Arts in Bartlett welcomes sister city and new facility

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Perry Chen, of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, shows Bartlett Village President Michael E. Kelly photos on display at The Arts in Bartlett Center for Arts in Bartlett, Ill., on Thursday, July 14, 2011. | Andrew A. Nelles~For Sun-Times Media |

Arts in Bartlett

Where: 118 W. Bartlett Ave.

Hours: 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Call: 630-372-4152

On the Web: www.arts
inbartlett.org

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Updated: October 29, 2011 12:44AM

A paper umbrella, beaded necklaces and more than 50 photographs are among the exhibits that reflect Bartlett’s sister city, Miaoli, Taiwan.

The public is invited to experience “Enchanting Taiwan, landscapes of Taiwan’s Diverse Terrains,” and “Retracing Our Steps: A Photo Journey through 100 Years of the Republic Of China” through mid-August.

A ribbon cutting ceremony last week at village hall in Bartlett marked the exhibits’ openings, on display at village hall and at Arts in Bartlett’s new art gallery, at 118 W. Bartlett Ave.

“We are really excited to have a larger center for art exhibits,” said Rita Lopienski, president of Arts in Bartlett, and founder/director of the Bartlett International Choir, which performed Hakkanese songs at the ribbon-cutting. The choir also has performed in Miaoli, where it met Hakkanese residents and learned about the culture. Photos of cultural celebrations there are part of the exhibit at the new center, which is four times the size of the previous one at 117 W. Railroad Ave.

Lopienski said a fundraiser for the new art center was a one-night performance of “Wyley Loves Cowboy Cupid” last spring at Bartlett Nature Center. It was performed and written by local artists. The event raised $700 and is part of Arts in Bartlett’s new Adult Theatre group, Lopienski said.

Arts in Bartlett members perform poetry and music, and express themselves through various media including photography, paint, sculpture, jewelry and fiber. Their diverse talents may be showcased in special events at the new gallery, in combination with the two neighboring restaurants, JC’s Mexican Restaurant and TL Four Seasons, Lopienski said.

The Enchanting Taiwan exhibit pieces are on loan from members of the group, and from the Taiwanese Cultural Center of Chicago, she said.

“(Exhibits like this one) always open up people’s eyes to different art forms, different ways of life — it’s a cultural exchange,” said arts center director Cecilia Green, who traveled with Lopienski to Taiwan as a member of the Bartlett International Choir.

“It’s typical of one in the Hakka culture,” Green said of the paper umbrella.

“We visited 14 aborigine tribes, and I was so impressed with the workmanship here,” she said, pointing out a beaded piece. “It’s similar to what (Native American) art looks like.”

During the group’s visit, the employees of the Miaoli village hall welcomed the group with flowers placed on the steps of the entrance and the interior stairs.

“I was so impressed with their hospitality,” Green said. “We were like rock stars.”

Lopienski said the ribbon-cutting’s timing was planned to coincide with a Hakkanese television crew’s visit to Bartlett.

“(The crew) traveled for about three weeks working on a documentary about Hakkanese living in America, so they chose New York City, Chicago and Bartlett,” she said. “Our sister city happens to have the largest population of Hakkanese people.”

The Arts in Bartlett center will offer art classes and activities. A quilt project is under way, and guests are invited to draw or paint a 12-inch cotton square, which will be sewn into a quilt by the Living Lord Lutheran quilting group, Green said. Materials are on-site and have been donated. The group plans to display the finished quilt at Heritage Days, Sept. 9-11 in Bartlett, Green said.