Mudpuppy Gallery hosts their sixth Beat Night

by Hailey Trealout

The Mudpuppy Gallery invited people of all ages to the Downtown Expresso Cafe in Amherstburg Sept. 28 to support local performers during their Beat Night.

The Mudpuppy Gallery opened in May 2010 as a non-profit organization run by six local artists with the intent to encourage culture in Amherstburg through art. Since opening, the gallery has developed interest from students and established artists.

One of the youngest volunteers in the gallery is poet Lorrayne Culver, 14, a student at General Amherst High School.

“I went to the first Beat Night.” said Culver. “I didn’t read until the second one and I have volunteered, actually spending my time and trying to sell stuff, since June. I love reading in front of everyone. I’m not as nervous as everyone seems to be. I was pretty pleased with what I brought this time, usually it’s kind of touch and go.”

Cheryl MacLellan, 51, helped organize the event and said Beat Night gives people the opportunity to show their artistic abilities.

“This is our sixth Beat Night. We had our first one in September 2010 and we were doing two a year but now we’ve decided to do four a year because they’re so popular,” said MacLellan. “It grew from having like five people, to tonight where we have 19 performers. It’s original music, original poetry and original story telling. So it’s all original, all new fresh names.”

As people were called up to the stage audience members applauded showing their support. Shelby Kawa, an English teacher at General Amherst, was one of the supporters found in the audience of 45 people.

“I thought tonight’s Beat Night was great,” said Kawa. “I really love the combination of music, poetry and prose all together and I love the youth and then you have a representation from all of the different age groups and I think that was great.”

Kawa and Culver plan to perform in the next beat night Nov. 10.

 

Cutline:

Kevin McClintock performs at the Downtown Expresso Cafe for the Mudpuppy Gallery Beat Night event, Sept. 29 in Amherstburg.
Photo By: Hailey Trealout