Nehal Shah COM 268 Final Project

The McLean County Arts Center

Press Kit January 2O21
601 N East St. Bloomington, IL 61701 | Serving our creative community since 1888 | mcac.org

Contact Nehal Shah (nbshah@ilstu.edu) for all queries

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Table of Content
1. Pitch Letter 3

2. News Release 4

3. PSA 6

4. Backgrounder 7

5. Newsletter 9

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1. Pitch Letter
January 4, 2020

WGLT-Online
Laura Kennedy
laura@wglt.org

Hello Ms. Kennedy,

I hope you are doing well, I really enjoyed reading your Nov. 19 Datebook article about the
Festival of trees. I am contacting you with hopes that you will devote your time and a portion of
your print space to promote an upcoming exhibition at the McLean County Arts Center. The
MCAC will be showcasing the works of renowned architectural photographer Larry Kanfer from
February 26 to April 9 in the Armstrong Gallery. The reception event will be taking place on
March 5, 5-7pm.

To help build awareness about the exhibition, I have included a few story angles to assist you in
creating content for your article.

Local Architect turned Photographic genius:Born and raised in Central Illinois, Larry Kanfer
graduated from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in architecture, picked up
the camera to capture to complement his architectural work, but he soon turned his passion of
photography into a career after receiving national recognition for his artwork.

The photographer that put the Midwestern landscape on the world map: When people think of
American landscape, they either think about Florida Beaches, Colorado Mountains, Californian
Valleys or Nevada Desserts, most people usually look over the Midwest, but not Larry Kanfer.
He showcased the hidden beauty of Midwestern landscapes through his aesthetically pleasing
and mesmerizing pictures.

Given that you have covered events for the MACA, I would appreciate if you continued your
support with the Larry Kanfer Exhibit. For more information about the event, feel free to contact
me by email or by phone. I am looking forward to hearing from you. I am really grateful for all
your help.

Thank you,

Nehal Shah
The McLean County Arts Center (MCAC)
630-999-3606
nbshah@ilstu.edu

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2. News Release
NEWS PROVIDED BY
The McLean County Arts Center (MCAC)
Nehal Shah (nbshah@ilstu.edu)

January 14, 2020, 12.00 CT

MCAC to host exhibition for nationally recognized photographer Larry Kanfer

NORMAL, Ill. - The McLean County Arts Center will be showcasing the works of renowned
Midwestern architectural photographer Larry Kanfer from February 26 to April 5. The exhibit
will be hosted in the Armstrong Gallery of the Arts Center during that duration. The main
reception will take place on March 5, from 5 to 7pm.

Larry Kanfer is an award winning, nationally collected photographic artist. He initially started
out as an architect but soon turned to his true passion of capturing moments. His background in
architecture provided him the ability to view his surroundings analytically and artistically. His
training in architecture has helped him appreciate surfaces and materials, and his creative style
often leaves the viewers speechless. Associated Press described his ability to “endow the
ordinary landscape with an almost magical sense of beauty.”

Kanfer is well known for bringing acclaim to the Midwestern landscapes with his original
artwork that celebrate the subtle beauty of the American heartland. His Prairiescapes collection is
one of the most popular collection that depicts the underrated beauty hidden in the Midwest. He
also has extensive collections of Cityscapes, University of Illinois, Woodlands, Tropical,
International, Close-ups, and abstract fine art photographs.

“We are very excited to host Larry, he’s a phenomenal artist and a true gentleman. We had been
planning to invite him for quite some time now. His work is celebrated all around the country
and to know that he showcases the true Midwestern values is really big for us,” said Maggie
Morton, Curator, The McLean County Arts Center.

Larry Kanfer has received national acclaim for several of his collections such as Best
Photographic Book-Chicago Sun Times, Westinghouse Purchase Award, Best Scenic Calendar,
Top Five Calendar and Silver Award by National Calendar Marketing Association. He has also
been honored with the Paul Harris Fellow award through Rotary International.

