Volume 1 No. 4 The New Groveland Graphic serving Groveland, Mascotte/Green Swamp Area
date: December 30, 2011 new releases every two weeks
A community of artists
by Linda Charlton
Graphic reporter
Dateline: Mascotte
"They're all a lot more talented than they give themselves
credit for."
William (Bill) Bernoir is talking about his students in art
class at Mascotte United Methodist Church. Some are members
of the congregation. Others are not, for the class is open
to the community - for free.
"We're open to anybody who wants to learn. God gave me the
talent and I believe he wants me to share it."
Semi-retired, Bernoir (seen in below photograph) is a professional artist with
about
as broad a range of experience as you'll find - painting,
sculpture, set design, and costume design, in styles ranging
from realistic to avant-garde.
"I like it all," he says.
"I've seen some of his work, one of the students pipes up.
"It's really nice."
Classes are held weekly in the church's fellowship hall, at
7 PM on Wednesdays.
"We're generally out of here by 9," Bernoir says.
On this particular Wednesday in mid-November, the numbers
are down, the young people in the class are missing, and the
snowbirds have not yet returned, so Bernoir is allowing the
students to pick their projects. Some are painting on small
canvases, some are working on crafts.
Here in the photograph to the right is Rose Schaeffer
painting leaves on a gourd.
When asked she says "I have no idea what I am going to do
with this. Maybe I'll give it to my [child]."
Brenda Russell is in a world of her own, assembling what
will become an oversized Christmas ball out of disposable
plastic cups.
"When I first stated doing this, it paid for my entire
Christmas," she says.
Bernoir too has an affinity for recycled art.
"If we take something that would have been thrown away," he
says, "and make something of beauty of it, that [is a good
thing]."
Bernoir plans on reinstating the organized lessons in class
(still life, portraiture, etc.) after the beginning of the
year, when his snowbirds have returned.
"They are so interested in it, I don't want them to miss
out on anything," he says.
The art class has been going on now for four years. Bernoir
says that anyone with questions should just call him. His
number is (352) 429-2608.