andArts Culture2023 EMERGING ARTIST CELIA FUHRMAN

Have you ever wanted a painting of your favorite song? Visitors of the July 6th “Biz Kids” Marketfest will get the chance if they visit the booth of Celia Fuhrman. She’ll live paint as she listens to your musical requests. More than that, attendees can also buy Ms. Fuhrman’s paintings, prints, and stickers! While some artists focus their work on specific mediums, Fuhrman fans her skill across 2-D drawing, digital art, and even poetry.

“Honestly, my style changes on a day-to-day basis,” admits Celia, “I love more than anything to explore the different possibilities of what one can create with art…but, no matter what I create, I always keep it genuine and true to myself.”

Far from unfocused, Celia has made indelible impressions on every medium in which she expresses herself, winning awards in the Minnesota State Fair K-12 competition, the White Bear Center for the Arts showcase, and the Scholastic Art and Writing award.

“I have definitely always been an artistic person,” Fuhrman recalls, “I remember that I would even turn over coloring sheets to make my own art because the given line work wasn’t what was in my head.”

Paradoxically, however, Celia doesn’t ascribe to the total abstract; rather, she colors inside the lines that she makes.

“The best piece of advice I’ve gotten as an artist,” Celia imparts, “is to draw what you see, not what you think…Simply being more conscious of how shape and color can create a composition will make your work so much more impactful.”

Grounded, accomplished, and passionate, Celia seems ready to take on the world. Fitting, because that’s what she aims to do—rather, she plans to take on many worlds.

Explains Furhman, “I would love to be a game artist, character designer, or graphic novelist…I find it so fulfilling

July Events

Explore upcoming Avenue of the Arts events with CPA, LPT and WBCA

SUMMER CAMPS! SPOTS STILL

AVAILABLE FOR SOME CAMPS!

Where: Hanifl Performing Arts

Center When: July and August childrensperformingartsmn.org to have a concept of an entire universe your mind and make it real for others to explore.”

Celia Furhman’s live painting exhibit, then, makes sense in this context. Music, after all, can transport people into their own imaginative mind-scapes. For Celia, bringing out what’s inside a mind is what art does best.

“Art has always been there as an outlet for me to express myself and tell stories in ways that normal words sometimes just can’t seem to accomplish. Art has helped me process all aspects of my humanity and translate them into a part of the physical world.”

To learn more about Celia Furhman’s work, visit her Instagram page @celia.fuhrman. studios

AM I TOO YOUNG TO BE IN THEATER?

Aurelia Laechelt, a seven-year-old out of New Brighton, has wanted to be an actor since she was “maybe a one-year old…or two or three or four.” Some of her earliest memories are of her grandma taking her to “lots and lots of plays.” In a few of them, she saw kids on stage, so she decided to “just get into acting.”

Her mother, Laura, knew Aurelia was a performer, striking “star poses” in public for interested passersby (much to the chagrin of her older brother). Gauging Aurelia’s longterm interest, however, was another matter.

“I’d heard about Hanifl through word of mouth,” Laura explains, “so I asked Aurelia if she wanted to do a theater class there.”

“I was, uh, happy to go,” Aurelia laughs, a beaming smile across her face just thinking about her experience. When asked what she did during class, Aurelia has a tough time generalizing because every class’s theme was different.

“You loved making the puppets, right?” her

Rick Thompson initially volunteered at Children’s Performing Arts in order to be involved in his kids’ lives. Before he knew it, he was assistant stage manager for Lakeshore Players’ recent show La Cage aux Folles. Now, at age 52, he’s crossing from backstage to center stage and auditioning for acting roles.

“I was already involved so much in theatre,” explains Thompson, “I thought that maybe being on stage is something I can do.”

Thompson found out, however, that watching a performance and acting one out are two different things. “Acting is not just reading lines,” he advises, “Just because I saw people do it doesn’t father, Ryan, prompts.

“Uh-huh,” Aurelia nods vigorously, “I have a mermaid puppet and a pirate one.”

“And the stories…” Ryan gives Laura a knowing look, “They get, uh, pretty winding.”

“Oh yeah,” Aurelia is on a roll now, “Everyone gets called on to build a story, and we all do a little bit. That way, it’s all of our story! Sometimes, we get to act out the story too.”

