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Battle of the Businesses raises $78K for arts education [Spotlight]
Thanks to the participation and generous support from the community, the event raised over $78,000 in support of Theater for Young Audiences productions, outreach programs and scholarships for the Yocum Institute for Arts Education.
Dancing with the Reading Stars: Battle of the Businesses performers at Stokesay Castle. (Lauren Adele Little Photography)
Here are the winners:
• Fundraising grand champion and fan favorite: Team Michael and The Blue Diamonds
• Second place: Team Celtic Plaid
• Third place: Team Baja
Other fan favorites:
• Second: Team Celtic Plaid
• Third: Team Queens
The Yocum Institute would like to thank participating businesses, sponsors and attendees. Participating businesses included Baja Beach Wellness, Circadia by Dr. Peter Pugliese, New Castle Lawn and Landscape Inc., Queens Café and Skin Solutions Med Spa.
Art
The Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Road, has announced that the exhibition: 'Her Brush, Her Story: Women Watercolorists.' The exhibition will be on display in the museum's Works on Paper Gallery from June 21 through Aug. 17.
Drawn from the permanent collection of the Reading Public Museum, 'Her Brush, Her Story: Women Watercolorists' gathers over 40 watercolor paintings from the late 19th century through contemporary times.
The medium of watercolor was traditionally associated with women painters because it was clean, light, inexpensive, widely available and could be taught as a pastime in the home or at school.
However, the artists featured in this exhibition broke out of that traditional mold, becoming teachers in art schools and universities, exhibiting regularly in museum exhibitions and building successful careers.
'It's rewarding to be able to shed light on this talented group of artists, many of whom are not well known beyond the region,' said museum curator Scott Schweigert. 'RPM has been collecting works by women artists since its earliest days. This show, drawn from our rich collection, helps advance their stories and recognized the fine paintings they produced.'
The exhibit features landscapes, still lifes, portraits, cityscapes and industrial scenes. Works by women with national reputations like artist/illustrator Cynthia Iliff (1907– 998), Ethelyn Pratt Cobb (1884–1973) and Irene Aunio (1919–2013) to artists who have ties to Reading or southeastern Pennsylvania like Mary Hiester Reid (1854–1921) , Mary B. Leisz (1876–1935), Hazel Feltman (1916–1980) and Elizabeth Hurwitz (1903–1975) among others will be examined. A feature article about the exhibition was recently published in the spring issue of American Art Review magazine.
'Near the Ferry,' watercolor on paper, by Dorothy Layng McEntee. (Courtesy of the Reading Public Museum)
The Reading Public Museum is open daily from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission per day is $10 for adults (18-64), $6 for children/seniors/college students (w/ID) and free to members and children 3 and under. Visit online at www.readingpublicmuseum.org.
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