Brett Frazee, former Enterprise Fleet Management executive now strategic partner, leverages mobility operations expertise to focus on mobi-tech growth
EFO Ventures, an investment and incubation firm with offices in Atlanta, GA and Dublin, IE that backs founders and their innovative ideas not only with access to capital, but also personal guidance and hands-on collaboration from the very first stages, is pleased to recognize Brett Frazee, Managing Partner of BF4 Capital, will support the team’s growth initiatives in the mobi-tech space as an investor and strategic partner. Frazee’s nearly 25 years of experience in the transportation and technology space, most recently with Enterprise Fleet Management, will assist the team to support the organization’s growth initiatives in the mobi-tech space.
Frazee’s mobility experience, coupled with his knowledge of identifying and capitalizing on new business opportunities while developing innovative solutions and implementing initiatives that support strategic growth opportunities, will be extremely valuable to the EFO Ventures team and portfolio of companies (Volcon ePowersports, MIXTE Electric, Frog Mobility, Llama, Element, Automotus and Ottr).
“We are at a pivotal moment in our organization’s history; we are recognized as a leader in the industry, we are poised for dramatic growth and the communities our companies serve continue to place value on technology, safety and ongoing advancements,” said David Touwsma, Partner of EFO Ventures. “As we prepare to scale it’s imperative that we have the right team members in place, to support our initiatives as a leading venture capital partner in the mobi-tech space. I am confident that Brett is the ideal team member to help us take our portfolio companies, specifically those in the smart cycling division, to the next level for both team members and customers alike.”
The strategic partnership is designed to leverage Brett’s expertise and passion for cycling with EFO Ventures’ portfolio to fuel international expansion opportunities prioritizing the MIXTE Electric brand which has developed a family of electric consumer products, designed for approachability and reliability, giving riders the power to go further and experience more fun every day.
Electric bike sales are soaring throughout the world. According to the World Economic Forum, electric bicycle sales grew 145% in just one year. It’s predicted that twice as many bikes will be purchased than cars by 2030 in Europe.
“I’ve joined EFO Ventures because I believe our portfolio of brands is at the forefront of developing and setting the gold-standard in the mobi-tech industry,” said Frazee. “I am honored to work alongside leaders who support entrepreneurs in turning their visions into disruptive reality for the greater good and extremely excited about advancements in technology as well as safety that are currently underway with many of our portfolio companies.”
About EFO Ventures
EFO Ventures is an investment and incubation firm that backs founders and their innovative ideas not only with access to capital but also personal guidance and hands-on collaboration from the very first stages. Our managing partners are both founders themselves, and together with a dedicated team of advisors, we bring decades of entrepreneurial experience to our work. We provide our portfolio companies with all the resources and expert advice they need to turn their visions, traditionally in the mobi-tech space, into disruptive reality. Portfolio companies include: Volcon ePowersports, MIXTE Electric, Frog Mobility, Llama, Element, Automotus and Ottr. For more information, visit www.efoventures.com.
About BF4 Capital
BF4 Capital is an investment portfolio with assets focused on fun, mobility, micro-mobility, cycling, outdoor, and healthy brands. Bringing like-minded companies together through ownership, strategic partnerships, and unique relationships. Our mobility companies are focused on improving the safety and the overall rider experience with electrification, technology, and convenience.
(Delray Beach, FL – August 8, 2022) Marjorie Waldo, President & CEO of Arts Garage, today promoted six upcoming arts education classes for young people and adults this fall. Information about each of these courses including how to register is available online.
Triple Threat: Musical Theatre Workshop
(For Ages 13-17)
August 29 through November 14 / Mondays at 5:45 to 7 pm
Ideal for students who enjoy performing on stage, this class will develop techniques in acting, singing, and dancing and help students build confidence in each area. Students will learn how to act out a song, perform and create their own choreography, and improve vocal production. The class will feature pieces from classic and contemporary Broadway shows and culminate in a final performance for friends and family.
