One of Haddonfield’s jewels is tucked away behind Kings Highway on Walnut Street. The brick building, decorated with a mosaic border, is one of the oldest homes to the arts in town. This Haddonfield gem — the Markeim Arts Center — will be shining bright this January as it celebrates its Diamond Anniversary.
The center’s 60th Anniversary Gala and “Diamonds are Forever” exhibition are Jan. 30 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. This will be a special and fun-filled evening with live music, food, drink and surprises all raising money for the MAC.
“This event is a once-in-a-lifetime event. From the art on the walls, to the entertainment, to the auction, music, food and drink — nowhere can you find anything else like this, all in one place, all in one night. And all monies raised go to help Markeim last for another 60 years,” Bob Hochgertel, chief operating officer of MAC, said.
The Markeim Arts Center was founded in 1956. It was formerly the Haddonfield Arts & Crafts League in 1954, but in 1956 Bessie and J. William Markeim gave the current building, at 104 Walnut St., to the organization and it changed its name to the Markeim Arts & Craft League. In 1989, the name became Markeim Art Center, and last year it changed once again to Markeim Arts Center.
“The plural ‘arts’ is important as we are really striving to embrace all of the arts,” Hochgertel said.
For 60 years, the MAC has been providing exhibition opportunities to regional artists, education to the community, camps and workshops for children of all ages. It also has provided art training for students with disabilities and hosted exhibitions for autistic artists.
The gala is a celebration of MAC’s 60th anniversary, but also serves as a fundraiser. Much of the good work the center does all year is raised at the annual winter gala.
The evening will have a live show featuring cabaret performances by Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley performers from Haddonfield Plays and Players.
There will also be a live art demonstration, as Chuck Hosier, who studied Jackson Pollack’s work, will create a live Jackson Pollack “drip” painting that will be auctioned off at the end of the evening. The 1950s was a big decade for the abstract expressionists, and Pollack coincidentally died in 1956, the year Markeim started.
There will be plenty of refreshments, including some special signature Markeim drinks and beer donated by Double Nickle Brewery, and a variety of lite fare and butlered hors d’oeuvres provided by Mark Rooks of Rent-a-Chef. There will also be an ice sculpture.
On the MAC’s walls, the “Diamonds are Forever” exhibition consists of paintings, photographs and mixed media pieces by local, regional and national artists who have interpreted the theme. The exhibit also includes original vintage 1950s DeBeer Diamond ads and prints. In 1947, a copywriter for DeBeers conceived of the slogan that has been used ever since, “A Diamond Is Forever.” The DeBeers’ ad campaign in the 50s used paintings of Picasso, Derain, Dali and Dufy. These are some of the pieces that are in Markeim’s exhibit.
Another interesting counterpoint to the work on the walls is an exhibit of faux diamond campaign jewelry from Dwight Eisenhower’s 1956 run for president.
The night will conclude with a live auction of artwork, jewelry and other surprises. There will be raffle and silent auction items as well.
The gala tickets are $95 for one person and $175 for two. Tickets are available online, and many are still available for purchase. To get tickets, visit www.markeim artscenter.org/calendar/60th-anniversary-gala/. Recommended attire is formal, black tie or “50s formal.” The MAC is located at 104 Walnut St. For more information on the MAC, exhibitions and classes visit www.markeimartscenter.org.
“This region has a large creative base, and yet too few people know Markeim even exists. It truly is a hidden jewel. We want Markeim to become the epicenter of all the creative people and organizations in this area. (In the future), we’d like to have greater visibility, perhaps another location, on Kings Highway or Haddon Avenue,” Hochgertel said.
