Bottlebrush Gallery & Center for the Arts

Friday, April 25^th, 2014  7:00pm, $10  BYOB. Limited Open Seating – RSVP Required: 724.452.0539.

About Chad Elliott:

“…Chad Elliott stands out as a timeless and genuine musical poet with supple-strong roots like the bluestem and buffalo grass of Iowa prairie.” —Todd Partridge, NoDepression.com

Chad Elliott bought his first guitar at an Omaha pawn shop, a dreadnought next to the used guns and knives. He took it home, slowly taught himself to fingerpick and began transposing his poetry writing into original songs.  www.chadelliott.net

Awards and Honors:  2013 Iowa Blues Challenge – Winner Solo/Duo; 2013 Rising Star – Finalist; 2012 Show Me the Music Song Contest – Finalist – Americana; 2012 Int. Folk Alliance Conference – Official Showcase Artist.

About Bejae Fleming and Jackie Blount:

“A first-rate songwriter, easily the best lyricist in the state … rich, dynamic … a totally engaging, must-see live performer … a fully realized folksinger at the peak of her power.” (Iowa City Icon)

BeJae Fleming is an energetic and entertaining performer of Southern blues and finely crafted original material. With passionate singing, innovative guitar work and engaging storytelling, she celebrates tribulation and triumph in songs that range from gentle to gritty, from heartfelt to humorous. www.bejaefleming.com

Jackie Blount studied the French horn, receiving her bachelor’s degree in music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the early 80s. Long inspired by performances of such notable bassists as Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clark, and Charles Mingus, and more recently by Brian Derek (who played on BeJae’s first CD, Red Cross Woman), she began learning to play the electric bass in the late ’90s and has accompanied BeJae Fleming’s performances since then.

Cutting edge, contemporary singer, songwriter, and renowned artist Tom Panei’s preview party for his first solo CD!

Friday, April 11^th, 2014  7:00pm Show $10

Pittsburgh-based musician and visual artist Tom Panei is releasing his new solo CD on Friday, April 11th in Harmony, PA and on I-tunes and CD Baby shortly thereafter.  Through his vibrant murals, to his well written songs, he has become a staple in the music and art scene. Tom has played hundreds of shows and traveled countless miles promoting his talents. So either playing guitar, or painting a picture, Tom always has a special way of connecting to his audience. Come out and enjoy this Art of Music!

Kim Richey Two-time Grammy-nominee, Kim Richey is a storyteller,
a weaver of emotions and a tugger of heartstrings. Tender, poetic and aching
with life’s truths, her songs transport you to her world where words paint
pictures and melodies touch the soul. And then there’s her voice. Pure,
arresting and honest, her voice makes you take notice. Her sixth album is
lyrically driven and beautifully produced. “Wreck Your Wheels”
is a record that gets into your head and heart and stays there. So does it
matter whether it’s Americana, Alt-country or Pop?  http://www.kimrichey.com/

Special Guest: Stevie Ann is a dynamic award-winning Dutch singer/songwriter who began conquering the charts in Holland at the age of 19. http://www.stevieann.com

Eric Janoski is a songwriter living in the mountains of Western North Carolina currently working on his next full-length album. His music describes his experiences with this thing called life. Eric draws inspiration from people he can relate to, and the songs come almost exclusively from real-life events. He considers himself to be a songwriter first/foremost, always interested in story telling and more specifically the attempt to tell his story. Eric really feels that seeing someone perform their songs is a big part of the whole package.

Originally from this area and well-known in the Indiana, PA area for his college band days with shows packing the house, we welcome Eric back for an evening of cutting edge, contemporary storytelling through his songwriting and performance.

Many thanks to his father Ed, and Sally Zehmisch for sponsoring this show and introducing us to Mother Explosives.

Special Guest Steve Cohagan is a local favorite of the Harmony area. A singer/songwriter with a strong repertoire of finely crafted songs, we welcome every time we can get Steve off a movie set to come play for us.

Friday, March 28th, 2014, 7:00pm. Admission $10.
Bottlebrush: A Gallery for the Arts
539 Main Street “On the Square”
Harmony, PA 16037

Saturday, March 29, 2014  1pm-3pm Refreshments Served. FREE. RSVP Not Required.

Please join us for Salon des Refuse: An Art Show and Benefit, organized and led by Seneca Valley graduating senior Chandler Sendek. The theme of this art show is a Salon des Refuses, which is French for “Exhibition of Rejects.” Chandler and his fellow student artists will exhibit their “rejected” work, with the goal of shedding light on artists who possess the necessary creativity but may lack in the skilled interpretation of their inspiration, as well as those who express themselves in a rather unorthodox manner.

Proceeds from the student art sold at this event will be donated to the Seneca Valley School District art program. All cash, check or credit card donations gratefully accepted.

Dates and Times: Mondays, March 17, 24, 31 and April 7, 14 and 21. 6:00-7:30pm. $90 for six weeks of instruction including use of drums.  Registration closes two days prior to class. Payment required at time of registration.

