Around & About

If you come across any interesting exhibitions, museums or other places on your travels, share them with us. Call 409-838-5393, or contact us through ourwebsite at www.artstudio.org. Be sure to include the location and dates of the subject, as well as any costs.

The BEAUMONT CAMERA CLUB hosted its 5TH ANNUAL PHOTGRAPHY SHOW at the Beaumont Art League July 10-31.

Winners were announced at a reception July 11.

First place was awarded to Jeffrey Brown for “Gli Occhi Blu.” Second place went to Taylor Brown for “A Clutch of Innocence.” Greg Rabel was awarded third place for “Rune in Frieden.”

Honroable mentions were awarded to Richard Tallent, Lief Anson Wallace, Dwain Cox and Tri M. Le.

For more information on the Beaumont Camera Club, call BAL at 409-833-4179. _______________

The TEXAS ARTISTS MUSEUM will host an exhibition of photography by SERGIO SANTOS of Houston and paintings by EDGAR BUSTILLOS of Baytown with a reception to be held Sept. 13 at 3:15 p.m.

Prior to the reception, pianist Jay Vinecour will present a free performance at 2:30 p.m., part of TAM’s Second Sunday program.

September’s featured foyer artist is Sam Keith of Warren.

Every fourth Saturday, TAM hosts Market Days by the Sea. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., a sale of crafts, art and jewelry.

TAM is located at 3501 Cultural Center Drive in Port Arthur.

For more information, call 409-983-4881. _______________

The ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS hosts the latest in its series of summer exhibitions examining portions of the permanent collection with different themes or points of view.

Two exhibitions, CITYSCAPES: WORKS OF THE PHOTOREALISTS and LATE 19TH -

EARLY 20TH CENTURY PAINTINGS AND

PRINTS,will be on view through Sept. 27.

“These exhibitions provide the community with a great opportunity to view a sampling of the wide diversity contained in the museum’s permanent collection,” said AMSET curator of exhibitions and collections Sarah Hamilton.

“Cityscapes: Works of the Photorealists” includes 10 silkscreens of urban landscape imagery by first or second generation Photorealist artists, such as Charles S. Bell and Noel Mehaffey. The pieces are part of a portfolio that was donated to AMSET in 1980. The highlight of Cityscapes is a 4-by-6 foot silkscreen print titled, Holland Hotel (1984) by the most well-known Photorealist, Richard Estes. This work was acquired for AMSET’s permanent collection in 1984 and beautifully represents the Photorealism art movement, which evolved from Pop Art in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Photorealism is a style of painting, printmaking and sculpture that utilizes one art form, in this case photography, to create another. In creating photorealistic works, the artist attempts to precisely mimic the physical qualities contained in a photograph, such as a glossy or matte finish, grainy textures, and light and dark contrasts.

“Late 19th-Early 20th Century Paintings and Prints” is an exhibition of 22 prints and paintings of this time period by such major figures as Robert Henri, Julian Onderdonk and Winslow Homer. The show will be supplemented by the museum’s outstanding collection of 23 etchings and drypoints by the highly influential 19th century artist, James Abbott McNeill Whistler. The works included in this exhibition represent a variety of art historical styles ranging from French Realism in the mid-19th century to American Impressionism and Early Texas art in the early 20th century.

AMSET is located at 500 Main in downtown Beaumont.

For more information, call 409-832-3432 or visit www.amset.org. _______________

The FALL 2009 BALLROOM DANCE SERIES at the CHRISTUS ST. ELIZABETH’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER,will offer three sets of group dance classes. Group dance classes are multi-level. Everyone is welcome.

Each class will meet three times a month and last 1.5 hours, 6:40 p.m.-8 p.m.

The classes are as follows:

Ballroom Basics: Foxtrot, Waltz & Rumba

Sept 10, 17, 24 (Thursdays)

“Learn the basics of three Dance Classics that can take you anywhere and get you moving on the dance floor at a variety of parties, weddings, and other social functions. Learn to Foxtrot with its smooth movements that will make you shine like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Waltz your way to grace, style, and confidence. Add some sultry, slow Latin moves to your dance repertoire by learning to Rumba.”

Latin Combo: Salsa & Cha Cha

Nov 5, 12, 19 (Thursdays)

“Salsa dancing is now one of the hottest dance trends around and a favorite dance at local nightclubs here in Beaumont. Salsa dancing sizzles, sparkles and gets your hips moving! It has an easy basic pattern, but so much variety can be added by the partnering of twirls, spins and tricks! The Latin Dance Cha-Cha is a fun, cheeky, flirty dance where there is a distinct sound in the music to which people began dancing. This rhythmic sound of feet one hears became the name of the dance. Cha-Cha can be danced to a variety of music such as Latin, CW, and Pop.”

Swing: East Coast & Single Count

Nov 6, 13, 20 (Fridays)

“If you can’t help tapping your feet to the amazing rhythms you hear in the Jitterbug or Big Band music, then this class is for you! Swing has earned its reputation as one of the most versatile and energizing forms of popular music & dance and continues to attract new converts with its catchy tunes and syncopated beats. Swing Dancing is amazing fun, simple and socially dazzling. Sweep yourself and your partners away with this class as you learn the single and the triple count which is known as East Coast Swing.”

Price is $40 per couple for members, $50 per couple for non-members. Payment is due upon registration. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

To make a reservation, call the Wellness Center at 409-899-7777.

The center is located at 3030 North Street in Beaumont. _______________

The ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS presents LIVING SMALL,18 paintings of interior scenes, and ISTARE AT PEOPLE,20 coffeehouse paintings, by Austin-based artist LAVANNA MARTIN on view in Café Arts through Nov. 1.

Martin’s loose painting style and café/interior subject matter is reminiscent of French paintings of the late 19th century, which frequently render leisurely café scenes and interior settings, Melissa Tilley, AMSET spokesperson, said in a release. Martin terms the coffeehouse paintings “live” as she executes them on the spot at various coffeehouses in Austin. Her decision to paint figures “live” originated from an increasing sense of frustration in creating art in a controlled studio, which the artist believed inhibited her artistic spontaneity. “Working in this fashion is difficult, and I have a huge failure rate,” Martin has said. “It is not for the faint of heart –you have to be kind of crazy.”

Born in the small west Texas town of Seminole with an oil field working father, Martin and her family moved 26 times before she was five years old. She attributes her source of inspiration for interior spaces to her early, formative years. “I remember developing a keen sense of drawing interiors at the age of ten,” she said. “I spent hours copying pictures from home and garden magazines. Being from an oil field family that moved around a lot, I was probably longing to stay put, and in some place nice.”

Martin said she has always loved to paint and is, in fact, obsessed with painting. She is enamored with the smell of the oils and their descriptively distinct names, such as Alizarin Crimson, Indian Yellow and Persian Red.

Martin earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Trinity University in 1975 and studied at Cranbrook Art Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. in 1980. She also previously served as the assistant art director for Dallas-Fort Worth Home and Garden Magazine.

Martin currently maintains a Web site blog also titled “I Stare at People,” that documents her live coffeehouse paintings at www.lavanna.com.

The exhibition is open for viewing during regular museum hours. Two Magnolia’s serves lunch in Café Arts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact AMSET at (409) 832-3432 or visit www.amset.org.