We’re just days away from one of the most popular annual shows at The Box Factory for the Arts on the Broad Street Hill in St. Joseph.
Coming, Friday, June 7th, organizers will throw open the doors onto the Opening Reception for the 2019 Michiana Annual Art Competition (MAAC) exhibition, slated to be held from 5:30-7:30 pm that evening, featuring nearly eighty artists and more than 130 pieces. The reception will then be followed by a concert at 8:00 pm with recording artists Genna & Jesse.
For the Opening Reception from 5:30-7:30 pm admission is free. To see Genna & Jesse in concert from 8:00-10:00 pm admission is defined as “pay what you want.” A cash bar will be open during both events serving beer, wine and select cocktails.
The Michiana Annual Art Competition is a local juried fine art exhibition intended to recognize, foster, and reward excellence of top artists in Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana. The MAAC is held each year at the Box Factory for the Arts in St. Joseph, and this marks the show’s 17th year of success provided by the vision, energy, and generous funding by association members, area businesses and corporate sponsors.
Categories in the annual exhibition include:
- Photography
- Digital imaging
- Mixed media
- Painting
- Drawing
- Glass
- Sculpture
- Ceramic
The annual exhibition will then run from June 7th through July 13th.
Gallery hours at the Box Factory for the Arts are Monday-Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, and they are also open after hours for special events (visit the website or follow along on Facebook for a complete calendar).
A Gallery Walk will be held on Saturday, June 29th from 12:00-2:00 pm. The tour is free and open to the public.
Image credit: Nicole Brown, “Light Broke In”
The Box Factory appreciates and thanks the 2019 MAAC Sponsors including:
- Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council
- The John DeVries Agency, Inc.
- Chemical Bank
- Krasl Art Center
- Kate and Joe Ulrey
- Twin City Camera Club
- Susan Craw
- Box Factory for the Arts Emerging Artist Fund
- Bistro on the Boulevard
Genna & Jesse are defined as “duo alchemy at its finest.” Sweet and savory, raspy and smooth, together they create heartfelt, unique acoustic-soul music, featuring tight and soaring harmonies and energetic guitar and piano accompaniment. Whether they sing their own songs, or the well-chosen songs of their peers, audiences are along for the ride in an intimate, witty and inclusive show. Drawing inspiration from their romantic nomadic lifestyle, Genna & Jesse might best be described as modern troubadours, generously offering listeners glimpses of their always-moving world with something fresh, true and genuinely independent.
Their live performances are gentle and inviting – yet powerful – due in part to solid stagecraft and a comfort level with their music and with each other. Another big factor in their shows is Genna’s subtle phrasing and exceptional interpretation. She delivers songs as gifts to an audience. The stunning harmonies that Genna and Jesse weave are the final secret ingredient in their performance magic.
Genna and Jesse began performing together in 2009 when Genna hired Jesse to play piano in her band. While working together, a romantic union blossomed and the two decided to write and perform as a duo.
Genna Giacobassi is originally from Lansing. Her parents are both musicians and she grew up surrounded by, and immersed in, music. She attended Interlochen Arts Academy High School, where she studied voice. A rebellious spirit, she put aside a future in performing the works of others in order to obey her internal muse. In 1995, still a teenager, she dropped out of school and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to hone her performance and songwriting skills. Her soulful voice is at once easygoing and acrobatic, with hints of Billie Holiday, Ricky Lee Jones, Lucinda Williams and Joni Mitchell.
Jesse Dyen has a colorful musical history — he has drawn praise for his anti-war anthem “Sons and Daughters,” from Willie Nelson, bought beer for Joe Strummer, broken Joan Baez’s guitar string, and been to jail with Daniel Ellsberg. Jesse has self-produced hundreds of tracks and has appeared in projects as nearby as Oakland and as far away as Cape Town, South Africa. His album “Contents Under Pressure,” recorded in his hometown Philadelphia and featuring some of Philly’s finest musicians, has received radio airplay both domestically and internationally, and was recorded by producer/drummer Andy Kravitz, who also engineered and produced a number of the duo’s recent singles including “Tumbleweed and Tonic” and “I Won’t Do it Again.”
You can find the Box Factory for the Arts at 1101 Broad Street in St. Joseph.
The image accompanying this story on Moody on the Market is entitled “Light Broke In” by artist Nicole Brown, and is courtesy of The Box Factory for the Arts.
