Morris County Arts Workshop Hosts Book Signing by National Geographic Photographer in Chester, NJ

Dec. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- CHESTER, NJ – The Morris County Arts Workshop (http://www.mcartsworkshop.com/), MCAW, the non-profit organization which brings after-school art, music, language arts, and cultural programs to youth and seniors in Chester, Mendham and surrounding areas, is all a “buzz” about its newest location in the Chester Springs Shopping Center in Chester, NJ. “The Hive” is an open space next to Sleepy’s, donated by mall owner Ramco Gersheson Trust, to be used as an art workshop and gallery by MCAW.

To introduce the space, MCAW is hosting its first winter fundraiser and book signing event on Thursday, December 20, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Chester resident Michael Yamashita, a renowned National Geographic photographer, will host a slide show of his newly released book “SHANGRI-LA (Along the Tea Road to Lhasa) at 7:30 p.m. A book signing and wine and cheese reception will follow. Yamashita explained that the book takes readers on a 1,400 mile journey on “Tea Horse Road,” which connected the Chinese empire and the Tibetan nation.

In addition, there will be a silent auction. The Hive will be open all day for previewing the items including a weekend in Cape May; Wine and Cheese Event at Vintner’s Circle; tickets to the Mayo Performing Arts Center; signed NY Rangers Jersey; original artwork for area artists; CSA membership and more. There will also be live seasonal music and entertainment.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door the evening of the event.  In addition to its successful annual Haunted Halloween Workshop, this is one of the fundraising efforts by MCAW to continue to help support the non-profit organization’s programs, its Art in Public Spaces Initiative, its Home for the Arts building and the newly opened Hive. For tickets to the fundraising event and to make a donation, please visit www.mcartsworkshop.com.

Registration is now open for MCAW’s Winter Classes which begin the week of January 14, 2013. Classes take place at the Dickerson and Bragg Elementary Schools and Black River Middle School in Chester, and in Mendham at both Mendham Township and Mendham Borough Elementary and Middle Schools.  In addition to numerous music, art, dance and technology classes, new this year are iKids Puterbugs, Science of Super Storms, Science of Sports, Mural Art, FLL Robotics Development Team, Rock Band Elementary, Archery, Arts and Crafts, and Ballet and Tap to name a few.  MCAW also offers AM “Get Fit” and “Get Fit Basketball” at all four elementary schools in the Mt. Olive School District.

For class schedules, availability and to registration, please visit mcartsworkshop.com (http://www.mcartsworkshop.com/).  Join the MCAW conversation on Facebook at Morris County Arts Workshop (MCAW) non-profit organization.

About the Morris County Arts Workshop
Founded in 2003 by Jane Shatz, a Juilliard School of Music dance alumna and Chester resident, the Morris County Arts Workshop (MCAW) is a non-profit group created to nurture and promote the love for the arts in children of all ages.  The program is community based and offers a wide variety of classes from musical instrument lessons to voice to painting to yoga to language and martial arts.  Classes are currently held in Chester and Mendham public schools.  There are two sessions per year which culminate with a special Showcase performance and art display in the fall and spring.  In addition, MCAW runs five weeks of summer camp for pre-kindergarten to age 15. For additional information and class schedules, please visit www.mcartsworkshop.com.