Page 30 - Southern Exposure - March '25
P. 30

Page 30, Southern Exposure



                                                                art happeNiNgs




                                   Benzaiten Center For Creative Arts



                                                Do Not Miss The Most Fun Gala In Town!


        Each year the Benzaiten                                                                           had to check it out. Once in the center, watching people doing
      Center for Creative Arts holds                                                                      the extraordinarily hard work of blowing glass into beautiful
      a gala to help raise money                                                                          creations, he was hooked. Determined to accumulate the
      for  their many  “kids and                                                                          necessary money to take the six-week beginner’s course,
      scholarship” programs. It is                                                                        he saved up enough to cover half the tuition and paid the
      considered the most fun and                                                                         other half with his tax return’s dividend check. This was a
      least expensive gala in town.                                                                       determined young man. He began volunteering when he
      So, if you’ve never attended,                                                                       could and the Benzaiten’s staff was so impressed with his
      you are truly missing out!                                                                          abilities and determination that he won a small scholarship
        Held on the veranda of                                                                            that enabled him to take the center’s next level, eight-week
      the National Croquet Club’s                                                                         course.
      center, overlooking its lush                                                                          Since then, he has won another, larger scholarship and
      green lawns, it a great venue                                                                       finally was sponsored by the center, and friends of the center,
      for Benzaitens’s annual gala.                                                                       to be Rob Stern’s assistant at Pilchuk, the internationally
      The men love it because it is a  Croquet Club’s veranda venue                                       famous glass school founded by Dale Chihuly. During
      casual affair, and after dressing                                                                   this stint he met many hardworking professional artists
      up all season this is a welcome reprieve. The silent auction  one of the city’s many Title 1 schools. He was able to take  who have made their careers in the field of glassblowing,
      is stellar due to all the many talented glass artists who  some art classes, and one day, at one of the school’s art  sharing in their comradery and experiencing their strong
      contribute to it each year. They are so thankful to have such  exhibits, a scout from the Bak Middle School of the Arts  sense of community and shared knowledge. He understood
      a great glass art facility here in Palm Beach County that  approached Mateo about applying to his school. With help  the fullness of what it meant to call yourself a professional
      they are more than happy to support the cause with some of  from his teachers and other kids who had gone through the  artist. Yes, it could be fun, but it also meant many long years
      their best work. Also, because of an inside connection with  same process, he filled out the necessary application forms  of hard work to hone your skills and to ultimately develop
      a major wine collector, the silent auction provides some of  and set up a date for his “tryout.” He’ll never forget that day.  a signature style that you could call your own.
      the best wines to bid on such as Chateau Lafite Rothschild,  Full of nervous tension, he went to the Bak MSOA’s campus    He now works at Benzaiten five days a week, which has
      Chateau Margaux, or Chateau D’Yqeum … just to name a  where he and other potential students were led into a room  enabled him to quit his cleaning job. Working as an assistant
      few! Sandy James who is the in-house food purveyor for  with four kids at each table. These tables were stocked with  to the many different professional artists who rent time at
      the Croquet Club always offers up some of the best catered  sheets of card-stock paper, scissors and tape, and each child  Benzaiten has empowered Mateo and made him proficient
      food in town. And because JoAnne (JB) Berkow, founder  was given the same assignment: to build a structure using  enough in his skills so that one day soon, he will be able
      and president of the center insists on everyone having a  the least amount of tape as possible. He must have done a  to begin making his own exotic creations. A career in art is
      good time, she always makes sure that the band is the best  good job as he was accepted, and subsequently attended  definitely not for the faint of heart.
      at getting people up and dancing!                 Bak for the next three years. After that, he went onto the    To learn more about the gala, please contact the Benzaiten
        But just as important to Berkow and the entire board of  Dreyfoos School of the Arts and ultimately would finish his  office or go to their website and press “On the Veranda”
      the Benzaiten Center for Creative Arts is raising money for  junior and senior years at Lake Worth High School, where  under the “Events” tab. You can also make a donation online
      their many outreach programs in arts and culture by means  he was encouraged to take part in the city’s famous “Street  or by contacting the office.
      of free classes and scholarships for young adults who want  Painting Festival.”                     www.benzaitencenter.org
      to continue a career in art. “We see well over 1,000 kids    His schooling, spent predominantly in schools dedicated  (561) 508-7315
      through our doors each year free of charge,” says Berkow,  to the arts, offered him a tremendous education in art that  inspired@benzaitencenter.org
      adding, “This gives these children and teens an exposure  he would have never received attending ordinary schools.  Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
      to the arts and what it means to make art that they would  Thinking art consisted mainly of painting and drawing  Find Us: 1105 Second Avenue South, Lake Worth Beach,
      otherwise not be exposed to. It also instills in them a deeper  when he began, his mind opened to what else was possible.  FL 33460
      cultural appreciation that will hopefully stay with them for  He learned color theory, art history, different styles and    GPS doesn’t always get you here: Exit I-95 at Sixth
      a lifetime. We also give thousands of scholarship dollars  disciplines, trying his hand at etching, sculpting and many  Avenue and go east. Take a left at the blue Kwik Stop Store
      away each year as well. Some we give to talented, in-need  other mediums.                           and then a right on Third Avenue South. Park in our parking
      artists, and others we give to benefit organizations such as    After high school he went to work on a cleaning crew  lot or anywhere on the street.
      the Boys and Girls Clubs to enable them to participate in  with his parents. He might have been stuck in that job had it
      our summer kids’ programs.”                       not been for a sign he noticed about a place called Benzaiten
                                                        Center for Creative Arts, which had glassblowing classes. He
              The Following Is An

            Intriguing Scholarship                                                 True Treasures

                   Success Story                                                          Consigned Furniture


        David Mateo’s                                                                           & Home Décor
      journey towards his
      chosen career in art                                                              TrueTreasuresInc.com
      was anything but
      average. After  all,                                      Why pay retail when you can find a True Treasure?
      in  the  rough,  tight-
      knit, Guatemalan,
      w orking-clas s
      neighborhood,                                                                                Now Accepting
      like the one where                                                                            Consignments
      David grew up, no
      kid would dare to
      imagine a career in                                                                       Over $1,000,000
      art.  It just  wasn’t
      done. How would his                                                                      paid to consignors
      father tolerate such a                                                                        in 2024.
      departure from their  David Mateo, one of Benzaiten’s
      shared collective  scholarship successes
      reality? Of course,                                                                     10% OFF the ticketed
      that was exactly the typical reaction one would expect,                                          price
      and the patriarch of Mateo’s family was no exception. The                                 (Expires 4/06/2025)
      Mayan culture, as so many cultures around the world, is set
      up as a male-dominated society. However, as we all know,
      many households within such societies are often ruled by its                            3 Convenient Locations
      women. Here’s where Mateo’s dreams of an art career got     111 N US 1,                  3918 Northlake Blvd,             14555 S Military Trail,
      a helping hand. Constantly drawing and doodling from an   North Palm Beach, FL 33408   Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33403      Delray Beach, FL 33484
      early age, he obtained the encouragement from his mother   561-625-9569                     561-694-2812                      561-699-9797
      to keep his artistic impulses alive and well.
        He lived in the second poorest city in Palm Beach County,   Store Hours Mon - Sat 10 - 6,  Sun 11 - 5  (Sun 12 - 5 at US 1 location only)
      Lake Worth, attending South Grade Elementary School,
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