Our vision is to help create a community of local artists and to promote exhibition, performance, and teaching opportunities for all of us (and to share in the efforts needed to do so).  We also want to help create fun, cultural activities in our town for everyone to enjoy. All art media are welcome – sculpting, singing, painting, writing, photography, acting, performing, jewelry design, stained glass, mosaics, cartooning, dancing, etc.

Art Center

We envision an Art Center where classes would be held and some equipment would be kept- i.e. a kiln, some potters’ wheels, a dark room for photographers, a grinding stone for stain glass artists, a thrust stage, and others as the interest, need and funds are available.  Community members could ‘drop-in’ and work on their projects.  Also, we could have a daily or weekly “artist-in-residence” where community members can visit with artists while they are working.(and generate an interest in taking classes from the artist).  Most artists (that we have spoken with) are very interested in teaching classes. We would like to offer half-day or all-day seminars with an artist-in-residence for individuals interested more intensely in learning from these artists. (This was Terry Jennings’ idea…Thank You Terry.)

Classes

There would be a wide array of structured / scheduled classes available for a fee.  Some of the artists who have already stepped forward to teach include artists and writers in the following areas: stained glass, water color, short story writing, water color painting, voice for the stage, beginning and intermediate acting, oral interpretation, and readers’ theatre, computer-generated imaging, specialty cards, painting, wire design, jewelry, and fiber arts individuals with vision and mobility problems.

Exhibitions

Art exhibits have been organized at the Gallery in the Library, in the Gallery at Langendorf, at Citizen’s Park and other venues. Exhibits in the park like Art in the Park have musical artists, food artists, visual artists, dancers, poets, story-tellers. Any artist that made a sale would pay a percentage of the sale price to the BCAC to help support the cost of art supplies, venue set-up, etc.

Partnerships

Our first joint venture with the Barrington Park District is “Art in the Park.” This annual event showcases local artists displaying and demonstrating how they create their art. We are hoping to de-mystify the creative process and break down the wall between artist and those who believe they “don’t have an artistic bone in their body.”  Thank You Terry Jennings at BPD.

We have also partnered with the owner of the Ice House Mall in Downtown, Barrington (Next to Jewel Grocery Store) at 200 Applebee Street for our current BCAC artist gallery and the Tina Hahn Gallery at the Mall. Tina has been a great asset to us in our gallery. Her framing skills have been invaluable keeping our artwork at a professional level. Thank You Tina.

Barrington Bank and Trust at Hough and Station Streets, has graciously allowed us a permanent galley within the bank. John D. Haniotes, Senior Vice-President, is a contributing member at large and supported.  Thank You John.

Starbucks at Hough and Station Streets, has allowed us to rotate one artist at a time on their BCAC gallery wall.  Thank You to Stephanie Bugner, Store Manager.

Fresh Flower Market at 122 W. Main Street Barrington, owner – Liz picks out one or two paintings with a flower theme on a rotating basis from the available artwork on the BCAC Website and the Ice House Mall gallery.  Thank You Liz.