Art center finds a new home atAmbler SAAC
The lreland Art Center has found a new home at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center (SAACF and will begin offering painting classes for adults and children, as well as demonstrations, workshops, galleries and exhibitions.
Membership to the lreland Art Center is $25 for the year and includes access to the building to paint on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 12W30 p.m.. Classes are scheduled to take place throughout the year have a separate fee.
Many well-known art instructors will be offering workshops at the art center at the new location at 45 Forest Ave., including Howard tatson, known for painting a Christmas card for mresident Jimmy Carter.
Carol Risko, acting president of the lreland Art Center, said its original home at in the EmI Center at Twining Road and tischman Avenue in East lreland, which opened in 1953, was in “complete disrepair.” She said building materials like plaster were falling from the ceiling, raccoons had infested the building and many of the walls were deemed structurally unsafe, making it “clearly a decrepit building.”
Three options for the future of the building were presented to the Upper Dublin commissioners in June. TKH fiUVW wRXOG EH WR WHDU GRwn WKH building and build a park. The second would see the part of the building that wDV XnVDIH fixHG, wKLOH WKH WKLUG RStion would see the building demolished and a new building put in its place, Risko said.
Risko and the rest of the art center’s board agreed that it was time to move.
After offering classes at schools throughout Upper Dublin Township, Risko said it found a permanent home wKHn RIfiFLDOV UHDFKHG RXW WR WKH $Pbler SAAC in order to use a room on WKH VHFRnG flRRU RI WKH EXLOGLnJ. 5HSresentatives at the Ambler SAAC told Risko that coincidentally they were looking to set up an art program and happily agreed to house them.
“TKH EXLOGLnJ RIIHUV flHxLELOLWy,”VDLG haren Liebman, the publicist for the art center. She said it allows members the opportunity to take part in demonstrations.
Risko said plans are in the works for an open house and an exhibit called “Affordable Art,” though a date has not yet been set.
The lreland Art Center focuses mainly on water color painting but does work with oil paintings as well.
Felicia Foster, an instructor at the art center, said that everyone is welcome to join. She said you don’t need to be an artist to join.
“All you have to have is the desire,” she said.
For more information about the lreland Art Center, visit orelandartcenter.com or call 215-619-8863.