Berea Arts Council Sunday Series - BereaOnline

Berea Arts Council Sunday Series highlights Kentucky artists
By Andy McDonald

Music, poetry and literature is among the featured fare for the Sunday Series at ArtSpace, one of the newest cultural offerings sponsored by the Berea Arts Council.

This season, the Berea Arts Council has welcomed a distinguished community of artists to Berea, including poet laureates James Baker Hall and Richard Taylor, as well as writers Silas House and Jim Tomilson.

“We want to provide something beyond the visual arts,” said Gwen Childs, director of the Berea Arts Council. “We wanted to offer song and the spoken word.”

The Sunday Series most recently showcased Berea resident and author Joan McGlone, who read from her collection of short stories, Searching for Love.

Author Joan McGlone read from her book Searching for Love at the Berea Arts Council's Sunday series.

McGlone shared personal recollections about her interest in writing, which she said began to blossom when she took a creative writing course from Berea College literature professor Mary Jo Thomas.

“I had thought I wanted to write children’s books, but it just didn’t work for me,” said McGlone. Instead, she penned a collection of short stories, which was published by First Books. “It was fun. I feel like I accomplished something,” McGlone said.

Jenny Kiteck

Music teacher and longtime Berea resident Jennie Kiteck was also on hand for recent installment of the Sunday Series, sharing her music and her memories of life in Berea.

Kiteck has been teaching string instruments in Berea since 1975, a city she said provided a wonderful atmosphere in which to pass on to her children and her students her love for music.

“I’ve always felt grateful that we moved to Berea because it gave my children the opportunity to enjoy music,” Kiteck said.

The next Sunday Series at ArtSpace will take place at 3 p.m. on April 16. Richard D. Sears, chair of the department of English, Theatre and Speech Communication at Berea College, will read from his novel A Genealogy of Murder. Sears’ book is available at Amazon.com.