic. She says she plans to continue to take classes for as long as she can.

Jodi Galperin of Farmington Hills says this isn’t the first time one of her pieces has been selected for a show. After roughly five years with the art center, Galperin says she feels honored to be selected again. “This award is significant to me. It just shows that I’m making a lot of progress in my pursuit of learning. You’re always learning the craft,” she said.

Jodi’s mother-in-law, Marlene Galperin, also had an art piece selected to be showcased. She told the JN that a love of art runs in the family. “I first started out upstairs with drawing. I just happened to walk downstairs to sculpture. And I said, ‘Oh, this is for me.’ I’ve always said it’s my happy place and it’s good therapy. It’s always been good therapy,” she said.

The exhibition runs until March 3 at the BBAC in Birmingham. For more information about the BBAC and a complete list of artists, visit https:// bbartcenter.org.

LESLIE MASTERS

“Swimming,” acrylic, by Barbara Bayson

“Sister,” clay, by Marlene Galeperin

SUE O’CONNOR