Future shows and events to be listed in the future......
The
Berea Fine Arts Club (First known
as the Three Arts Club) was founded on October 25, 1933. There were 30
women present at the organizational meeting. Quoting from their constitution,
“the object of the organization is to further the study and development
of the fine arts and to promote and encourage an interest in the cultural
life of the community.” The membership consisted of art, music,
and drama. The first president was Mrs. Rose Collier. The Club acquired
the Little Red Schoolhouse on Bagley Road in 1935. Membership had grown
too large to continue meeting in member's homes. After renovating the
schoolhouse and property, the Club had its first meeting there on September
15, 1937. In 1938 the Club added a literature group to their membership.
Then, in the early 1940’s a kitchen and indoor plumbing were added
to the schoolhouse. During World War II, the Berea Fine Arts Club became
a member of the Women’s Field Army. The schoolhouse was used several
nights a week as a recreation center for servicemen. The building has
also been used through the years for Golden Age groups, wedding receptions,
parties, dance classes, and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. It is currently
the meeting place for the Berea Jaycees and a local church group. The
schoolhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
The original Club met for the last time at the schoolhouse on June 21,
1984. In August of 2001, John Harmon, in conjunction with Mayor Biddlecomb,
began work on the Arts and Humanities Council of Berea. People felt there
was a need for an art organization in or near Berea. After months of organizational
meetings, the Berea Art League was formed. Several women from the original
Berea Fine Arts Club attended a meeting of Berea Arts League. They approached
the group with the idea that the Berea Arts League, which did not yet
have a constitution or bylaws, could simply join the Berea Fine Arts Club
and adopt and change its constitution and bylaws. The idea was put to
a vote and, on April 18, 2002, the Berea Arts League became the Berea
Fine Arts Club, Inc. The Club currently has more than 140 members in areas
including art, music, drama, literature, and art appreciation. Members
reside in Berea as well as many surrounding cities. E-Mail: debsherw@aol.com
Molly
Gallery had it's birth in England for it was there that it's owner, Jere
M. Hinton, met Molly. She grew up in Liverpool, graduated from the Convent
of Mercy, became a registered nurse and married a scruffy "Yank"
art student, Jere, in 1959. Five years later they settled in Strongsville,
Ohio at 19483 Lunn Road. It was a new house with a horse pasture out back.
Over time, Molly turned the pasture into a garden with wooded paths they
called "Serenity Walk". The house became a Home where she tirelessly
tried to nurture friends, neighbors, kids, animals and Jere.
Molly died without warning in 1998 leaving memories that prove Mother Teresa was right. "We cannot do great things, only small things with great love". The Gallery evolved with great love.
Shortly after Molly's death, she was trying to tell Jere what he should do with the rest of his life as he stumbled down Serenity Walk in the moonlight. He sneered, "You sound like Dante's Beatrice. How the hell do you know so much?" "I'm dead, you bloody fool." she answered with a smile. "Turn our home into an Art Center."
From that, new memories emerged. By 2001 their home turned into what it is today, Molly Gallery.
Looking for wisdom, Jere asked Molly: "How should I find artists?" "Pick ones whose works are beautiful, ones you like" she began. He interrupted, "That's too subjective." Molly continued: "Ask them two questions: "why do you make art? and, why do you want it shown in our gallery? Their answers will tell you who are Friends of the Gallery.
