St. Charles Arts Council presents 'Art At Home'
The St. Charles Arts Council is presenting the first in their “Art At Home” Series at 7 p.m. Friday, April 22 in the home of Guy and Elizabeth Bellaver, Six Aintree Road, St. Charles. Co-hosts are Bob and Mary Ellen McBride, and Al and Laura Spicer.
A wine, juice, and dessert reception begins at 7 p.m. and the performance, featuring Leslie Hunt with Becca Willaert, begins at 8 p.m. The visual art on display is by Joseph Gagnepain. The reception and a ticket to the event are available for a donation of $40, by calling or e-mailing the SCAC at (630) 443-3794 or StCharlesArtsCouncil@gmail.com.
Both Hunt (www.lesliehunt.net) and Willaert represent the wealth of musical talent nurtured in St. Charles.
Hunt's very musical family is famed for the breadth and depth of their talents, their accomplishments, and their support of the arts. Willaert also comes from a very talented family of musicians, following in their footsteps as a pianist, vocalist, and performer.
“For our inaugural ‘Art At Home', we wanted to showcase talented artists who are from St. Charles,' said host Elizabeth Bellaver. “My first call was to Leslie, who graciously agreed to perform for this event. She was in the same class as one of our children, so we've known her a long time, and watched her blossom as a musician. We're delighted that her talent has taken her to showcase opportunities such as American Idol – but her work as a singer/pianist/songwriter is what really defines her. It's a treat to listen to her work.
"My second call was to Joe, to add an STC visual artist to the evening – especially one whose work is out of the ordinary," Bellaver said. "And then I heard Becca for the first time, performing at a high school Variety Show. I thought that it would be wonderful to showcase Becca with Leslie – it just completed the St. Charles High School “theme” for me. We're so excited about the event – we even had the piano tuned!”
In addition to the music provided by Hunt and Willaert, those attending the event will be treated to the fantastical, imaginative visual art of Joseph Gagnepain [www.artbyjoseph.com], as well as a wine, juice, and dessert buffet. Desserts are being donated to the fundraiser by Town House Café, a St. Charles landmark which features made-from-scratch, mouthwatering desserts.
About Leslie Hunt:
Leslie Hunt began her life in the Chicago area, playing piano and singing at the age of four. Through the years, she has performed on many stages in many roles, and has been celebrated all throughout her development as a performer. While many will remember her from her all- too-brief stint on American Idol, where she made it to the top ten females, the singer/songwriter has since matured at an accelerated rate due to various personal and professional setbacks.
About Joseph Gagnepain:About
Francis Joseph Gagnepain IV (Joe) is a life long artist, making art in multiple mediums for multiple clients: schools, cities, businesses, personal, and more. Joe is always up for a challenge and is constantly exploring new mediums.
Joseph lives in Geneva, IL with his wife, Becky, and their two kids and dog.
About Town House Books/Café:
An independent bookstore for all ages, with a friendly knowledgeable staff located in historic Century Corners in downtown St. Charles, Illinois. The uniqueness and ambiance of the 34 year old bookstore carry over into the Town House Café, featuring a menu of fresh-from-scratch soups and creative sandwiches. Our back courtyard is open for lunch every day, weather permitting! In addition we have tables set up outside in front of the bookstore that are available for self service... a perfect spot to sit and enjoy your morning paper with coffee or an afternoon iced tea & sandwich.
About the St. Charles Arts Council:
The council will serve all those individuals (professionals, amateurs, and students) who produce tangible, consumable works of the imagination and all organizations, businesses, and groups that include and represent those people. This would be arts and cultural activities in their broadest sense, including graphic, plastic, and decorative arts, architecture, crafts, literature and poetry, music, theater, and dance. The primary long-range goal is the transformation of St. Charles into an arts community/an arts magnet/a nationally-known arts market. Ultimately we foresee a municipal arts center, more working artists and opportunities in arts education, many privately-owned galleries, performance venues, and related arts businesses, and a downtown architecture and streetscape conducive to both the aesthetics and business of art.