Reading Eagle: K-pop group booked for Santander Arena; Tarik Mendes to exhibit at GoggleWorks [Spotlight]

Reading Eagle, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·4 min read

May 1—K-pop girl group Dreamcatcher is bringing its "[Apocalypse : Save us]" World Tour to Santander Arena, Reading, on July 1.

The group garnered attention with their Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart hit "Odd Eye" and their previous releases of chart-topping hits like "BOCA", "Scream" and "BEcause."

From strong dynamic tracks with powerful vocals to beautiful soft ballads, Dreamcatcher has captured the hearts of music fans both domestically and internationally.

Tickets for the concert in Reading are on sale at ticketmaster.com.

Art

Brazil-born, Reading-raised artist Tarik Mendes will present a solo exhibtion of paintings and sculptures this summer at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading. The exhibition will be held in the Rolf & Renate Schmidt Gallery from July 8-30, with an artist reception from 6 to 8 p.m. July 8.

Mendes will be debuting new art works, including scultptures and net screen paintings lit with LED lights.

Mendes moved to New York City to pursue his artistic career after graduating from Reading High School in 2011. In 2015, he founded TelaModa wearable arts, and in 2016, TelaModaPrints, an artsy stationery print company. Since then, Mendes has added sculptural functional furniture pieces to his practice.

Mendes' work can be found in the Museum of the City of New York, Museum of Arts and Design, The Morgan Library & Museum and others.

----Studio B Fine Art Gallery, Boyertown, has received a $2,500 donation from the James K. and Nancy Lang Boyer Family Fund of Berks County Community Foundation.

"The Boyer family have been on-going supporters from 'Day 1' for the mission and efforts of Studio B," said Jane Stahl, Studio B's director of community relations. "Nancy (Boyer) was fondly named 'The First Lady of Boyertown'; she loved the community, and we loved her. We miss her smile and her gentle humor."

Boyer died in 2020 at 94 years old.

Studio B is in its 14th year of operation. Throughout its history, the studio has mounted more than 150 exhibits and has served hundreds of artists and students. For more information, visit www.studiobbb.org or Studio B on Facebook.

KU Fellows awards

The Kutztown University Arts Society presented five recipients with the 2022 Schaeffer-Sharadin Fellows award, which includes induction into the second annual class of the KU Arts Hall of Fame, during a recent ceremony at Schaeffer Auditorium.

This year's inductees are:

—Patron of the Arts Fellow: Martha L. Hafer, class of 2002.

—Performing Arts Fellow: Jason Bishop, class of 2007; Edward F. Protzman. class of 1990.

—Visual Arts Fellow: Rosemarie Sloat, Faculty Emeriti, 1951; Arthur Harrington, class of 1965.

Hafer created an endowed scholarship for jazz studies in 2002 and is a very generous supporter of KU Presents! She is also a significant supporter of local arts and cultural programs, including Reading Pops and Goggleworks.

Bishop is a professional magician who tours around the world. He has been featured on Broadway as well as national TV numerous times. He has given back to KU by making numerous equipment donations to Schaeffer Auditorium and KU Presents!

Protzman is a highly accomplished music educator and conductor/director who has been nationally recognized for his contributions to teaching music to high school students. He is also the founding music director of the Pennsylvania Youth Wind Ensemble and the Doylestown Symphonic Winds.

Sloat was an internationally recognized painter and teacher. Her painting of Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. D.C. She started the drawing and painting courses at Kutztown University and is the recipient of the President's Award for Superior Teaching.

Harrington is a highly respected and known artist, teacher, coach, gallery owner and mentor. He has been a longtime supporter of the Outstanding Senior Art Student awards and invites every winning student to have their own work displayed in his art gallery. He has supported visual arts programs on campus, as well as offering free workshops and art shows to KU students.

For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit www.kuf.org/arts-society/hall-of-fame.

Books

Forty-four years after writing her essay, "Love is ..." for an Allentown School District essay contest, Kimberly Lipsky Weidman, now of Berks County, published a children's book by the same name, available on Amazon.

"Love is ..." tells the story of the main character creating the word, "love," then searching for its meaning by exploring the world around him. The original essay won first place for grades 1-3 in the school district.

"I always toyed with the idea of turning the story into a children's picture book," Weidman said. "After I lost my father last year, I decided to stop waiting and start making my dreams come true."

Weidman founded a company, inspired by her dad's known kindness, to publish the book and promote positive messages. Called KLJ Happiness, the name stands for "Kindness. Love. Joy." The book is illustrated by Manny Regas of Regas Design & Creative Services, formerly operating in Reading, now in Nazareth.