To learn more about Larry Kanfer and his artistic collections and work, or the MCAC visit
mcac.org or contact Nehal Shah at nbshah@ilstu.edu

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About The McLean County Arts Center (MCAC)

The McLean County Arts Center in Bloomington, Illinois, dates its history back to 1870. The
MCAC strives to encourage and promote the appreciation, study, cultivation, development and
practice of the Arts in the community. The Center offers artist exhibitions, art festivals, art
classes, artist lectures, art workshops for children and adults and it also hosts associated
performing and literary arts presentations.

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3. PSA
30 Seconds

Use: [Example: February 11-February18

Time: 30 seconds
Organization: The McLean County Arts Center (MCAC)
Title Example:

WORDS-70

THE MCLEAN COUNTY ARTS CENTER WILL BE SHOWCASING THE WORKS OF

LARRY KANFER, FROM FEBRUARY 26 TO APRIL 9 IN THE ARMSTRONG GALLERY.

LARRY KANFER IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER, HE

IS MOST WELL KNOWN FOR HIS PRAIRIE-ESCAPES COLLECTION. THE RECEPTION

FOR THE EXHIBIT WILL TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 5 FROM 5 TO 7 P-M.

VISIT THE ART CENTER’S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

AND THE ARTIST, AT MCAC.ORG.

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4. Backgrounder

The McLean County Arts Center (MACA) is the official arts agency of the McLean County. The
Arts Center strives to encourage and promote the appreciation, study, cultivation, development
and practice of the Arts in the community. The Center offers art classes, artist lectures, art
workshops for children and adults and it also hosts associated performing and literary arts
presentations. The MACA also offers the community opportunities to purchase or rent artwork
through the Center’s Sales and Rental Gift Gallery. The Arts center presents approximately
twelve exhibition each year, including the annual Holiday Treasures Exhibition and the annual
Amateur Competition and Exhibition. The latter has showcased the best amateur artists from
around the community for more than 80 years. The MCAC also hosts two annual arts festivals,
the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in March and the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in July.

History

The idea of a community arts center in the McLean County first originated over a decade and
half ago, in 1870, when Mrs. Horace Smith established a studio where she conducted Oil
painting classes. In 1888, one of her students along with three other members of the
Bloomington Sketch Club organized the Bloomington Art Association. The interests of the
community diverted to other matters in 1892 and the association went disfunction.

Two decades later, in 1922 a group of art enthusiasts rejuvenated the Bloomington Art
Association and this group officially issued a Charter on April 6,1922. They stated the purpose of
the association to be as-“To cultivate an appreciation of art in all of is branches, and to encourage
civic improvements.” The Withers Library’s Russell Gallery housed the association’s exhibits till
1976.

In the summer of 1979, the Art Center moved to its current location
after the Library’s roof fell through and the lengthy period of
looking for a permanent location. The purchase and renovation of
the building at 601 N. East Street was made possible by pledges and
donations from the community. This was the birth of the McLean
County Arts Center as we know it today. By 1992, the MCAC
gained official agency designation by the City of Normal, by the
City of Bloomington and the McLean County as well.

The MCAC has also partnered with the City of Bloomington and
The McLean County Arts Center in Bloomington IL the Downtown Bloomington Association, to develop multiple
downtown Bloomington mural projects. These mural projects will

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promote the creative expression of local artists and it will provide an enriching visual experience
to all the residents and visitors of the town.

Exhibitions

One of the most popular annual exhibition at the MCAC is the Holiday Treasures Exhibit, this
exhibit is designed specifically for the gift-giving season. The exhibit showcases paintings, glass,
ceramics, photography, fibers, jewelry, and seasonal gifts prepared by local and nationally
recognized artists. This exhibition took place in all the galleries at MCAC from November 5 to
December 31, 2020.

Brandt Gallery of the MCAC showcased the 93rd edition of the annual McLean County Amateur
art exhibition from February 28 to April 10, 2020. The art center received 211 entries for this
year’s competition. Aaron Yount, the juror for this year’s competition selected 102 artworks for
the exhibition and 26 amateur McLean County Artists were awarded for their showcases.

The Team

The MCAC Board of Directors include President Dan Galvin, Secretary Mike McNeil, Treasurer
Ruth Anne Friedberg, At Large Sally Berry, Allyson Frink, Su Ge, Jared Lacy, Sheila Lamberson,
Jane Osborn, Michele Peterson, Craig Queen, Deborah Risberg, Diane Skidmore, Dave
Templeton, and Susie Vincent comprise the other board members.

