Winds of change exhibit closes May 27 with party

By Hope Wallace

Our Winds of Change Exhibit is now on-view through May 27, time is “winding” down. Varied wind-themed artwork in ranging from painting, drawing, photography, and sculptural mediums deck the walls inside our gallery. Artists were encouraged to consider the effect of wind and wind-based clean energy in their lives and in the regional landscape. Please join us for a presentation and question and answer sessions on Thursday, May 26 at 6 p.m. hosted by Dan Litchfield of Iberdrola Renewables. Following on the next evening a closing party and award presentation will be held on May 27, 6–9 p.m. Featured performer, international blues musician Radoslav Lorkovic, of Chicago, will be returning to provide live music on our baby grand and his accordion. All exhibits, receptions and the presentation are free of charge. Cash bar.

On Wednesdays, through June 15, from 6–8 p.m. we will be continuing our popular pottery and begin again on June 29 for another 6-week session. Instructor: Megan Thomas. Megan graduated from BGSU with a Bachelors

degree in ceramics. She is also serving as our new Event/Programming Coordinator in addition to art instructor. She has exhibited and sold work in Ohio, Louisiana, and at the prestigious pottery community Watershed in Maine. As a revolving class, students will learn pottery wheel and hand-building skills. Come with project ideas, and let Megan help you realize them, or let Megan show you how to throw a bowl on a pottery wheel! Enjoy tea in a handmade cup every class. Class fee includes 25 lbs. of clay. Additional clay may be purchased. Materials required: Pottery tool kit, 1 gallon bucket, spray bottle, clean-up sponge. An additional/optional materials list with more detail will be provided to you upon sign-up. $70 members/$75 regular. Conveniently sign up online below.

Classic Watercolor Class: Tuesdays 10 a.m.–noon, ages 15–150. Instructor: Pat Rayman Students will learn some of the classic and time-tested watercolor techniques for a solid base and further their watercolor painting skills. This class is ongoing but we encourage you to jump in anytime. $35 members, $40 non-members. Materials required.

We will offer an Acrylic Painting class with Pat Rayman in the mornings in August and a drawing class in September also with Pat Rayman. Details to follow.

ArtNight: Every Thursday from 6–9 p.m. bring a friend, listen to some music, drink some wine. Make stuff!

An extended summer camp for youth ages 6–18 will begin June 7 and this year run through July 28! Summers should be filled with creativity. Instructors Megan Thomas and Maria Coward have developed a unique program for every level and age group. Scholarships available. Please call the art center for more information.

The details for the second annual Town Creek Live (Formerly Eats on the Streets) are really coming together! As soon as the adoption forms come in, duck sales will begin! Mark your calendars for July 9, 3 p.m. – midnight. We will have twice the trucks, more ducks and not one, but two bands this year! We have confirmed our favorite fire-performers, Pyroscope and they have been instructed to get crazy. Sam Dell of Bryan will be joining us earlier in the day inside the gallery for live entertainment and we are welcoming the pipes of Aubrey Gebert, one of Van Wert’s youngest upcoming vocal artists! Dan Smythe Band (6-piece) of Fort Wayne begins at 5 p.m. and will be followed by the Holbrook Brother’s Band of Montpelier. This is an outrageous combo Van Wert’s own Real Human Robot will return to keep things lively. Ducks will go on sale shortly and this year’s recipient of our donation will be The Recking Crew! Ducks will be $5 each or $25 for a quack pack. Buy a quack-pack and get a free “My duck is faster than yours” button!

For more information on exhibits and events or to sign up for classes and events visit: wassenbergartcenter.org. The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 214 S. Washington St. (former Van Wert Armory). We can also be reached by telephone at: 419.238.6837, email: info@wassenbergartcenter.org and our website is: wassenbergartcenter.org.