Renaissance
When I mention the word Renaissance, what comes to mind? The works of Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Raphael? The hotel you like in Atlanta? Eating a turkey leg while surrounded by hairy men in kilts and women in tight blouses leaving nothing to the imagination? Your Uncle Fred, who everyone called “a true Renaissance Man,” though you always thought that was code for “Uncle Fred is gay.”
Well, I think of all of those, and I’ll throw in the poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay (though she used the alternate spelling Renascence) as it served as the text for one of my first choral compositions.
But today it means the rehab center my mother-in-law will call home for the next several weeks. It’s a fitting term for a place in which you experience a re-birth, though it’s more likely she will be the cause of massive resignations in the staff.
As we all soldier through the summer, I encourage you to enjoy a little renaissance in your own life. Go ahead and enjoy that extravagant meal and a cocktail (or seven), then stroll through an art gallery, sit and listen to a fantastic concert, take in a show, sign up for a pottery class, or dabble in philately. Look it up, it’s not as dirty as it sounds.
All locations are Rehoboth Beach unless otherwise noted.
Spotlight on the Arts
CAMP Rehoboth puts art at the heart of our community! Let our summertime line-up of art inspire you!
Light & Music—though July 31
Our July exhibit in the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery is Light & Music, featuring the work of two community artists—Vincent Hughes and Yvonne Frankis—who have joined forces to present one remarkable show.
Speaking about this body of work, Vincent Hughes says, “In Standing, Seaside, I’d hoped to capture the dramatic highlights and dark shadows cast by bright sunlight as it moves over the model’s torso. Not only does the direct light create a bright radiance, it also intensifies the various colors—even in the shadows—defining his physique. With a minimum of strokes, I wished to convey a sense of spontaneity and movement—of how the light illuminates and influences the subject, making the ordinary extraordinarily rich in color.”
Yvonne Frankis explains, “two of my favorite things in life are music and art. Although I’ve been painting since I was 9 years old, it was about five years ago that I realized every time I painted, I had to have the 'right' soundtrack while I worked. My huge love of music had influenced me all along, but now I know each song I love has a painting attached in my mind!”
Make sure that you stop by this month to see how these artists each have been inspired by light and music.
Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Award Winners at CAMP Rehoboth August 3-26
Becoming a Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Award Winner is no small feat. Each year, the Delaware Division of the Arts recognizes artists for their outstanding quality of work and provides monetary awards. Individual Artist Fellows are publicly acknowledged and benefit from the additional exposure to their work.
This year, the work of 124 Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, and visual artists were reviewed, considering both demonstrated creativity and skill in their art form. 17 artists were selected for Fellowships.
During the fellowship year, recipients are required to showcase their work in a public exhibit or performance in Delaware, and in August, they will appear at CAMP Rehoboth.
Local photographer Leah Beach is one of the Award Winners. Leah is out to make her impact on the world through the power of photography. She is passionate about human rights and determined to effect social change—and people’s perspectives—through photography. Leah’s work documents the global issues of dementia, malnutrition, and women’s empowerment in developing countries. She shows challenging subject matter in an honest light, focusing not only on trouble and anguish but also showing the resilience that her subjects radiate as they meet their challenges.
The work by these talented artists includes a wide variety of art forms— paintings, 3-D, choreography, music, the written word, and more. Even a blacksmith who’s forged fashion sculpture will amaze you. Mark your calendars now for Thursday, August 9, (5:30-7:30p.m.) for the Award Winner’s Reception.
PERFORMING ARTS
CAMP Rehoboth (37 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-5620) offers another “don’t miss” event—The Gay Men’s Chorus of D.C.’s Cabaret: It Takes Two!—July 14 (5 & 8 p.m.) right here at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center.
Clear Space Theatre Company (20 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2270) has their summer repertory season: Footloose, Mary Poppins, and The Rocky Horror Show (Monday-Saturday), the Delaware Comedy Theatre’s post-show The Late-R Night Show (July 7 & 14, 10p.m), their Summer Children’s Theatre (11a.m., Saturdays), or sign up your “star of tomorrow” for one of their outstanding summer camps. The ever-popular Well-Strung Quartet takes the stage August 5.
Freeman Stage (31750 Lake View Drive, Selbyville; 800-840-9227) is an open-air venue offering a fantastic mix of shows: July 19: Mary Poppins (Clear Space); July 20: The Celtic Tenors; July 21: Remember When Rock Was Young (Elton John Tribute); July 23: Pat Benatar with Rick Springfield; July 24: Straight No Chaser; July 25: Gov’t Mule; July 26: Matisyahu; July 27: Tusk (Fleetwood Mac Tribute); July 28: Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Possum Point Players (441 Old Laurel Road, Georgetown; 302-856-4560) is on summer hiatus for their Main Stage shows, but has two summer camps!
Premier Centre for the Arts at Milton Theater (110 Union St., Milton; 302-684-3038) has something for everyone on their calendar! July 13: Simply Streisand; July 14: Kick It Out – A Heart tribute; July 19: The Big Lebowski; July 20: Not Fade Away – Buddy Holly tribute; July 21: Holly Faris with Joan Rivers and Friends; July 27: Roo Brown and Joe Holt; July 28: The Johnny Cash Experience by Terry Lee Goffee.
