Page 12 - Southern Exposure - February '25

Page 12, Southern Exposure

art haPPeningS

Benzaiten Center For Creative Arts

A 10-Year Odyssey: The Origin Story

The long journey started with just a dream. After seeing But what did I know about running a nonprofit? Absolutely artist, Shelley Muzylowski
so many artists shipping their artwork out of the area to get zero. So, I hired a great team and started assembling a board of who made a return visit
it cast, I decided it was time to create a fine art fabrication like-minded art enthusiasts and brought in a consulting firm, this past February to help
closer to home. In my case I only had a three-hour commute Charlotte Pelton and Associates, to help guide me through the commemorate our tenth
to Sarasota, but other artists sent their clay pieces as far away minefield of opening a 501 (c)(3) organization. We started out anniversary season.
as Colorado or even to Mexico and Taiwan. What an ordeal in the Northwood area of West Palm Beach until politics got A pivotal partner in this
I thought to myself. All that extra shipping can’t be making in the way. That’s when Charlotte convinced me to look at adventure who has been
it cheaper for these artists to fabricate their work. So why Lake Worth. I met with the head of the CRA, Joan Oliva, and by my side from before
didn’t we have a center of our own in Palm Beach County? she showed us a map. I said, what’s that block-long building? we opened our doors and
She explained that it was a historic FEC train depot building, who I stole from Pelton
which had been gifted to the city but has been in a state of and Associates, is my CEO
disrepair for several years, and currently there was nothing and grant writer, Anita
planned for it. I asked if I could see it. Holmes. She was a long-
The minute I walked into the building I knew I had time nonprofit executive in Working one-on-one with
found my center’s home. Of course, convincing my board the world of diseases who one of the many children who
was a whole other can of beans. The condition of the had never worked in the come through our door for free
building was so bad that on several occasions it had been difficult world of nonprofit
used to film zombie pictures! However, after receiving art organizations. I say difficult because it can be a whole
several major grants from the State of Florida, the Cultural lot easier to obtain donations for a cure for cancer or a
Council, my husband Steve Tendrich and I chipping in a hospital as compared to an art organization. It’s true that
lot of our own money to the cause, and, of course, a lot large art institutions get a lot of money, but for smaller,
of generous individual donations, we were on our way. emerging art facilities, it can be a real struggle. I never
Together we were able to clean up the building, make quite understood why this is, since it is the smaller and
One of Shelley Muzylowski’s works on display now in the major renovations, replace every windowpane – all 650 struggling organizations that need the money most.
Benzaiten’s Gallery of them, obtain all the necessary equipment and open Since opening in 2015, the Benzaiten Center for
within six months after receiving permits and approval Creative Arts has emerged as a significant tourist
One thing I realized early on was it should be run as a from the City of Lake Worth. Our grand opening was held attraction. Besides our 2,000-square-foot fine art gallery
nonprofit. Most foundries and other types of fabrication on January 23, 2015, was attend by 1,200 people and was and gift shop, we have the largest glassblowing hot shop
centers operate on such slim profit margins that it is difficult covered by our local NBC new affiliate. Performing a four- open to the public in the state. We also have a large,
to remain in business. They are constantly losing their work hour demo that evening was world renowned Canadian air-conditioned fusing and flameworking studio, a glass
casting department and a welding department. As far as
our outreach to the community, we have seen over 9,000
children and young adults through our doors free of
charge. These children from neighboring Title-1 schools,
the Boys and Girls Clubs and other organizations would
otherwise not have the opportunity to be exposed to this
sort of experience. We have also awarded $85,000 in
scholarships to deserving students, offered 4,500 classes
and workshops to 16,000, have conducted 170 tours to
5,500 of our senior citizens, brought in 25 renowned artists
from all over the world, with 19,000 people attending their
sold-out demonstrations. In all we’ve accommodated more
that 57,000 visitors. For the past two years we’ve started
working with special needs children and teens through a
wonderful Palm Beach County Program called Arts 4 All.
Ballet Palm Beach - Gtasby Seabreeze 012024 .pdf 1 1/20/25 10:10 AM
Our Grand Opening in 2015 Shelly working at our Grand Opening Art Happenings on page 14

force to other higher paying trade jobs such as construction.
Consequently, many of them have closed throughout the
country. To stay solvent, the operational costs must be
subsidized by other resources such as grants and/or donations.
Plus, another big part of my mission was to educate the public
on what it takes to create 3-dimentional artwork. Running
galleries for over 30 years left me with the knowledge of how
few people understand the arduous, time-consuming nature
and expense that goes into the process.
Therefore, it was a natural fit to run the center as a
nonprofit with education being a large part of the mission.
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