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Gallery 4463
brings art to Acworth
By
Shari Rathman
 An
off the lake destination worth exploring is Gallery 4463, a new fine
arts gallery in Acworth. The gallery opened in October 2007.
“Gallery 4463 came into existence as collaboration between myself as
an artist representative and a group of local artists,” said Clemens
Bak, executive director of the gallery. It is located at 4463
Cherokee St. in Acworth. The path to Gallery 4463’s opening actually
started in Poland where Clemens’s father, Bronislaw Bak, was born.
Bronislaw Bak served in the Polish army fighting
against Germany during World War II and ended up in a concentration
camp. After the war ended, he chose to remain in Germany and entered
an art school going on to earn the equivalent of a MFA and then
received a fellowship introducing him to stain glass design.
Then he and his wife, Heidi, also an artist,
immigrated to the U.S. settling their family in Chicago. Beginning
as a stained glass window designer, he later accepted a teaching
position at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where
over a two-year time period Bak designed one of the largest stained
glass windows in the world which comprises the entire main facade of
The Abbey Church at St. John’s University. Several monks and
students assisted in the execution of the design.
The son’s background consisted of a childhood living
and working amongst artists. “Both my parents were artists, and my
home always part studio, part living quarters. Once I was old
enough, I often helped my father on his various projects, from
stained glass windows, mosaics, and quite often worked in
graphics,”Clemens Bak said.
 He
explained that his parents returned to Chicago in 1967, where they
established Studio 22, Inc., Printmakers Workshop. They conducted
classes, organized a gallery and provided an important center for
Chicago artists. “My parents co-founded a fine arts workshop in
the ’60s which was only one of four such workshops in the country,
and the only one not publicly funded. Studio 22 in Chicago was a
center for artists who studied woodblock, etching, and stone
lithography. Others came to print limited editions of their drawings
or compositions,” he said.
In March of 1970, Bronislaw Bak, after undergoing
major surgery, closed Studio 22 and moved to southern France. Three
years later, Bak returned to the U.S. where he accepted a position
as Associate Professor of Art at Georgia Southern College in
Statesboro.
At GSC he taught two- and three-dimensional design,
color theory and design for the environment. He taught at Georgia
Southern until his death in 1981. His papers are in the permanent
collections at Georgia Southern University.
Clemens Bak took responsibility for the preservation
of his father’s estate and began working with various groups,
galleries and foundations to host exhibition of his father’s and
mother’s work. Clemens’ involvement with arts and the exhibitions
of his parents work over the years has made him a natural for
opening a gallery.
“As the owner of Gallery 4463, my collaboration
continues with over 30 artists who exhibit regularly in a series of
feature exhibits year round,” he said.
“A lot of mediums are exhibited at the gallery. The
artists donate time and energy to create the gallery,” said Carol
Allegood, one of the artists whose works are on exhibit.
Damien Guarnieri said, “As a new artist with Gallery
4463, I’m excited about he opportunity the gallery has to bring fine
art to Acworth. I’m just honored and humbled to be included with my
fellow artists at Gallery 4463.”
The gallery exudes the charm and hospitality of a
small Georgia town, with the excitement and rich variety of art from
some of the best local artists in the region. With its spacious
building, lofty ceiling and hardwood floors, the gallery is a find
for the art connoisseur or the casual visitor alike.
For more information on the artists and the gallery,
visit their website at
www.gallery4463.com.
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