PHOTO COURTESY ROBIN TOMASELLI
Donated artwork will feature this month at Baked Dessert Café in Berlin and during the 2nd Friday art stroll. Suggested donations, rather than list prices for the work, will benefit the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(June 7, 2018) Flush with a variety of donated local work, Baked Dessert Café in Berlin aims to help the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee Friday with its art show and sale.

Work at the shop on 4 Bay Street will remain on display throughout the month.

“Basically, there’s not going to be a price on anything – there will be a suggested donation amount,” owner and committee Vice President Robin Tomaselli said. “In all honesty, it’s about getting local artwork into the visitors’ and locals’ hands at whatever donation they would like to make.”

Funds raised will support committee projects, which currently include several murals.

For example, Tomaselli said mural panels painted at the Germantown School Community Heritage Center last year would soon be installed on the outside of the historic building.

“In addition to that, we have a mural that Patrick Henry did about 25 years ago at Buckingham Elementary,” she said. “Our intention is to reach out to Stephen Decatur High School and to work with students there to restore that piece … and maybe even add to it. We’ve gotten Patrick Henry’s blessing.”

She said the finished product would be an indoor installation, possibly ending up at the high school.

“We just want to make sure that piece of artwork is preserved, particularly since when Patrick did it, he did it with students as kind of his outreach into art,” Tomaselli said. “And it makes sense to us to reach out to Stephen Decatur High School, since Patrick was an art teacher there.”

The committee also co-sponsors the annual Outdoor Movie Nights series, resuming on June 16.

Scheduled screenings include “Tuck Everlasting” downtown on June 16, “Sing” at Stephen Decatur Park on June 30, “Beauty and the Beast” at Dr. William Henry Park on July 14, “The Lion King” at Stephen Decatur Park on July 28, “Lilo & Stitch” at Dr. William Henry Park on Aug. 11, and “Runaway Bride” downtown on Aug. 25.

Also planned is a second bike rack, which would double as public art, to be installed outside the Worcester County Arts Council building on 6 Jefferson Street. The first such piece was put in last year outside J&M Meat Market on 101 William Street.

The committee also supports the Maker’s Market that coincides with 2nd Fridays and runs May through October on the corner of Jefferson and Main street from 5-8:30 p.m., and on Commerce Street from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

“We’re chugging along,” Tomaselli said, adding, “Arts and entertainment is a nonprofit and we rely on private donations and grants to do what we do.”

Berlin’s 2nd Friday festivities feature more than a dozen art displays in shops throughout the downtown area, along with sales and specials in restaurants from 5-8 p.m.

For more information on the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee, visit www.artsinberlin.org.