Instructor: Julius Wynn, Jr. teaches English at Atlantic Community High School and is choir director at Payne Chapel AME in West Palm Beach. A classically trained vocalist with extensive experience performing gospel, rhythm and blues, jazz, pop, and musical theater, Wynn believes that music and theater are truly what brings the world together and provides moments of escape.
(Note: No class on Mondays September 5 or September 26)
August 30 through November 15 / Tuesdays at 4:45 to 6 pm
This course builds basic photography skills. Utilizing digital cameras, 360 cameras and camera phones, students will explore lighting techniques, composition, and photo editing and retouching. Students will be introduced to various styles of photography, such as portraits, landscape, still life, strobe light, and more. The class includes detailed demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and constructive critiques to assist in developing the necessary skills.
Instructor: Victor Milt has worked in advertising his entire life. He opened his own portrait studio at age 19 and, by 21, had moved to NYC where he worked for many of the top fashion magazines of the time, later moving into TV commercial production where he directed iconic commercials for the Air Force, Time/Warner, Burger King, McDonalds, Colgate, Schweppes, and dozens of others. His “Juan Valdez” is an American icon. Milt won more than 60 awards and in 2011 was named a Florida Film Legend.
(Note: No class on Tuesday, November 8. Students are encouraged to bring their own camera)
August 30 through November 15 / Tuesdays 6 to 7 pm
An ideal class for both beginners and those with dance experience, this class will improve rhythm and musicality and introduce basic tap technique. Classes include warm-ups, across the floor progressions, and choreography for a short tap routine. Students will train both their body and musical ear as new steps are introduced each week. This exciting and energizing class is open to adult students of any age. Prerequisites: None. No previous tap experience required. Please dress in comfortable clothing in which you can easily move. Tap shoes are highly recommended, but a flat-soled sneaker may be used in their place.
Instructor: Libby Garno began her dance training at age 5 at Encore Dance Studio in Adrian, Michigan. She studied ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, contemporary and hip hop and was a member of the Elite Competition Team for over 10 years. In 2014, she joined the staff of Dance Theatre Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At DTS she taught both youth and adults for seven years in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and musical theatre. She also coached and choreographed competition routines for A2DT, the studio’s competitive group. In addition to her work as a dance instructor, Libby has choreographed full productions for multiple schools and community theaters. Favorites include In the Heights, Mary Poppins, The Addams Family, and 9 to 5. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, and currently works as the Director of Arts Education at Arts Garage.
August 30 through November 15 / Tuesdays 7 to 8 pm
A class for dancers with at least one full year of tap experience, this class will further develop rhythm and musicality and expand on more complex tap techniques. Classes include warm-ups, across the floor progressions, and choreography for a full tap routine. Students will train both their body and musical ear as more intricate new steps are introduced each week. This exciting and energizing class is open to adult students of any age. Prerequisites: Proficient with basic tap steps and minimum 1 year of tap experience. Please reach out to the instructor if unsure of level placement at:[email protected]. Note: Please dress in comfortable clothing in which you can easily move. Tap shoes are required at the intermediate level. The instructor is Libby Garno, same as above.
August 30 through November 15 / Tuesdays Noon to 2 pm
Join us for an intermediate/advanced-level acting class, where the focus will be on scene work and character development. The goal of this course is to use learned tools to make informed creative choices in a scene, while creating believable characters and relationships. Each student will need to have had some prior acting experience. This class is a lot of fun but requires commitment. Participants will work together to create a positive environment full of encouragement and constructive criticism. Prerequisites: Some type of previous acting experience: class, stage performance, film/TV, etc.
