Studio B Art Gallery, 39 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, PA, announces the opening of an art exhibit entitled “Grasshoppers & the Sensei” on November 13, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. featuring artwork from Boyertown Area Senior High (BASH) students and staff. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will run through November 29, 2026. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday afternoons 12-4 p.m. Friday evenings 5-7 p.m. Other days/times, by chance or appointment.

Bob Hakun, Studio B’s Gallery Director; Deb Zaharchuk, art activities instructor and owner of the upcoming “Paint & Palette” shop adjacent to Studio B; and Thomas Dareneau, BASH’s art department chair, collaborated in an effort to showcase the creativity, talents, and skills of the area’s emerging artists and the art teachers who have influenced and supported them in their artistic journeys.

“We’re excited to share the work of our young people,” Hakun explains. “We look forward to introducing the work of the high school community of artists into the larger community of the Boyertown area artists and general population.”  Zaharachuk adds, “The students are so incredibly talented; we want to encourage them and allow our community to know them and appreciate what they offer.”

“When we were presented with this opportunity, we wanted to do something different,” offers Dareneau. “I had heard of a university doing a ‘Master and Grasshopper’ exhibition and thought it was a great idea to give students the experience of being juried into an exhibit as well as put pressure on the teachers to exhibit our own work.”

The Advanced Placement students will choose the work from their fellow students to be exhibited. The artwork may or may not be work that has been assigned and completed as part of their art classes. Dareneau explains, “When we participate in other shows, students have little input on what is selected and what is hung. With this exhibition, students are in complete control of selecting the work submitted. We are actively encouraging students to submit work that came from outside of their classes. We would like them to display work that came from their own inspiration.”

Commenting on the staff contributions, he continues, “As much as the public is welcome to the exhibit, I see this show as a unique experience for students. In my very short-lived experience playing soccer, I fondly remember the practices where we had to play against our coaches. This opportunity showed us that our coaches were also players who just loved to play.  Every once in a while, we got the better of them or at least made them sweat. And although this show is not a competition, it does put a little added pressure on both Grasshoppers and Senseis.” (Wikipedia offers that “a sensei (先生) is a Japanese honorific title that literally means “one who comes before” and is used to address a teacher, mentor, or professional expert.”)

He concludes, “The mission of this show is to bring us all together to celebrate the community of the art department. Since I have been teaching at the high school, both staff and students have donated hundreds of hours before and after school to build a strong and inclusive program. We celebrate the first-time art student, our students with special needs, our students who use our department as a refuge, and also our students who have gone off and continued to make art as adults–many professionally.” 

Studio B:

Studio B Art Gallery opened its doors 18 years ago hosting exhibits of fine art in all mediums allowing hundreds of local artists over the years opportunities to showcase and sell their work, hundreds of visitors to the gallery to experience the artists’ skills and creative responses to the varied themes and to meet with neighbors and friends to celebrate the artistic response.

Studio B, located in the heart of historic Boyertown, is the home of the Arts and Activities Alliance, a committee of Building a Better Boyertown, a nonprofit Main Street program dedicated to revitalizing small towns.

Studio B celebrates lifelong learning, creativity and personal involvement in the visual and communication arts and seeks to be a dynamic part of Boyertown community, a “go to” destination for learning, fun and friendship. The studio seeks to showcase the work of fine artists in themed exhibits—some juried, some open to all—and welcomes art in diverse media. In addition to art exhibits, workshops, and classes, Studio B also hosts activities and informal gatherings on assorted topics for small groups or meetings, gallery talks, and “Getting to Know You” opportunities.

Visitors are always welcome to view the changing exhibits; take lessons in the visual, literary, and communication arts offered by highly-trained local artists and teachers; and schedule small events or parties in its elegant facility. The studio proudly collaborates with the many unique businesses in the Boyertown community.

Help us support the arts in Boyertown by donating to Studio B!

PDF appeal letter 2026

Scan our PayPal QR code below to support us now or return to the home page for more payment options. Thank you!

If you pay by check, checks should be written to Studio B and mailed to 39A E Philadelphia Ave, Boyertown, PA 19512. Attention: Jane Stahl

Sunny Finley hosts Second Saturday–a time for creating nature art with 1st–6th graders from 9:30- 10:40 a.m. Link for more info Register sunnyfinley62@gmail.com $30/pp

Studio B Art Gallery, 39 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, PA, announced winners at the opening of an art exhibit entitled “PETS!” on August 28, 2026 featuring artwork from dozens of local artists. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will run through, November 1, 2026.

The exhibit is curated by artist Bob Hakun, Studio B’s gallery director. Winners are listed below followed by comments from the juror Sandra Severson.

Best of Show: “Klimt’s Cat” by Kathryn Morgan – I had a huge emotional reaction at first sight, and the Asian beauty kept me captivated. If I saw this in a museum I would spend a lot of time appreciating it, (and I did!). Gorgeous!