Conga Drumming: Basics and Beyond (Ages 18+)

Explore the exciting world of Afro-Cuban and Latin Rhythms in a fun and friendly atmosphere.   What you will learn in this six week, fully interactive class designed for absolute beginners and musicians alike includes:

Technique – Get the best sound from your drum; Clave -The backbone of Latin music; Tumbao – The most heard hand drum pattern in much Latin and American music; Calypso -Your “passport” to a wide array of world music; Rumba; Guaguanco – The Holy Grail of Cuban Drumming; Abakwa -Cuban ceremonial rhythm made fun and easy; PRACTICE METHODS – Make your practice time fun and intentional.

Instructor: Bryan Fazio. A dynamic teacher and facilitator, Bryan Fazio has been pursuing a life with music and creativity since age 27. Bryan teaches Blissful Drumming at the Community College of Beaver County, facilitates workshops throughout the greater Pittsbugh area on hand drumming and spontaneous poetry, gives private lessons and accompanies yoga classes.  He performs regularly with Jim Donovan’s Sun King Warriors, Tertium Quid Percussion Ensemble, and is a solo artist at venues/festivals including The Great Blue Heron, All Good, and The Beachland Ballroom. www.bryanfazio.com

SOLD OUT

The luck of the Irish to ye! Join us for our 3rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party…music and entertainment by the mischievous and talented Ploughshare Poets, only $10 admission! Special Guest the lovely Laura Wagner.  Showtime is 7:00pm.

We are hosting a traditional Irish dinner again this year with our friends at The Stohr Haus Bakery starting at 5:30pm, only $35 for both dinner and show per person, reservations required.  Your choice of seating in a restored circa 1805 wine cellar downstairs, or upstairs in the renovated Stohr Haus, beautifully decorated. Either way, we have limited seating, so call soon!

Menu: Appetizer, Salad, Irish Bread, Beef Stout Pie, Champ (Potatoes), Glazed Carrots, Dessert, Coffee/Hot Tea/Water. BYOB. We provide the ice. Please be at the Bakery no later than 5:15 for seating. Last year’s show and dinner event was a sell out, so don’t wait to make your reservations.

Please join us for Art Warms The Heart, a youth art show organized and led by Seneca Valley graduating senior Kyle Snyder on March 8, 2014, from 12pm-3pm.

Artwork by local youth artists will be on exhibit and for sale. All proceeds benefit the “Duffel Bag Project,” a program sponsored by Butler County Foster Care, providing duffle bags and personal supplies for needy children. Kyle’s goal is to raise $1,000 for this very worthwhile cause through sales of his artwork and that of his fellow students. All donations gratefully accepted. Refreshments will be served. Live music.  RSVP not required.

We’ve been busy adding art and spiritual improvement classes to our calendar for both adults and children/youth. Art classes include Mixed Media Techniques and “Twisted Lines,” artist Susan Walker’s take on zen doodles.

We’re also offering drumming classes. Bryan Fazio is teaching his Conga Drumming course, in addition to his popular one-evening Drum~Write~Draw.  Jim Donovan returns to the Bottlebrush this spring, presenting his Spring Renewal and Rejuvenation Series, 5 weeks of spiritual and creative refreshment using drums. Check out the full description on our Adult Classes page.

Other ongoing favorites include our Songwriters in Harmony workshop, “Time for Me” A Women’s Creative Circle, Debbie Smith Wagner’s Bottlebrush Improv and Acting class for ages 9-15 with Auditioning activities added–  and the return of Harmony Ink, a monthly creative writing workshop.

Click on the links Children/Teen Classes and Adult Classes above to see everything that’s new, and be sure to check back as we add more classes regularly.

To sign up for our classes, contact the Gallery either by email bottlebrushgallery @ yahoo.com or call us, 724.452.0539. Please note, to sign up for Jim Donovan’s Spring Renewal series, follow the link provided in the description.

ATTENTION: PARENTS … our third annual Summer Art Class Schedule for children and teens is under development with some cool, new additions this year!

With a warm and inviting vocal tone, Heather Kropf has become a fixture on the Pittsburgh live music circuit, honing her craft along the way. She has quietly charmed audiences with her lush, literate blend of jazz-influenced pop, and has turned the heads of music critics, fellow songwriters, and Pittsburgh’s AAA radio station, 91.3 FM WYEP, with her three self-produced albums. WYEP celebrated her second album “What Else is L…ove” as one of the top Pittsburgh releases of 2006 and her debut album “Sky” as a runner up to the top 50 of the year in 2000.

Brad Yoder believes musical success should be measured in more than just the obvious ways. Being voted in the top three slots multiple times since 2002 for “Best Acoustic/Solo Artist” by Pittsburgh City Paper readers is great; playing Poughkeepsie, New York, and having a college freshman from Los Angeles request songs she’s only heard via Internet downloads is actually cooler. Just as tangible in terms of success are the pieces of original art on Brad’s walls created by supporters and inspired by specific songs, and the many “gig guest books” full of appreciative comments from 10+ years of live shows. Come out and share the evening,

Friday 21 February 2014 7:00 PM. All ages $10.00, BYOB for adults, bring a snack to share.