Boston receives BAC’s Joan Spieler Lifetime Achievement Award

Boston receives BAC’s Joan Spieler Lifetime Achievement Award Subhead Local art supporters celebrate volunteerism disco-style Nathan Diebenow Wed, 04/10/2024 - 07:14 Image

• Judi Boston (right) received the Joan Spieler Lifetime Achievement Award during the Bosque Arts Center’s Big Event on Saturday, April 6. Nathan Diebenow | Meridian Tribune

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Judi Boston received the Joan Spieler Lifetime Achievement Award for all her years and dedication volunteering at the Bosque Arts Center on Saturday night, April 6.

On stage at the Tin Building Theatre, Boston said that she was shocked and amazed to receive the award.

“I’m so grateful. It’s been a wonderful experience here and I hope that it continues for a very long time,” she said. “All of you are wonderful. We couldn’t do it without everybody in this room. I just can’t even imagine that I deserve this in anyway.”

BAC board member and presenter Karen Cornett explained that Boston has been an active member of the BAC for over two decades.

Boston, she said, is best known for her involvement with the Tin Building Theatre where she worked in every capacity, including director, actress, and member of the TBT’s board serving for many years. Boston served as TBT president from 2009-17. She designed programs, posters, and invitations. She handled office duty, made reservations, and worked on the sets.

In 2014, Boston received the distinguished TBT Francis Watson Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of longtime volunteerism and willingness to go the extra mile.

Boston was also behind the formation of the Texas Troubadour Songwriting Classic in 2013, giving the upcoming artists across the country an opportunity to showcase their talents and additional exposure to the music industry. She oversaw the Classic until 2017.

She was also instrumental in developing the Atrium Art Gallery, collaborating with others for physical improvements to the BAC building, restoring the third floor, and converting the TBT office space to the present annex.

Boston led the charge for equipment upgrades that would serve both concert and theater needs. She was involved in overhauling the BAC website, improving existing functions, while adding new ones, such as patron ticket capabilities. She has volunteered for the Arts of Christmas, building & grounds, the Big Event, the Scholarship Variety Show, and the Bosque Civic Music Association.

Boston recently completed a revision to the BAC bylaws and is currently working on the Art Council’s bylaws.

“Some people might give a gift of flowers or candy, but this person has recently just gifted Linda Pfeiffer and myself a book of Robert’s Rules of Order,” Cornett said.

Today Boston serves in many capacities, including as a member of the “Books on the Bosque” Committee.

Boston served on the BAC Board of Directors from 2012-2017, and then returnd to the board in 2022; she became an art patron in 2018, and a member of the Art Council in 2020, and is currently presidentelect.

“She has logged over 2700 volunteer hours since recording began in 2011,” Cornett said. “The BAC is so lucky to have this talented, dedicated, and beautiful soul as a volunteer.”

Cornett continued, “I am so lucky to call Natalie karma friend than to call her my cousin.”

Boston is the 24th recipient of the Joan Spieler Lifetime Achievement Award.

Prior to the awards presentation, emcee Bryan Davis explained the origins of the BAC’s Lifetime Achievement Award and its namesake Joan Spieler.

Spieler assisted in bringing the Bosque Arts Center into existence at the former Clifton Lutheran College administration building, which is now over 100 years old.

Having moved to Bosque County in 1956 with her husband Bill, Spieler was concerned that young people had to travel great distances to see a stage play and take art classes, since neither were taught at local school districts at the time.

Spieler was trained as an artist in college, and made her living as a photographer and picture framer.

Her first gallery was on North Avenue G (Highway 6) in Clifton, where she became friends with cowboy artists Melvin Warren and James Boren, and organized the first show of Martin Grelle, then a teenager in 1974.

Through Spieler’s guidance and leadership, the former Clifton Lutheran College administration building was donated by C.E. “Pat” Olsen to the Bosque County Conservatory of Fine Arts, the former name of the Bosque Arts Center.

Olsen had used the administration building as the manufacturing plant for his company Gearench.

“Joan Spieler never sought any credit for any role she played here at the Arts Center,” Davis said. “She only admitted to knowing the right people at the right time to get the job done.”

Spieler died six months after being recognized in October 1997 for her role in the creation of the Bosque Arts Center. She was 77 years old.

After the “Saturday Night Fever” themed awards banquet, the musical tribute band Bee Gees Now performed in the Frazier Performance Hall on the Third Floor of the Bosque Arts Center.