By Julia Train
In 1978, a 28-year-old dancer from Pennsylvania traveled to Atlantic City to audition for a show at the first casino in the resort which had recently opened.
After studying classical ballet with the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company, Marion Lotka landed a part in the first show in town, at what’s now known as Resorts Casino Hotel.
Following that job, she also worked at Trump Castle, a night club named Kicks and Bally Park Place, back when they did elaborate productions with about 30 dancers and a featured singer or magic act.
At some point during those dancing days, she earned an interior design degree from Jefferson University, which was called Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science at the time. Lotka pursued that career for more than 20 years and now teaches it, along with painting, at the Cape May County Library System.
In 2005, Lotka bought a second home at the shore, and in 2015, she decided to move permanently to Cape May County.
Lotka had always been involved in the arts in one way or another, so when she made the move she was looking for a way to keep doing that. Although she spent most of her life dancing and went to school for interior design, she started painting.
When asked why she made the transition, she said, “I have always felt the need to create and a lot of the things that are involved in dance are involved in painting. For instance, balance and line, and contrast and repetition. Those are all principles of art that also apply in the dance world.”
She was walking down Asbury Avenue one day and happened into Ocean City Fine Arts League, which is a small art gallery on the 700 Block of the avenue.
“I saw wonderful artwork and spoke to a nice person at the desk and she gave me a brochure to become a member,” said Lotka. “So I got a really good feeling from them and I joined, and now every month I put something in their show. I also occasionally work there as a volunteer.”
The shows, which are also known as Group Show Receptions, take place the second Friday of each month from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
During one of those receptions, the director of the Ocean City Arts Center, which features different artists each month, attended and asked Lotka if she’d like to have a solo show. So, in January, she’ll be the featured artist and present 40 paintings.
Lotka works with acrylic and her style is impressionistic, inspired by surrounding land and seascapes.
Her exhibit, titled, “and then again,” is supposed to represent the artistic process, when you start with one idea in mind and decide to go in a different direction through trying different techniques, which happened while she worked on the paintings.
Lotka’s show runs from Jan. 3 to 29, with a formal reception Jan.12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Arts Center, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City.
