Pottery and glass blowing are among the many classes available at The Art Center School and Galleries.
On a recent Thursday, artists from around the area arrived at the Art Center School and Galleries for one of several classes for the evening.
Potters, glassblowers and water colorists greeted each other as old friends. The center, located in a beautiful barn on the outskirts of Mechanicsburg, is special to all as it gives them an opportunity to create, socialize and forget about life’s stressors.
“It’s hard to think about the Visa card bill when you are focused on keeping a vase straight,” said board member Justin Pettingell.
Next year, the center will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Over the decades, it has seen a lot of changes, including uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but its passionate members are now back and fully engaged.
Board members Tina Antonicelli and Bill Klaiber are a full-time husband and wife volunteering team.
Klaiber is a retired Mechanicsburg High School art and photography instructor. The 71-year-old has been coming to the Art Center since he was 16 years old, so he and Tina know firsthand how important it is to the local community.
Pettingell tells a similar story. The center displayed his art when he was in high school. Decades later, he rediscovered his passion and now teaches glassblowing classes in a studio that he and others constructed in the center’s basement.
Art also gives many people the chance to manifest their personality in ways their full-time jobs prohibit. For instance, Pettingell is employed as a grants processor, which he describes as a very “black and white” position.
Similarly, Jody Boyer works full-time in the healthcare industry. The pottery instructor joined the center in 2001 after completing her master’s degree.
“I wanted to take a class that didn’t have any homework,” she recalled.
Boyer developed an affection for the pottery wheel, and she now has a studio in her home. Working solo in her own space gives her control over many aspects of her art, but the Art Center offers community. More than 20 years after she attended her first class, Boyer continues to learn from those around her.
“My students challenge me,” she said. “They will often ask me to teach them to make pieces I have never made, so I need to learn first.”
Pettingell agrees and notes that the Art Center’s other glassblowing instructor, Michael Peluso, is one of his mentors.
“About half of my class is stuff he does, too,” Pettingell said.
The Art Center also features a large gallery space where work on display changes monthly. Anyone interested in viewing pieces is welcome to visit on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 7 p.m. From Sept. 8 to 26, instructors such as Pettingell and Boyer will have creations on display during the “School Days: Our Instructors’ Show.”
The center isn’t all adults who need a break from life’s stressors. Children attend classes there, too, and some adult classes are open to interested and responsible teenagers. Full and partial scholarships are available for families who are unable to afford tuition costs.
The Art Center’s members and instructors are a tightknit group, but they are always willing to open the barn doors for new members. Established artists who are interested in teaching should contact the center to pitch an idea. Those looking to take a class can explore the center’s many offerings, including glassblowing, painting, pottery, jewelry making and photography.
“Producing art is a sign of a society that is progressing. It is a sign of a society that is celebrating where they are and what they are doing,” Pettingell said. “Any way I can be part of that is special.”
The Art Center School and Galleries is located at 18 Artcraft Dr., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.theartcenterschoolandgalleries.com.
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