The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. - Marcel Proust (1871-1922)

Open your eyes and look around! There are arts happenings everywhere in Decatur throughout the summer. So, you need go no farther than your own town to discover music, dance, theatre, visual arts and culinary arts to suit all ages and all tastes.

Brazil In Decatur

The world has gotten smaller, they say, and that couldn't be more true than in Decatur.

A quick trip to the Madden Arts Center has already given hundreds of people a glimpse at the beauty of Brazil and the Amazon rainforests through the paintings of Brazilian artist, Totonho. The exhibit remains open through July 31. All paintings are available for purchase as are full color catalogs featuring the exhibit paintings and lyrics composed by Brazilian singer-songwriter, Zeu Lobo, who performed at the exhibit's opening.

Totonho Live!

Lakeside Music & Arts Festival

July 4 - 5

Watch Totonho with paintbrush in action.

Live Brazilian Music - Free!

July 10, 5 to 8 p.m.

Enjoy another taste of Brazil, including Totonho's exhibit and Brazilian trained musician, Chad Dunn plus samples of Brazilian treats prepared by Bizou.

Lakeside Music & Arts Festival

July 4 - 5

Let the arts light up your 4th of July weekend.

Take your family and friends down to Nelson Park for the Lakeside Music & Arts Festival starting at 11 a.m. July 4 and 5.

Multiple stages spotlight an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, pop and international music plus performances for children. Grab a bite of great food and stroll along the lake. Enjoy a juried art festival and artist demonstrations presented by Gallery 510. Encourage your children to dabble in clay on the potter's wheel and other hands-on art projects presented by the Decatur Area Arts Council.

Top off the fourth of July with "Red, White and Blues" - wines and New Orleans Blues artist, Eric Lindell in concert followed by fireworks. Admission and parking is free to all.

FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK

Friday, July 10, 5 to 8 p.m.

Take a summer stroll and take in great art at the gallery walk on Friday, July 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. Visit downtown Decatur's four great galleries while enjoying artists' talks, tasty hors d'oeuvres, music and fascinating art at Anne Lloyd Gallery, Blue Connection, Gallery 510 and Richland Community College's display in the Theatre 7 lobby.

Artistic styles contrast at the Madden Arts Center where Totonho's somewhat naïve yet "super-realistic" paintings of the Amazon meet the non-objective, color-form-space compositions of Millikin graduate Brady Rhoades. Originally from Decatur, Brady is owner of ZeroEightDesign. He strives "to create visual screens by layering and revealing planes of color and form within a single picture plane." You can hear him speak about his work at 6:30 p.m.

Local artist Mary Cleave, on exhibit at Gallery 510, deviates from her usual work in pastels to explore both scratch drawings and oil paintings. Still life, flowers, and animals provide the subjects for her realistic style. The scratch art, a black and white technique that creates a result just the opposite of lithography, has intrigued Mary who previously worked in color. She now feeds her need for color through layering oil paints to suggest a feeling of depth. Listen to her art story at 5:45 and 7:15 p.m.

Stop by Theatre 7's lobby to view an exciting exhibit from Richland Community College.

5th Anniversary Celebration - Preston Jackson Returns

Julieanna's Descendants: Images from the Closet Trunk

Exhibit August 5 - 31

Sponsored by Caterpillar, Inc.

On July 8, 2004 the Madden Arts Center opened its doors to the public. Two days later the inaugural exhibit in the Anne Lloyd Gallery opened, featuring the sculptures of well-known and loved Decatur native Preston Jackson. Now, five years and 55 exhibits later, the Decatur Area Arts Council welcomes back Jackson to celebrate the Madden Arts Center and the community that made it happen - participation by all ages and walks of life in events, classes, exhibits and, yes, the successful retirement of our mortgage.

We launched not only the MAC in 2004 but also Jackson's new works, new directions, "Totally Fresh from Julieanne's Garden," an emotionally moving exhibition of bronze sculptures depicting the human strength and grace of African-American characters who survived the realities of slavery.

It is fitting that we now feature Jackson's exhibition of "Julieanna's Descendants: Images from the Closet Trunk," in which he further preserves this history with new pieces. He creates "faces we can look into" and uses sculpture to help us "understand the value in preserving the behaviors of people arising from a struggle such as slavery and. . . how the aftermath still affects us today."

Jackson's work exemplifies how the arts reflect life, preserve culture, stimulate creativity, bring people together and challenge us.

Meet Preston Jackson at the opening reception on Wednesday, August 5 from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Arts For All Classes

Discover your artistic talents at the Madden Arts Center in July and August.

The Decatur Area Arts Council will be offering classes for preschool through adults, including Beginning and Intermediate Watercolor for Adults, Intermediate PhotoShop Elements, Beads & Bracelets, Watercolor for Educators, acting for children and a variety of clay hand building workshops. Fees for classes vary.

Call the Decatur Area Arts Council at 423-3189 or log on www.decaturarts.org.

Getting Loose!

Painting Outside The Box With Maggie McClellan

August 21 - 22, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Area artists - adult beginners through veterans - this workshop is for you.

Award-winning artist, Maggie McClellan teaches, demonstrates, judges, juries and lectures internationally. She has authored three how-to art books and is a signature member of prestigious watercolor societies. Critics have been impressed with the sense of life and emotion that permeates her work, particularly her watercolors, figural portrayals and portraits.

Her Decatur workshop will be structured so that you can work the medium of your choice while learning how to become a better artist through composition, color and technique. The workshop fee of $125 pays for both days.

Contact the Decatur Area Arts Council at 423-3189.

(Breakout Box)

International Arts Experience

Enjoy the last month!

Let the colorful international flags throughout Decatur be a reminder that July is the final month for the International Arts Experience. The program is made possible through the generous support of sponsors Ameren, Tate and Lyle, the City of Decatur, many local businesses and individuals.

Check out www.decaturarts.org for all the arts events designed to bring the world of arts into your life!