Studio, gallery, support program celebrating 20th anniversary with bash at Asbury Hall

By Lindsay DePietro

Dancing, games, art making, karaoke and prizes galore will be in store as the Starlight Studio and Art Gallery celebrates its 20th birthday on Thursday (July 17) with a birthday bash.

The fun will kick off at 6 p.m. at Asbury Hall, just across the street from Starlight Studio, and continues on until 9 p.m. 

A DJ will be spinning tunes throughout the night, and guests will be able to join in on a variety of other activities including basket raffles, printmaking, a studio tour, and watching live artmaking. Those celebrating can chow down on pizza and, of course, birthday cake. Guests will also have the chance to win some fun door prizes.  

Starlight Studio and Art Gallery is a day habilitation program that supports adults with disabilities in their artistic development. Modeled after an art program in California, Marc Hennig founded Starlight in 2005. Carrie Marcotte, Starlight Studio director, has been director of the program for all 20 years.

“The favorite part of the job is interacting with all the artists. Seeing and feeling that excitement in people. Even when people are challenged by the art making process, it’s just awesome to be a part of that journey with people,” Marcotte said.

Twenty-seven out of the 50 total Starlight artists will be in attendance at the birthday celebration, and attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with them. Four of these artists will be creating live art at the event. 

Artists Janet Harrison, Paul Chandler, Sharon Lobello and Chace Lobley will each team up with another artist from the community to create an art piece. “Picture two artists together, an artist from the community and a starlight artist. Each will start their own art making and then 45 minutes into it they will swap artwork with each other, and then draw into the other one’s art work,” Marcotte said.

Normally, almost all of the art is created onsite at the Starlight Studio. “Some people are very prolific and creating two drawings a day that are really wonderful pieces and somebody else might work on a piece for like months. And then it’s really a discussion with them, like how much money they would like to earn on a piece,” Marcotte said.

Some contributing factors in price listings include aspects such as how much time went into making the art piece and how important the piece is personally to the artist.

The artwork is sold during Starlight Studio exhibitions, at offsite exhibitions and on their website.

Many of the art pieces will be available for purchase at Thursday’s birthday extravaganza.

“The proceeds are 50/50. Fifty percent goes to the program and then 50% goes to the artist,” Marcotte said. 

Every year, Starlight has its summer exhibition on July 18. As part of their 20th Birthday Celebration, Starlight Studio will be hosting a preview tour of the upcoming exhibition. Marcotte said they wanted to do both events “back-to-back” so people, especially those who have never seen the gallery before, will get the opportunity to be introduced to the space. 

All of the art on display for the summer exhibition will be available for purchase. 

“From the art making experience, people just really get to know themselves better. They’re expressing themselves all the time through art making and it just kind of strengthens an individual’s personhood,” Marcotte said.

She adds that Starlight “just keeps giving and giving,” explaining how when they display the art work individuals get to feel really proud of their creation, by receiving funds for their art work it boosts the artists sense of confidence and self-development, and although Starlight Studio is an art habilitation program, it is also an organization so artists constantly get the interface with the public and other artist from the community. 

To commemorate the birthday celebration, a wide array of Starlight 20th Birthday merch will be set out for guests to purchase. 

“We really centered this planning of this whole event around the things that our artists like to do at parties, and they love raffle baskets. So, they’re not super high-end raffle baskets, but a lot of really delightful things,” Marcotte said.

Some baskets and basket items guests can look forward to are baskets featuring gift certificates to restaurants or salons, a yoga basket featuring a yoga mat and other yoga related items, a basket with mugs and teas, a mending basket for hand sewing, and a basket from Extra Extra Pizza. Each basket has been donated for the event.

Marcotte said they are still waiting for more baskets to be donated, but that there is expected to be around 15 to 20 baskets up for raffle.

Many of the artists also enjoy karaoke, so Starlight has planned to end the night with just that. Guests can sign up at the door upon arrival for a karaoke slot with a song of their choice.

Amy Rumpl, Starlight Studio service support specialist, said, 20th Birthday t-shirts, sweatshirts and long sleeve shirts in a burnt orange color and 20th Birthday baseball caps will be available. Another design option will feature the bird from Starlight’s facade mural, painted by Starlight artist Steve Robinson. This art will be printed on the same clothing options, except on a gray version with a blue and green theme and black version with a pink and brown theme and a beanie. Both designs will also be printed on patches, note cards, mugs and matted prints.

Over 200 people have already purchased tickets for Starlight’s 20th Birthday Celebration. Online registration has now closed, but a limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door on the night of the celebration.