Instructor: Michelle Diaz recently returned to South Florida after 18 years in New York and California where she studied, taught, and worked in theatre and television. She holds a BFA from New World School of the Arts in Miami, her hometown, before moving to New York City where she worked with renowned experimental playwright and director Richard Foreman. A co-founder of Wreckio Ensemble, a 501c3 non-profit theatre company that focuses on original work, she wrote and directed The Corner, which was selected to be performed at the NYC Fringe Festival. After receiving an MFA from the University of California, San Diego, she performed at La Jolla Playhouse. While in Los Angeles, Diaz acted in commercials and TV shows, including Sons of Anarchy and How I Met Your Mother. She also had the opportunity to perform Palestine, New Mexico (Dir. Lisa Peterson) at the Mark Taper Forum with Culture Clash. Other favorite roles include Varya in The Cherry Orchard, Paulinka in A Bright Room Called Day (Dir. Stuart Meltzer), and Florella in Labyrinth of Desire (Dir. Jerry Ruiz). A member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association, she’s now working as Artistic Director of Theater at Arts Garage.
October 10 through November 14 / Mondays 10 to 11:30 am
The six-week session of Jazz and Java will include listening, viewing, and discussing the Big Bands, Arrangers and Vocalists of the past 45 years. Big Bands and Arrangers will include the later works of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, along with performances of Don Ellis, Gil Evans, Maria Schneider, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bob Mintzer, Maynard Ferguson, John Beasley, Orrin Evans, JALC and others. Vocalists of the past 45 years will include Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, and Ella Fitzgerald and some of the rising new performers such as Samara Joy, Camille Thurman, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Cyrille Aimee, and others. As in the past, various performers have included Randy Brecker, Emmet Cohen, Rich De Rosa, and Sherrie Maricle. The class is for musicians and enthusiasts alike.
Instructor: Dick Lowenthal, Professor Emeritus, is a noted Jazz Historian, Performer, Conductor, and Educator for over 50 years. He founded and chaired the Jazz Program at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music and conducted the award-winning Jazz Orchestra. He recently retired from New Jersey City University, where he started, chaired, and taught in the Jazz Department. In the Jazz-Rock field, he has conducted for the Brecker Brothers, Lew Soloff-trumpet and Lou Marini-sax (both with Blood, Sweat and Tears) and played trumpet on a South Africa tour with Cher. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Arts Garage, a donor to the Band of Angels, and established the highly successful Jazz and Java Adult Education Series that has been in existence for the past four years.
Arts Garage delivers innovative, diverse, meaningful and accessible visual and performing arts experiences to Delray Beach and South Florida. “Connecting our community to the world through the Arts”—this vision drives all decision-making at Arts Garage, which brings local, emerging artists and established global performers into the local multi-cultural community (students and adults, locals and tourists, people of all ages, income levels, backgrounds) who share a love of the arts.
Diversity is a hallmark of Arts Garage, which provides multicultural programming that promotes inclusion in the arts. #DiscoverDiversity isn’t just a tagline—it is the cornerstone of our outreach programs, staffing, and marketing. Arts Garage is located at 94 NE 2nd Avenue in Delray Beach’s popular Pineapple Grove (33444). For more information, please call 561.450.6357 or visit www.artsgarage.org.
West Palm Beach, Florida – September is about to get a little more fun when Clinics Can Help (CCH) hosts its first Half-Way to St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl on Saturday, September 17th. The event will bring guests up and down Clematis Street from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. and welcome them to TRIBE, the newly formed auxiliary group of young professionals supporting the mission of CCH through events and volunteerism.
“Grab your green and join us for a St. Paddy’s Day-themed pub crawl,” shares Owen O’Neill, Clinics Can Help CEO. “It is our way to have some fun as we head into the season and our chance to introduce our new TRIBE group to our community.”
The fun begins at Roxy’s Irish Pub on Clematis Street with stops including Bodega, Lost Weekend, and O’Shea’s Irish Pub. Complimentary drinks or buy one get one specials will be available at each location. Tickets for people 21 and older are $20, and current TRIBE members save are free! . Register at https://clinicscanhelp.givecloud.co/product/HWTSPD2022/half-way-to-st-paddys-day-pub-crawl.
Owen O’Neill, CCH’s founder, and CEO, says, “We are thrilled that so many young people in our community are looking to connect with others while recognizing the need that access to medical equipment means in the lives of so many. This event is the first of many that we’ve got planned for the year to come!”