Rehoboth Beach Bandstand (Rehoboth Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean; 302-644-2288) celebrates their 56th season—July 13: SoHo Down; July 14: Billy Price Band; July 15: Still Surfin’; July 20: Fast Forward 80’s; July 21: Gringo Jingo; July 22: The 1974; July 27: Lower Case Blues; July 28: Vinyl Shockley; July 29: Clifford Keith Band. All concerts begin at 8p.m.
Rehoboth Beach Film Society (17701 Dartmouth Drive in Lewes, 302-645-9095) screens the best new Independent films at their Cinema Art Theatre. Check their website for updates and show times.
Rehoboth Summer Children’s Theatre (in residence at Epworth UMC; 19285 Holland Glade Road; 302-227-6766) has Cinderella, Androcles and the Lion, and Aladdin. Their weekly Theatre and Film/TV camps run through August 24.
Second Street Players (2 South Walnut Street in Milford; 302-422-0220) present a wonderful production of the musical Shrek—July 13-22. Directed by John Moller.
Stango Park Concerts (Kings Highway, next to the Lewes Library) offers FREE concerts every Tuesday: July 17: Glass Onion; July 24: Vinyl Shockley; July 31: British Invasion Experience. Bring a chair!
VISUAL ARTS
Abraxas Studio of Art (515 Federal Street, Lewes; 302-645-9119) features the oil portraits and landscape paintings of Abraxas and his own style of illuminated reality.
Anna Hazzard Museum (17 Christian Street, 302-226-1119) is a captivating look at the early history of Rehoboth Beach as a religious retreat. The museum is housed in one of the original “tent” houses from Rehoboth's 1870s camp-meeting era and is named for former owner and civic leader, Anna Hazzard.
The Brush Factory on Kings (830 Kings Hwy., Lewes; 302-745-2229) an artist/craft co-op: furniture, art, clothing, antiques, sea glass, decoys, vintage garden, books, home goods, candles, herbs and more.
CAMP Rehoboth Gallery (37 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-5620) features Light & Music—works by Vincent Hughes and Yvonne Frankis (through July 31); Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Award Winners at CAMP Rehoboth, (August 3-26), Award Winners’ Reception, Thursday, August 9 (5:30-7:30 p.m.).
Cape Artists Gallery (110 W. 3rd Street, Lewes; 302-644-7733) represents two dozen artists, with much of their work focusing on beach scenes.
Delaware Art Gallery (239 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-853-5099) offers new and classic Delaware photographs by Kevin Fleming.
Gallery 50 Contemporary Art and Frame Shop (50 A-B Wilmington Avenue; 302- 227-2050) features a variety of artworks in painting, jewelry, glass, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media, mobiles, as well as special events.
Heidi Lowe Gallery (328 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-9203) has beautiful and unique hand-made pieces (including wedding rings!) and offers classes in jewelry making.
Painting With a Twist (17723 Coastal Highway; 302-313-5769) offers painting classes and “pARTies” for all occasions.Visit their website for details.
Peninsula Gallery (520 E. Savannah Rd., Lewes; 302-645-0551) is currently showing Use Your Imagination—6 artists explore the world of contemporary abstract and abstract expressionism—through July 29.
Rehoboth Art League (12 Dodds Lane in Henlopen Acres; 302-227-8408) has a fantastic schedule of classes—pottery to pen and ink technique to jewelry making…something for everyone. Current exhibitions: Preservation Matters—over 700 pieces in RAL’s Permanent Collection, and the conservation efforts to maintain the collection—in the Marcia and Henry DeWitt Gallery (through September 6); Balancing Acts: Works by the Winner of the 2017 Members’ Fine Art Exhibition, Susan Frey—through July 22 in the Ventures Gallery; Femme Fatale: Works by Megan Burak—through July 22 in the Homestead Gallery; 45th Members’ Fine Craft Exhibition: through July 22 in the Corkran and Tubbs Galleries; The 45th Annual Outdoor Fine Arts and Fine Crafts Show is August 4-5 & 11-12 and not to be missed. Check their website for a complete schedule of exhibits, salons, gallery talks, and summer camps.
Rehoboth Beach Museum (511 Rehoboth Avenue at the Canal, 302-227-7310) is currently closed for complete renovations to their second floor and revamping of the permanent collection exhibits, but reopens soon! In the meantime, they still have some great walking tours of the area and fascinating lectures.
The Bach Porch Café (59 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-3674) presents New Work 2018 by Rodney Cook, July 19 - August 16. Reception with the Artist, Sunday, July 22 (4-6 p.m.)
The Studio on 24 (20231 John J. Williams Highway, Lewes; 302-644-4424) is open during the summer by appointment only with owner and artisan Deb Appleby’s custom made glassware.
Tideline Gallery (146 Rehoboth Avenue; 302-227-4444) offers unique gifts, jewelry, pottery, and art glass.
Ward Ellinger Gallery (CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard, 39 Baltimore Avenue; 302-227-2710) features art in different mediums by abstract expressionist Ward Ellinger and Sondra N. Arkin.
Zwaanendael Museum (102 Kings Highway, Lewes; 302-645-1148) commemorates Delaware’s first European colony, established by the Dutch in 1631, and serves as a showcase for the Lewes area’s maritime, military, and social history.
Doug is the Artistic and Musical Director for CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, Director of Music Ministries at Epworth UMC, and co-founder and Artistic Director emeritus of the Clear Space Theater Company. Email Doug Yetter to add events to the calendar.
photo caption: Leah Beach, Delaware Division of the Arts 2018 Award Winner | Global Dementia Project.
CAMP Rehoboth Arts Programs are supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com