2nd Place: “Kylee” by Sharon Merkel – This is so beautifully done: draftsmanship, values, and composition/design. What puts it over the top is the emotion – it’s filled with joy!

3rd place: “Sophie” by Michael Adams – Beautiful design and composition, wonderfully executed. I Love the emotion and happiness of Sophie’s face!

Honorable Mention #1: “Lola In Repose” by Kathi Ember – The whimsy and execution caught me! I was especially taken with the landscape behind the figure. It creates a whole world. Great job!

Honorable Mention #2: “Up Too Early” by Gail Fronheiser – A gorgeous, bright and strong work of art. Everything about it is masterfully executed!

About the Juror:

Juror Sandra Severson grew up immersed in the Philadelphia art scene as the daughter of noted artists Gerardo and Edith Belfiore. Under the tutelage of her parents, she won the Henry Coscia Award for Painting at Da Vinci Art Alliance and Third Prize in the Philadelphia Teen Art Competition at the age of 13.

Her deep love of horses and other animals led her to move to the family farm in 1980, where she developed hands-on skills and anatomical knowledge of her equestrian subjects as a horse owner/rider, 4H leader and “Horse Show Mother”.

After studying drawing and portraiture at PAFA and pursuing an opportunity to study with Nelson Shanks, she was accepted to show at the Kentucky Derby Museum and the International Museum of the Horse, becoming an associate member of the American Academy of Equine Art. Sandra’s paintings have appeared on the covers of the Chronicle of the Horse, Oasis magazine and the American Lipizzan Registry.

Alternative art shown under her maiden name of Belfiore won her First Prize for Painting at Woodmere Art Museum and the Jamison Award at Wayne Art Center.

Internationally, Sandra won First Prize at Corso Nationale Arte Figurativa in Salerno, Italy, and has been commissioned to paint the British steeplechase horse Tagamet, Brazilian cutting horse champion Magella, and other portraits in Belgium and Morocco.

Featured Image: “Henry at the Door”, oil on linen by Sandra Severson (private collection)

Erica’s early goals of becoming an art therapist and then a studio artist changed when she realized she valued spending time with people. And so, “painting with fragrances” has become her lifetime pursuit. Her business “Henny Faire Co.” features a line of fragrances. She offers workshops and participates in community events in which folks create custom blends based on their favorite fragrances. Visit hennyfaire.com for more details and a schedule of events. Learn more about Erica in The Boyertown Expression.

Studio B Art Gallery, 39 E. Philadelphia Ave. in Boyertown, PA, announced the opening of an art exhibit entitled “In Service” on June 26, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. featuring artwork from dozens of local artists/ The exhibit is free and open to the public and will run through, August 23, 2026.

Funded by a grant award provided by the Marlene L. Driscoll Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, Studio B Art Gallery has been engaging members of the community over the past few months in efforts to collect examples of “service” to remind us how important we are to one another, to heal perhaps some of the divisiveness we’re witnessing in our communities, to inspire us all to commit more acts “of kindness and of love,” and to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the United States through a recognition of service personnel.

Our “service” to one another comes in many forms, and everyone has stories of times when someone offered to help them or when they provided some kind of service to another. These examples of service will be “on display” in various ways throughout the summer at Studio B and other locations.

Art Exhibit: “In Service”
The summer “In Service” project begins with the art exhibit opening and prize award ceremony. Artists were encouraged to interpret the theme in their unique styles and mediums. The exhibit is curated by artist Bob Hakun, Studio B’s gallery director. Juror for prizes in the exhibit is artist Robert Louis Williams. Bob is known locally for painting several murals in Boyertown and creating a handful of Bear Fever bears. Visit Bob’s website to learn more about him and his work. www.robertlouiswilliams.com.

Notes of Thanks
Studio B’s art exhibit will include a display of notes of thanks from members of the community and from students of Boyertown High School who were invited to share their thanks for meaningful assistance provided by their friends and family members, teachers, aides, and others. Members of the community are encouraged to add a card to the display expressing their thanks throughout the summer. Several versions of the thank you cards to be added to the display are available at Studio B.

Bells of Boyertown
The “In Service” exhibit will include a mural by the exhibit’s juror Robert Louis Williams as the studio’s entry into the “Bells of Boyertown” activity of Freedom Fest presented by the Boyertown Area Historical Society.

Publication of Poetry and Prose & Writers’ Reading and Reception
Area writers who submitted examples of poetry and prose in which they addressed the theme of “Service” will find their poems or prose submissions published in the digital news site The Boyertown Area Expression throughout the summer. Readers can find them on boyertownareaexpression.town.news.

A Reading & Reception for Writers will be held at Studio B on June 28, 2026, from 1-3. Members of the community are invited to the reception to meet the writers and learn more about them and their work.

Storywalk®
The Boyertown Community Library will feature a story at the Boyertown Community Park during August to highlight “service.” Sairra Cloen, assistant supervisor, shares that this year’s story is Be Kind by Pat Zielow Miller.