CCH is committed to helping the environment and the healthcare system through the efficient recovery and re-distribution of medical equipment and supplies to patients, clinics, programs, and schools in need. Celebrating ten years of serving clients full time, CCH is a lifeline for thousands. Through organized recycling, CCH provides greater access to medical equipment so people can recover faster, be protected from injury, and have greater mobility, independence, dignity, and quality of life. For additional information on Clinics Can Help, please visit clinicscanhelp.org.
About Clinics Can Help
A vital resource in Palm Beach County and throughout southeast Florida for families in search of medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, nebulizers, and more, CCH provides access to critical equipment for thousands of children and adults who cannot afford it. The only organization of its kind in Florida and one of only four in the U.S. that provide a vast and diverse array of equipment, CCH makes a difference through a simple process of organized recycling. Please visit www.clinicscanhelp.org.
We’re moving…to bring more to the arts & cultural community!
Enjoy a ‘sneak-peek’ tour of The Vault – St Lucie Cultural Alliance New Galleries & Headquarters at this Month’s Art Walk
Eyes will widen, and senses will brilliantly ignite among art enthusiasts who visit the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance Galleries on October 21, from 5 PM – 8 PM, during Art Walk. We are putting the finishing touches on our new ‘home’ with an exciting move to the lower level of our vintage, historical gem at 111 Orange Ave., in Downtown Fort Pierce.
The community is invited to stop by and enjoy a ‘sneak-peek’ tour of The Vault, St. Lucie Cultural Alliance’s new gallery and headquarters, and take in the vibrant changes taking place to broaden offerings to our dynamic arts and cultural community of St. Lucie County.
The new space is an eclectic mix of urban-trend and classic modern. On tap are plans for artists to exhibit their works, a studio for a rotating resident artist, and classrooms. The enhanced, natural lighting and open floor plan will allow for new gathering space, additional galleries and for the public to observe and interact with working artists as they create. Galleries filled with juried Cultural Alliance Art Guild members’ work, boutique with artisan wearable art and jewelry, and dynamic space for an array of creative classes of all genres and disciplines are all in store.
Its main gallery space –The Vault – will serve as its new, enlivened setting for an array of juried, curated exhibitions that will introduce its visitors to an abundance of talent in the county.
Members of the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance will be awarded additional benefits including opportunities to teach classes, apply for a quarterly residency, screen films, present intimate concerts, and attend networking and professional development workshops. Residents and visitors will benefit from a richer offering of exhibitions, intimate performances, classes and workshops in this eclectic addition to Downtown Fort Pierce.
Would you like to be a part of making St. Lucie County a cultural gem of the Treasure Coast? Become a member and join our growing cultural community! Visit StLucieArts.org to learn more about the exciting benefits of membership and all of its cool, upcoming events!
Call for Instructors – Applications Now Open Artist Members of the Alliance are encouraged to apply to teach classes. Artists of varying mediums are welcomed to apply! For more information, visit StLucieArts.org, or email: [email protected].
Save the Date for the Grand Opening of St. Lucie Cultural Alliance: The Vault. A ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration will take place 5 PM – 8 PM Friday, Nov. 18th during ArtWalk.
About the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance: The mission of the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance is to better position the arts and cultural sector as a significant contributor to the vibrancy, and educational and economic well-being, of St. Lucie County.
St. Lucie Cultural Alliance is sponsored in part by the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the St. Lucie Office of Tourism.
St. Lucie Cultural Alliance is located at 111 Orange Avenue, 3rd Floor, Fort Pierce, Fla. 34950. To learn more, visit ArtStLucie.org, or call 772.462.2783.
August 15, 2022 – The community is invited to experience an entire evening of empowerment through art, with two powerful events that tell the stories of abuse, strength, hope, and celebration coming Aug. 25 to the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance Galleries, 111 Orange Ave., Suite 301, in Downtown Fort Pierce.