One class was even dance themed. When asked if she would dance on stage as well as act, Aurelia treats the question as frivolous.

“Ballet is just acting it out… in dance!”

When asked if there’s any part of going that isn’t fun, Ryan shakes his head. “Oh boy,” he grins, mimicking his daughter’s smile,

“waiting for class is one of her favorite parts.”

“They have big photos of all the plays,” Aurelia explains, “so I can ask dad—well, my dad—about the ones I don’t know about.”

“Then she can pretend she’s in them,” Ryan adds. Chances are that she won’t always have to pretend. After all, Aurelia’s life ambition is to “get on big Broadway!”

The next step in Aurelia’s acting journey starts later this month; her parents Aurelia up for the Children’s Performing Arts Theatre ABC’s camp. When asked if she was excited for the camp, Aurelia exaggeratedly nods her head.

Time is running short for her attention span, so Laura limits her to one more question: If you could describe Hanifl’s acting classes in just one word, what would it be?

“Word,” Aurelia initially states. She then chuckles as she ponders seriously. “Love,” she finally says, “I love going to Hanifl.”

AM I TOO OLD TO BE IN THEATRE?

mean I can copy it. Actors do other things to bring you in.”

Thompson adjusted accordingly and began working on his craft. “I’ve taken a couple acting lessons,” he proudly announces, then backtracks with a sheepish laugh, “but I could take a few more…I’m bringing more natural emotion while still projecting.”

Encouragingly, Thompson’s efforts are starting to show results. “I got a callback for Calendar Girls. That was exciting,” he recalls.

Naturally, Thompson has to take occasional breaks from auditioning—understandable given his day job as a software tester as well as being a dad to two daughters.

That being said, Thompson believes that he’s able to practice his new pursuit because of his age. “If the kids were younger, it’d be harder, but because they’re at a more independent age, it helps.”

When pressed for advice to give others his age on following a new ambition, Thompson says, “Sometimes I’m shy…but sometimes I’m not. And because I’m not shy sometimes, I know that I can do this.”

Fortuitously, between the time of his interview and publication, Rick Thompson landed a hefty supporting role in Lakeshore Players’ production of What the Constitution Means to Me. Thompson’s duty will be twofold: In act one, he’ll play a WWII veteran moderating a debate. In act two, he transitions to the main character’s friend.

“I worked a little bit more for this callback,” Thompson updates, “I thought, ‘How am I gonna approach this?’ So I found a Marine drill instructor giving a speech to new recruits to come off with that military aspect.

But since the play pivots and the friend character is invested in the outcome…I switched from a military guy to a dad talking to his daughters at graduation.”

What the Constitution Means to Me premieres in mid-August, and, while Thompson is both nervous and excited, those emotions cede the spotlight to self-confidence: “I did this, y’know? This thing is really happening.”

PATIO - DE CASA COMMUNITY RECEPTION

Where: White Bear Center for the Arts

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13; artist talk at 7 p.m. Patio – de casa is an installation exhibit that explores Edson Rosas’ Mexican roots. Hear from Edson and view the exhibit during the community reception on July 13.

WBCA STUDENT ART SALE

Where: White Bear Center for the Arts

When: noon-3 p.m. Friday, July 14, and 1-3 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Shop local art made by WBCA students at the first ever Student Art Sale. There will also be an art materials swap during this time.

SUMMER COMMUNITY DAY

Where: White Bear Center for the Arts

When: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Bring the whole family to this free summer event! There will be art demonstrations, art projects, and live music.

WINNIE THE POOH KIDS

Where: Forest Lake High School, Forest Lake

When: Performances are 6:30 p.m. July 26 and 2 p.m. July 27. Pooh Bear and all of his friends from the classic children’s books and animated film band together to rescue their friend, Christopher Robin.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Where: Hanifl Performing Arts

Center

When: Aug. 4 - Aug. 12

The enchantment never ends in this romantic and beloved take on the classic fairytale.

July School Events

MAKING A MYSTERY

Hanifl Performing Arts Center 6 p.m. July 28 & 12 p.m. July 29.

The Summer Youth Players perform an original mystery play that they wrote and created throughout the month.

ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR CHILDRENS PERFORMING ARTS

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