It Happened in Crawford County: Beverly Morgan does her part to share the love of art
Editor's note: This is the second of two parts of a column about Beverly Morgan. Part one was published Feb. 26.
In 2002, Beverly Morgan’s friend Jo, invited her to move to Colorado Springs. Jo Roberts was a nutritionist and Beverly helped in her office. The real work began when Beverly met Eric Running and co-founded the nonprofit Solidarity of Hope. Beverly wanted to support native artists, but they weren’t able to find grant funding. They ended up working with the grade schools to plant gardens to furnish food for the cafeterias. They also worked for Habitat for Humanity to put in edible landscape instead of trying to grow grass; plus, they started a few community gardens to help supply food.
Beverly’s mother, Rosabelle Banks, became very ill and Beverly moved home in August 2005 to attend to her mother. She passed away shortly afterwards in October 2005. By then, Beverly’s daughter was still in school, and they stayed in Bucyrus. Beverly also took in her Aunt Virginia Reiff until she passed in 2010.
By February 2013, Beverly began meeting with a group of artists, and they started the Crawford County Arts Council. They earned their nonprofit status, developed a board, and started doing art activities around the county. In 2016, they moved into the building at 1810 E. Mansfield St. in the back of Showplace Rental, across from Walmart. They started classes and lectures for adults with art activities for kids. Beverly was president of the board for seven years and director for two. She recently stepped down as director due to health issues but remains active within the center.
Traveled to reservation in North Dakota
In 2016 Beverly traveled to the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota to stand as a water protector for the Lakota People. The Dakota Access Pipeline was disturbing ancestral burial grounds and threatening the drinking water by drilling under the Cannon Ball River. Even with the support of the world watching, the pipeline proceeded.
The Marion Women’s Club recently had a show called “Women’s Vision” where Beverly was one of the featured artists. Her work is available for sale at the Crawford Center for the Arts, the Guild on Center Street in Marion, in New Town Gallery in Millersburg, or view it on her Facebook page, Ancient Sister Art. She ends this part with “As the waters are whispering and the mountains calling, I must go and follow my gypsy soul.”
Crawford Center for the Arts’ main focus is free art activities for youth countywide. Adult and youth classes are also available for learning water colors, pastels, drawing and other classes as requested. The trained artists that have been approved have gone to Wynford, Bucyrus Elementary and the after-school program, plus the Galion schools. That first Parent’s Night Out program at Galion, Beverly Morgan and Amber Robertson worked with around 100 people. With such a big crowd, all they could do was work with "one brush at a time."
You can find these volunteers that are trying to promote art in so many different places. They originally began at the Farmer’s Market in Bucyrus where there were always hands-on creative activities. They also went to the Galion and Crestline Farmer’s Market to offer the same kind of activities. Other outreach activities in Galion included The Harvest Festival, Third Friday, and the Christmas Elf Hunt. The children had to go to all the stores to find a picture of an elf, took it back to the library and got a prize when their book was filled.
Art show displayed during Bratwurst Festival
The center reestablished the art show at City Hall for the Bratwurst Festival. It was a great success; they had many entries and people were proud to display their work. If interested, contact the center, or get applications from the art teachers at the local schools, or visit crawfordcenterforthearts.com.
The Art Center always had a Mardi Gras party and guest lecturers, such as Jim Phillips and his dulcimer story; Anita Shackelford and her lecture on “Antique Quilt Rescue;” Sandy Laipply on "Color Theory” and others. The Burnt Sienna Club meets the fourth Thursday of every month with a lecture or hands-on activity like painting gourds, using alcohol ink, Deb Cameron does amazing things with it, and classes about watercolor. Dr. Glen McMurray is in charge of this club. It’s by donation to take the class and helps keep the doors open. Every second Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there is a free art activity open to anyone. Sundays there's also a free art activity from 2 to 6 p.m.
The center is supported by membership, grants and donations. When Della Kaple passed away, her family set up a scholarship through donations. For more information, visit crawfordcenterforthearts.com or the Crawford County Arts Council Facebook page.
Go online for more of Mary Fox’s stories and photos on bucyrustelegraphforum.com. If you are interested in sharing a story, write Mary Fox, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 or email littlefoxfactory@columbus.rr.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Beverly Morgan is sharing the love of art in Crawford County