HERstories
During Building a Better Boyertown’s “HERstory” event, Amy Muzopappa video recorded over a dozen attendees who shared examples of service. The stories ranged from personal acts of kindness to “thank you’s” for opportunities the attendees were able to provide through their careers. The video will be made available on YouTube. Visit studiobbb.org or Studio B Art Gallery on Facebook to find the link. Those who shared include Amy Siwert, Sara Moyer, Sharon Hartline, Kailey Reinboth, Ellen Martignetti, Diane Lauer, Dana Krananoff, Cecelia Flint, Sharon McMinn, Beth Hussar, Michelle Zobel, Rebecca Wise, and Jo Ortiz Yorgey.

“B Inspired” Podcast
Members of the community are invited to share their stories of service—how they have served others or to offer “thank you’s” to others who have served them on an episode of  Jane Stahl’s “B Inspired” podcast. Contact Jane to set up a day and time to share your story: janeEstahl@comcast.net. Recordings will be available on a variety of podcast platforms.

The Boyertown Area Expression Digital News Site
Individuals, businesses, and non-profits will be featured in articles for The Boyertown Area Expression digital news site throughout the summer as examples of the types of service our unique businesses offer to address the needs of members of our community.

Beauticians, funeral directors, real estate and insurance agents, home and childcare workers, dog walkers, for example, are service-oriented businesses that are critical to our mental and emotional health. Members of the community are invited to share their experiences these types of businesses have offered.

Military Service: The General Carl Spaatz USAAF Museum
In considering “service,” one often thinks of the service of our military men and women.

* To highlight military service, Studio B is offering 20 free passes to visit the General Carl Spaatz USAAF Museum throughout July and August 2026. Passes are available below (two passes per individual) during the studio’s summertime opening hours Thursdays through Sundays 12-4 p.m. (Reservations for visits to the museum for 4+ people are requested.)           

* Veterans of the military and those connected to the Museum were interviewed by long-time Boyertown resident Kim Frain and video recorded by Boyertown Senior High School senior Kailey Reinboth. Vietnam Veteran Clyde Mock and the museum’s founder Keith Seiwell shared their military experiences. The museum’s director and volunteer Chris Boswell and Civil War re-enactor  offered their reflections about military service. The video will be made available on YouTube. After June 26, 2026, visit www.studiobbb.org or Studio B Art Gallery on Facebook to find the link.

Boyertown Senior High NJROTC Students

Boyertown High School’s NJROTC students were interviewed and video recorded by Boyertown Senior High School student Eva Montanye. Eva queried the students about their decision to enter the program; how they hoped to serve; what they hope to offer the country, their community, their friends and families through their service. Eva was assisted in the editing process by fellow student Alex Rose. The video can be viewed https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t2RisTyTJ7aH_R3figLAw9Rq-jwkw8rk/view?usp=drive_link

“What Happened to YOU?” Writing Workshops Inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Writers and teachers Sandra Williams and Jane Stahl will facilitate a three-part series of writing workshops to highlight the “service” literature offers. Using Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet and the examples of how Hamlet manages his existential crisis offer guides to handling perceptions, feelings, and behavior as crises occur in our own lives. Attendees will share life experiences and writing.

Community Garden
Building a Better Boyertown’s Community Garden, developed as a celebration of the country’s 250^th anniversary, will be highlighted throughout the summer in articles for The Boyertown Area Expression. “B Inspired” podcast episodes are planned to showcase the individuals who inspired the garden and the long history of community gardens begun in wartime and today as community service opportunities that offer a way to address food scarcity in our community.

Art Activities
Studio B’s teachers and volunteers will offer art and writing activities throughout the summer to highlight service. Deb Zaharchuk will offer an art activity on July 31, Sunny Finley offers activities for students in grades 1 through 6 during Second Saturdays 9:30-10:40 throughout the summer; Sara Bates welcomes young writers each Wednesday from 12-2 p.m beginning June 17, 2026, to have fun while writing and meeting fellow writers. Visit www.studiobbb.org for more information.

To Be Determined
As in other of Studio B’s summer projects, individuals, organizations, non-profits, and businesses will undoubtedly find ways to participate in the celebration of the kinds of service we provide one another. Visit Studio B in person during summertime open hours Thursdays through Sundays 12-4pm, Fridays 5-7pm, www.studiobbb.org, Studio B on Facebook, or sign up for the studio’s newsletter to learn of these upcoming projects and activities.

On June 28, a writers are invited to a Writers’ Reception to share the poetry and prose they created for the “In Service” project to be featured in The Boyertown Area Expression digital news site.

Pictured: Writers’ reception and reading 2024

Bob missed the tactile interaction of creating art with his hands, and, after spending his days at the computer desk using only the keyboard and mouse as his artistic tools, he started making heavy, rusty art assemblages from found objects in the evenings.

He has become known for his multi-themed assemblages in rust. Bob is a 1976 Graduate of Kutztown University with a BFA in painting.