Some other key members of the team are-

Dough Johnson, Executive Director

Doug, is a native of McLean County as he graduated from Normal Community High School and
then later went to ISU to get his masters degree in Studio Art, he also got another masters degree
in Fine Arts (painting) from Northern Illinois University.
He also serves on the executive board of Arts Alliance Illinois, he also held the position of
President for Bloomington Rotary Club in the past. He founded and serves as the president of the
Area Arts Round Table. He is also a practicing artist and several of his paintings can be seen in
public and private collections across the country.

Maggie Morton (Kunze), Curator

Maggie is an artist, writer, and poet, she earned her BFA in Painting from Illinois State
University in 2016. She also serves as the Director and Editor of Sight Specific, an online
publication for critical writing on contemporary art programming in Central Illinois. She is also a
regional editor for sixty inches from center.

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5. Newsletter
Feature Story for Newsletter

Putting Midwest on the Map

By Nehal Shah | Feature

A transition from architecture to photography may not be the smoothest for most people, but for
nationally acclaimed Artist Larry Kanfer, it came naturally.

Larry Kanfer is a Midwest-based photographic artist, who has travelled the world and has made a
name for himself for promoting and showing the true beauty of the Midwest. But this nationally
collected photographer did not start out as a photographer.

The Westinghouse Purchase Award winner graduated from the University of Illinois
(Champaign) in 1979 with a degree in Architecture. After graduating, he joined an architecture
firm in Urbana but soon realized that he must follow his true passion, his one true love and so he
quit. He then opened up his first photography gallery and the rest is history.

Larry’s training in Architecture has provided him an edge over other artists, as he has the ability
to understand and respect the complex deign work and natural aspects that he often chooses as
his subjects. He has mastered the skillful art to view his surroundings analytically, aesthetically
and artistically. He has used his talents to create photographs that speak to his admirers on an
emotional level through composition and content. Associated Press described his skills to
“endow the ordinary landscape with an almost magical sense of beauty.”

Larry Kanfer has travelled the country and the world and has developed collections with pictures
from unique and beautiful places throughout the globe. He constantly tries new techniques and
tries to delve into different genres of photography, but there is one notion that is rooted in the
depths of his fibers, his love for the Midwest.

While growing up Larry travelled and camped across the Midwest with his family and today he
has attributed his success to those travels. Some of his most popular collections such as
Prairescapes Tales of an Illini Alum, Cityescapes, and many more were shot around the Midwest.
He truly has brought global attention to the region, he truly celebrates the subtle beauty of the
American corn belt.

Larry Kanfer’s adoration for the Midwest comes from his belief that the Midwest does not get
justice, he shares, “I believe the Midwest is seriously underrated. People often consider it to be
boring, but they are wrong and I just wanted to show them what they are missing by changing
their perspective on the American heartland. I wanted to put the Midwest on the Map. There is so
much to love about the Corn Belt, whether it’s Lake Michigan or Starved Rock, architecturally

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Chicago is one of the best places to live in. There are so many amazing small towns like
Bloomington, I love the art scene there.”

Larry Kanfer will be presenting several of his acclaimed collections in Bloomington’s McLean
County Arts Center later next month. Regarding his upcoming exhibition, the artist said, “It has
been a long time coming, the last time I presented at the MCAC was back in 1983, I was just
starting out at that time. I hope the community likes my work. I really admire the arts center and
for everything that it stands for, I really enjoy visiting it’s annual exhibitions. I am very excited, I
really hope we have a good turnout. This past month, I have been commuting to BloNo, to
capture some more pictures from around the community to showcase it in the exhibit. It is truly
an amazing community that is so united.”

Bloomington’s McLean County Arts Center is honored to showcase his various popular
collections including the one that he is currently preparing for this exhibit. His collections will be
presented at the Armstrong Gallery from February 26 to April 9. The reception event will be
taking place on Friday, March 5, 5-7pm. For more information about the exhibition or Larry
Kanfer, visit mcac.org.

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