From 6 PM – 7 PM, take in a stirring and moving display of works created by professional artists and survivors, when St. Lucie Cultural Alliance and The Inner Truth Project team up to unveil the inaugural art exhibition I’m Still Standing at its opening reception. The diverse collection of powerful works, made of upcycled/recycled materials that symbolize rebirth were created to convey personal journeys of experience of paired survivors. Admission to the closing reception is free; Refreshments will be served. RSVP is encouraged, [email protected].
Next on the night’s itinerary, at 7 PM is the anticipated documentary of WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines. Admission: $5 for Cultural Alliance members and $7.50 for general admission.
“As long as there have been female superheroes, there have female survivors, and sometimes we overlook all that it takes to be a superhero, and all that it takes to be a survivor,” said Mindi Fetterman, Founder & Executive Director. “I love working with the Cultural Alliance, because people who have experienced trauma find healing, by getting their story out,” she said. “Through expression of art, they find healing and the Cultural Alliance is a major component of that healing, for so many of our survivors.”
This award-winning film, the third installment of the inaugural Summer Film Fest, is “…an Exuberant documentary,” according to the review by the LA Times. It traces the fascinating birth, evolution, and legacy of Wonder Woman and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of fictional and real-life superheroines fighting for positive role models for girls, both on screen and off. To learn more, visit ArtStLucie.org.
From the birth of the 1940s comic book heroine, Wonder Woman, to the blockbusters of today, WONDER WOMEN! looks at how popular representations of powerful women often reflect society’s anxieties about strong and healthy women. Presented in partnership by the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, The Inner Truth Project, and Treasure Coast Film Festival, WONDER WOMEN! goes behind the scenes with actors Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) and Lindsay Wagner (the Bionic Woman), comic writers and artists, and real-life superheroines like feminist icon Gloria Steinem, riot girl Kathleen Hanna, and others, who offer an enlightening and entertaining counterpoint to the male-dominated superhero genre.
“We are honored and thrilled to provide a forum that encourages The Inner Truth Project’s survivors to bravely share the truth about their experiences in a safe environment, to nurture and actualize their emotional strength, hope, health and wellbeing,” said Alyona A. Ushe, Executive Director, St. Lucie Cultural Alliance. “Art is a catalyst for societal change, healing, and uplifting others. The use of recycled materials symbolizes that no one is dispensable, the inner trash to beauty metamorphosis, while the creative process contributes to the therapeutic powers of the arts.”
About St. Lucie Cultural Alliance: St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, a local arts agency for St. Lucie County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission is to lead the arts and cultural communities in building the vibrancy, education, and economic well-being of St. Lucie County and its vision is to be recognized as the trusted leader to advance the arts and culture throughout St. Lucie County.
St. Lucie Cultural Alliance is sponsored in part by the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners, and by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
St. Lucie Cultural Alliance is located at 111 Orange Avenue, 3rd Floor, Fort Pierce, Fla. 34950. To learn more, visit ArtStLucie.org, or call 772.462.2783.
About The Inner Truth Project: The Inner Truth Project is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that provides services, support groups, meetings, and therapeutic and healing opportunities for survivors of sexual assault and abuse throughout the Treasure Coast. The Inner Truth Project exists because there is no shame in living through sexual abuse, violence, or rape. We believe that speaking our truth in support of each other in a safe, caring, and therapeutic environment can set us free. The Inner Truth Project provides an environment where survivors can bravely share the truth about their experiences and receive the help they need to find strength, hope, and health…one story at a time.
About the Treasure Coast International Film Festival:
Treasure Coast International Film Society, Inc. (TCI) is a non-profit organization representing the cinematic arts and filmmaking community on the Treasure Coast. Its mission is to honor, develop, and celebrate filmmakers and production teams that create independent and foreign films of artistic and cultural importance.
