Special to Dorchester Banner/DCA
Local favorites, The Untouchables will perform at Showcase at 1 p.m. at the 1880 Stage. Pictured are: Seated - Danielle Bryant and Keith Bryant; Standing - Elease Bryant.
[/caption] This Sunday, is the 40th Annual Dorchester Center for the Arts Showcase from noon to 5 p.m. along historic High Street in Cambridge. This free, rain-or-shine event is presented by DCA, and sponsored by the Nathan Foundation and Maryland State Arts Council. Thanks to support from 1880 Bank, DCA will provide two stage areas this year. The 1880 Stage will be at 304 High St., and there will be two performances: Paul Harrison, singer/songwriter at noon; and local favorite The Untouchables at 1. p.m. Located at the Courthouse Stage will be the Mid-Shore Community Band at 2. p.m. and the Eastern Shore Dance Academy at 3:30 p.m. Showcase will also include art demonstration opportunities as well to include screenpainting by Master Screen Painter John Iampieri; blacksmithing by Mark Williams of Williams Blacksmithing; fiber arts from the DCA Fiber Friday Group; and traditional rug hooking with Elissa Crouch. DCA would like to extend its appreciation to all of the High Street businesses and homeowners; Cambridge City Council; Dorchester County Council, and the Cambridge Police Department for their assistance, cooperation and support that helps to make Showcase possible. Showcase is part of a weekend of activities in Cambridge. The Dorchester Skipjack Committee Skipjack Race takes place on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. at Long Wharf Park. Crabtoberfest begins at 4 p.m. that same day at 401 Race St. (In case of rain, it will be moved to 447 Race St.) For more information about Showcase visit dorchesterarts.org or call 410-228-7782. Artful interest groups at DCA DCA offers a number of art interest groups open to community members. Some programs are free; others have dues and require a DCA membership to participate. Friday Morning Drawing meets on Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and is open to DCA members only. Participants take turns sitting as models, and sketches are created within time limits. The group meets now through December. The Baywater Camera Club is for photographers of all ability levels. The mission of the club is to provide opportunities for members to learn and enjoy the art and science of photography. Dues and a DCA membership are required. The ongoing Club meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Open Paint Studio provides no instruction, but allows participants to bring their own materials and work with others. The program is free, for members only and meets on Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m. Fiber Art Fridays is an opportunity for fiber artists to gather and work along others. All fiber art media are welcome. Facilitated by advanced needle artist Windy Karpavage, the program is free, but a DCA membership is encouraged. This ongoing program meets from 10 a.m. to noon each Friday. Choptank Writers Group is open to anyone interested in creative writing. Participants may share their work for comments from the group. New members are welcome. A DCA membership is encouraged, and the group meets each Wednesday from 3-5 p.m. in this on-going program. Open Clay Studio allows more advanced clay students who are current members of the Center to work autonomously with access to the clay studio. Participants must have been enrolled in at least one previous class at the Dorchester Center for the Arts prior to enrollment in this program. Registration for this program includes six weeks of classroom space. Participants must provide their own clay, glazes, hand tools, towels, and plastic to cover the projects. Studio clean-up is required. Ceramic pieces should be average size, not exceeding 14” x 14”x 14” unless approved by a staff member. Firings are done at the end of the month, with class firings taking priority over open studio. Participants are responsible for loading and unloading their work in the kiln under the supervision of a staff member. Participants must schedule the time and date with a staff member for loading and firing. Sessions are Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday, noon – 3 p.m. Evening hours are available by request. For information on this groups visit dorchesterarts.org or call 410-228-7782. Editor’s note: Spectrum is the weekly column of the Dorchester Arts Center. It is written by Mickey Love, executive director.