Rifle added to exhibit

By Hope Wallace 

A new item has been added to the Faces of Little Bighorn exhibit. Dr. John Trippy, owner of Father John’s Microbrewery in Bryan, Wild Wind Bison Farm in Fremont, Indiana and former Van Wert resident has presented an antique rifle to be placed on short-term loan for the Faces of Little Bighorn exhibit held within the Wassenberg Art Center. The rifle has been installed above a painting of warrior, John Sitting Bull. John Sitting Bull was the adopted son of Chief Sitting Bull and was a deaf mute. The stories from the survivors is when U.S. soldiers were trying to disarm the Lakota at Wounded Knee, John became confused and would not relinquish his rifle. It accidentally fired causing the melee and subsequent carnage. We wish to thank Dr. Trippy for his generous contribution.

Our Wassenberg Photography Exhibit is coming up soon! Prospectus have gone out and entries will be due by September 14. We can’t wait to see what you come up with a couple different categories we added. If you know someone who enjoys photography, encourage them to enter. This exhibit is for youth, adults, amateurs and professional photographers. Opening reception will be held on October 2 from 1–5 p.m. For more information please see our or give us a call.

Art Classes:

Watercolor Techniques: Tuesdays, from 10 a.m.-noon. Ongoing. Monthly fee is $35 art center member price/$45 regular price. Instructor: Pat Rayman. Materials required. Online sign up available.

ArtNight: Free. Thursdays 6 – 9 p.m. Ongoing. Cash bar.

Daytime Drawing Class: A morning drawing class to be held on Fridays, held on Sep. 9, 16, 23, 30 from 10 a.m. until noon for ages 14–132. Instructor Pat Rayman will demonstrate ways to improve drawing skill to produce more dramatic results. Materials needed are: a sketchbook or drawing paper, drawing pencils, HB and 2B a black pen (fine or medium point) and colored pencils. 
Materials needed are: a sketchbook or drawing paper, drawing pencils, HB and 2B a black pen (fine or medium point) and colored pencils. Online sign up available.

Evening Pottery Class: Evening pottery classes be held beginning Sept.  7, 14, 21, 28 and Oct. 5 and 12. Basic through more advanced techniques will be featured by instructor Maria Coward. Maria has a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree from Indiana Univesty/Purdue University,where she concentrated in ceramics and printmaking. Come with project ideas, and let Maria help you realize them, or let her show you how to throw a bowl on a pottery wheel! Class fee includes 25 lbs. of clay. Additional clay may be purchased. Materials suggested: 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.

ArtReach (ages 7–11 and 12–15) We are again offering our popular ArtReach after school art program! Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 13 for ages 7–11, and Thursday, September 8 for ages 12-16 will be offering this after-school art program for the duration of the school year. Students will receive a snack and then get down to creating! Parents can drop off their youngsters after school and pick them up at 5 p.m. Our program provides students with a much needed boost in visual art instruction, which has been proven to boost critical thinking and math skills.

Instructor Diane Bendele earned her bachelors degree in art education from Bowling Green State University and her Masters degree in education from Ohio State. As an art educator for 35 years, she has worked with students of all ages in the traditional classroom setting as well as the online classroom. She has organized student art exhibits, and served as judge for art shows. Diane has been commissioned to create interior and exterior murals. She has exhibited her work at Delphos Area Art Guild shows, American Gallery of Sylvania Ohio, BGSU, Delphos Postal Museum, and Art Space Lima. Diane works in acrylic and oil paints as well in fibers and concrete sculptures.

Cost for the program is charged monthly and is $40 for Wassenberg Art Center members and $45 for non-members during the regular school year. Most supplies will be provided. All holidays and cancellations will follow Van Wert City School schedules.

An online registration is also available on our website. Spaces are limited and fill up quickly. Need-based scholarships are also available on a limited basis and go quickly. Please contact the Wassenberg Art Center for more information.

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