TCI Film Society produces the annual TCI Film, Music, and Art Festival taking place October 12 – 16, 2023. For more information about TCI visit: www.tcifilmfest.org
The Wellington Art Society is thrilled to begin its 42nd year with their first meeting of the season on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. The meeting will take place at the Wellington Community Center, 12150 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, FL. It will open with a meet and greet at 5:30 p.m., followed by a member spotlight and brief meeting. The event will conclude with a presentation by local artist Heather Bergstrom on “How to Turn Your Passion into A Side Hustle or Career”. The public is invited. COVID-19 protocols will be observed. For more information contact: Laura Jaffe, [email protected].
Heather Bergstrom has spent a lifetime pursuing her passion and skill as an artist. Her favorite mediums are graphite, charcoal and acrylic paint. She loves to tell stories with her art, painting poignant scenes which translate into universal feelings of contentment, nostalgia, or joie de vivre.
Heather is originally from New Haven, Connecticut where she worked in the public school system. Several years ago, she and her family moved to Florida where she got a job at a local private school. Throughout her career, she never lost her enthusiasm for art. When she wasn’t working, she was creating. In fact, during her lunchbreaks she was often found drawing in the teachers’ lounge. As more and more people started asking to buy her art, it dawned on her that this might be a nice way to make a little extra cash. In her free time, she began slowly building a portfolio of works, a website and a social media presence.
Joy Comes with the Morning by Heather Bergstrom
Then the global pandemic forced schools to shut down, leaving many people, including Heather, without a job. Though this was a difficult time, Heather saw it as an opportunity to grow her art side hustle into a full-time career: A dream that she previously thought would have to wait until retirement.
Around this time, Heather met master artist, Laurie Snow Hein, through the Wellington Art Society. Laurie appreciated Heather’s passion and business sense and hired her practically on the spot as her assistant. Heather says, “meeting Laurie was providential. I have learned so much from her experience as a professional artist and have applied that knowledge to my own art business.” Now Heather enjoys sharing her art marketing expertise with other creatives.
Heather Bergstrom is an active Board member of the Wellington Art Society and serves on the Marketing Team. In 2020, she received the People’s Choice Award at the South Florida Fair and in 2021 she received the People’s Choice Award for the “Wonders of Art” Exhibition at Wellington Community Center. To learn more about her, please visit her website at www.HeatherBergstrom.art and follow her on social media @HeatherBergstromArt.
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The Wellington Art Society is a non-profit charitable organization in its 42nd year. It is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their artwork in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art. For further information about the Wellington Art Society, please visit www.wellingtonartsociety.org.
Rollin McGrail, Illustrator and Donna Willey, co-owner of Village Music & Cafe. At the monthly AW networking mixer.Nick Khan and his wife, ITS3, Innovative Technology SolutionsJamie and Loida CantorAngel Adams, Katrina Long, Teresa Dabrowski, Melissa Hudson, Apryl Errico, Danielle Jarrett, Sam Pasley, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Principal Sharonda Alleyne. At the Education Foundation’s Backpack and School Supply Drive.
(West Palm Beach, Fla.) – August 15, 2022 – This month the Armory Art Center will welcome four artists to their nine-month Artist-in-Residence program. This highly competitive program attracts a diverse group of emerging artists with varied disciplines who have at least a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts degree.
John Lark joins the Armory this year as an Artist-in-Residence in Painting, Drawing and 2D Media. John is a representational painter who creates oil paintings that depict interactions between figures and environments. In 2012 he received an MFA from the New York Academy of Art. His interest in art dates to his childhood years in Michigan, where he frequently visited the Detroit Institute of Art and the Cranbrook Art Museum. It was there he developed a connection with, and enthusiasm for, abstract expressionism, minimalism, and pop art. Lark graduated with a BFA, Cum Laude, in 2005 from University of Michigan School of Art and Design where his concentration was in figure painting and printmaking. He later studied abroad in Florence, Italy where his appreciation for Renaissance and Baroque periods blossomed. After graduation, Lark moved to New York City and took a post-baccalaureate semester at Columbia University. He realized his primary interests lay in representational painting and began graduate studies at the New York Academy of Art where he developed the style for which he is known today. Lark has participated in a numerous of group and solo exhibitions with New York galleries including the Ethan Cohen Gallery, the Untitled Space Gallery and the Van Der Plas Galley.
