A
rtist opportunities
are opening up at
the Janice Charach
Gallery in West Bloomfield
with the appointment of Natalie
Balazovich as director.
The soonest
opportunity invites
any artist 18 and
older to submit
works to be con-
sidered for the next
exhibit, “Flight,
” as
long as each work offered sug-
gests the theme, has never been
shown before, reaches a size no
larger than 36” x 36” x 36” and
is available for sale.
Interested artists must dig-
itally submit their works for
consideration by Monday, May
16, and be prepared to transport
any accepted piece to and from
the gallery.
The exhibit will run June
26-Aug. 11.
“My goal is to see
how many different
interpretations we can
get of that one word,
”
said Balazovich, pro-
moted from her posi-
tion serving as gallery
coordinator for 10 years.
“I want to make this gal-
lery, housed at the Jewish
Community Center (JCC),
more reflective of the commu-
nity, and I want to partner with
other departments whenever I
can.
“With so many valuable
artists within the Jewish com-
munity, I feel the artwork can
be more driven by Judaism and
Jewish culture while keeping
in mind services to the entire
community as a whole.
”
A HISTORY AT THE JCC
Balazovich has a career history
with the JCC that precedes
her work in the gallery. A
graduate of the College for
Creative Studies in Detroit, she
painted murals for the Shalom
Street Museum, designed and
built sets for The
Berman Center for
the Performing Arts
and taught draw-
ing and painting at
the Frankel Jewish
Academy.
When Balazovich applies
her own artistic instincts away
from the gallery, she often
creates representational paint-
ings in watercolors, acrylics
and oils. Her paintings have
been displayed in many group
shows, including those pre-
sented by the Northville Art
House, Livonia Public Library
and Detroit’s Russel Industrial
Center. Solo shows have been at
the Charach Gallery and Scarab
Club in Detroit.
The first planned exhibits in
her role as gallery director spot-
light glass and are on display
simultaneously through May 18
— The 4th Bi-Annual Michigan
Regional Glass Exhibition and SIP
.
“I have a great appreciation
of all forms of art because of
my background working in the
gallery for so long,
” Balazovich
Artists
Wanted
Natalie
Balazovich
82 | APRIL 14 • 2022
New Janice Charach Gallery
director aims to promote
emerging artists.
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
An example of
the new direc-
tor’s recent work:
“Your Dream is
My Nightmare”
by Natalie
Balazovich. Mixed
media on paper,
26” x42”
ARTS&LIFE
ART