Submitted by Sylvia Mallory, President of BACS
1956 was Elvis’s breakout year as a rock star, with the release of “Heartbreak Hotel” and other chart-toppers. The New York Yankees won the World Series over the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games. Peyton Place and Eloise hit the bestseller charts. We liked Ike, TV dinners, and sleek cars with Space Age tailfins.
Meanwhile, in Bedford, a group was coalescing around a shared love of the practice and appreciation of painting and crafts.
That year, local residents John Dodge, Lucia Kespert, and Margaret “Peg” Whitley began to gather for the pleasure of painting together. The trio hatched the idea of founding a group to share their enjoyment and knowledge of painting with others. Thus was born the Bedford Arts and Crafts Society (BACS), which evolved into a rich resource for local artists and crafters. BACS became the go-to place for classes, workshops, and demos through which the participants built their skills—and developed lasting friendships. The Regional Art Show, established by the late Connie Hanley in 2000, has become a signature event for BACS, much anticipated each year on Bedford Day.
Gallery images (c) Dawn Warrington, 2016 all rights reserved – Click each to view at full resolution
On Wednesday, May 11, members of the Bedford Arts and Crafts Society gathered at Scutra Restaurant in Arlington to celebrate the 60th anniversary of BACS. We were honored to have founder John Dodge present as our special guest. John related how he studied art under the GI Bill after serving in World War II and subsequently made a living in the art business, becoming a specialist in the hand-coloring of photographic reproductions. His hand-colored works are hanging in well-known places around the world, among them the Waldorf Astoria in New York, the Palmer House in Chicago, as well as Children’s Hospital and the Seaport Hotel in Boston.
The evening also featured a lively round of BACS trivia and the presentation of roses to Mr. Dodge and to several other past presidents who joined in the evening’s revelry—Alba Kenney, Alyce McLaughlin, Jeanne Reidy, Evelyn Rice, and Mary Jane St. Amour.
To mark the club’s anniversary, BACS will be raffling and auctioning off several one-of-a-kind artworks and crafts this year. These include a fully furnished “vintage” dollhouse painstakingly crafted by BACS members; an original, framed pastel painting by artist Denise Rainis; an original, framed pen-and-ink drawing by artist Sue Funk; and handcrafted decorative boxes. Stay tuned for further details over the coming months! And be sure to visit the BACS booth and the Regional Art Show on Bedford Day.
For information on becoming a member of this enduring local institution and/or entering your work in the Regional Art Show (open to members and nonmembers alike), send an e-mail to [email protected] or visit our website: www.bacsma.org
The aim of the Bedford Arts and Crafts Society is to nurture a deep appreciation of the fine arts and to welcome all interested members of Bedford and surrounding communities to participate in creating original art and crafts. Now made up of some 60 members, the Society sponsors a variety of instruction in painting and crafts and exhibits members’ work in the Flint Room and the COA Computer Room in the Bedford Town Center. The Society is proud to award a scholarship each year to a graduating Bedford High School student who will be pursuing a college degree in an art-related field.
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