Hanna Scrima is the Armory’s 2022-2023 Artist-in-Residence in Ceramics. Hannah was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Slippery Rock University, she was employed at the Brockway Center for Arts and Technology for four years. Working at a non-profit art center, Hannah found a passion for building relationships with students that starts with art but extends beyond the confines of an art studio. The process of exposing students to new techniques forms a full circle experience of who inspires whom and is a driving force in her creative process. She hopes to continue building these symbiotic relationships at the Armory Art Center. By using the intimacy of clay and the slow meticulous process of handbuilding, she is free to find focus and mental clarity to transform disorganized and chaotic thoughts into cohesion. Ranging from unfired sculpture to functional pottery, Hannah utilizes the intimacy of clay as a coping mechanism.
Tony Baker
Tony Baker is joining the Armory as an Artist-in-Residence in Sculpture. Tony grew up in a very poor neighborhood in Sacramento, California, alongside the freeway littered with heroin needles and crack vials. As Tony travelled from the lower to middle class parts of town to attend school, he experienced noticeable cultural dislocation. He never felt as though he fully belonged to either cultural subset. As a result, he was an observer, living between cultures. Experiences in these formative years grew a desire in Tony to make work that can be a voice for the people who do not have one, the people who are struggling to survive in this world and can relate with this story of living a life with little control over circumstance. He received his BFA in Ceramics at California State University Long Beach in 2018, and his MFA In Ceramics at Alfred University in 2022. His work is in several prestigious private collections, and he will have a solo exhibition at the Torrance Art Museum in California in the fall of 2023.
Maria Camera-Smith is returning for a second year as an Artist-in-Residence in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. She is a maker of jewelry, functional hollowware, and large wearable works, which focus on humankind’s relationship with its environment. Camera-Smith uses traditional and contemporary metalsmithing techniques alongside precious metals, enamel, industrial, natural, and synthetic materials. She earned her MFA in Jewelry, Metals, and Enameling from Kent State University, OH in 2021 and a BFA in Metalsmithing from Slippery Rock University, PA
in 2015. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is in private and public collections including the Brockway Center for Arts and Technology in Brockway, PA. Camera-Smith is a member of the Allegheny Metals Collective (AMC), Ethical Metalsmiths Students (EMS), and Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG).
“We are very excited to have these four exceptionally talented artists at the Armory this year,” said Dr. Tom Pearson, Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to offering their classes and workshops and sharing their work in our galleries.” Interested students can find their classes listed online at www.armoryart.org. The Armory provides each resident artist a studio space where they can develop their own work.
The public will have an opportunity to see the work of these four artists at NEW & NOW: Artists-In-Residence and New Faculty Exhibition on display in the Armory’s East Gallery from September 9th through October 21st. There will be an opportunity to meet them at the exhibition’s opening reception on Thursday, September 8th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. All exhibitions are held at the Armory Art Center, 811 Park Place, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-Noon. Closed Sunday. Galleries are free & open to the public. For more information go to www.armoryart.org/calendar/ or call (561) 832-1776.
About the Armory Art Center:
The Armory Art Center’s art school and galleries provide creative opportunities to enhance your life. The Armory has served the community for over 30 years. The mission of the Armory Art Center is to inspire the creation and experience of art and the Armory’s vision is to be the leading community resource for arts education. Serving over 3,000 students annually, the Armory Art Center offers 160 courses per term in six terms throughout the year to students ranging in age from pre-school to retiree. Classes in drawing, painting, photography, jewelry, fiber & textiles, ceramics, and sculpture are held in twelve state-of-the-art studios. Twelve exhibitions are hosted annually in three galleries. Exhibitions, lectures, and special events are open to the public. For information, visit www.armoryart.org or call (561) 832.1776. The Armory Art Center is located at 811 Park Place, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
