Holiday projects, upcoming exhibits

By Hope Wallace

The art center is getting ready for its “long winter’s nap” over the holidays. Things may look quiet on the outside, but things are still happening on the inside as we prepare for 2017. We wish everyone the best holiday season ever and hope that the new year brings peace and positive surprises. We reopen to the public on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.

ArtNight will be held this Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. The evening is free if you bring your own project, or do one of our projects for a small fee. Our current feature project is clay animal ornaments! Make one, make 20! ArtNights occur every Thursday evening from 6–9 p.m. This clay animal ornament project price is $6 each for the first ornament and $2 each following ornament. Price includes your first glass of house wine and unlimited hot chocolate (additional wine at regular WAC prices). Feel free to bring snacks and invite your friends

Don’t forget! Deadline for “Enchanted!” exhibit artwork is January 6 and 7! The “Enchanted!” exhibit will explore fantasy, faeries; and their gardens & houses, dragons, wizardry, elves – or whatever the artist feels is magical and enchanting, be it an old tree or a beautiful sunset. This show is open to anyone 15 years old and up and is an all-media show accepting drawings, paintings, sculpture and photography. Art intake is scheduled for January 6-7, 2017. A $25 entry fee allows the artist to display four (4) pieces of artwork from January 14-29, 2017. Artists are encouraged to list their work for sale, but it is not mandatory. Complete guidelines are available online, at the art center, or call to receive a prospectus.

We are sorting all of the items donated to our Warm Up the Ridge project. Sincere thanks to everyone who has donated warm clothing and other items to assist the residents of Pine Ridge Reservation, who are struggling through another freezing winter in South Dakota. We will be loading the trailer and setting out for the reservation on December 30. Pine Ridge Reservation is where most of the descendants of the Little Bighorn warriors reside. They often live in third-world living conditions and the winters are brutal. Fuel oil is hard to come by and expensive, so warm clothing is urgently needed. Our contact, Marian Whitemouse,  granddaughter of Dewey Beard, whose picture is included in the WAC display of David Humphreys Miller Native American portraits, will distribute the items when they reach the reservation.

Art Classes:

Watercolor Techniques will resume on Tuesday, January 10, from 10 a.m.- noon. This is an ongoing class with a monthly fee; contact us for more information. Instructor: Pat Rayman. Online sign-up is available.

ArtNight: ArtNight will resume on January 12, 6-9 p.m. The featured project is a hand-dyed silk scarf. $20 gets you one scarf and enough dye to make and take plus your first glass of house wine. Additional available at regular art center prices. Check out our website, Facebook page or give us a call. You may also bring your own projects to work on, free of charge.

ArtReach (ages 7–11 and 12–15) Ongoing: Sign up whenever you want. We still have space available in our popular ArtReach after school art program! Ages 7-11 meet on Tuesdays and ages 12 and up meet on Thursdays. This after-school art program continues for the duration of the school year. Students 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, math skills and many other academic and social benefits. ArtReach 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. Cost for the program is charged monthly and is $40 for Wassenberg Art Center members and $45 for regular price during the regular school year. Supplies are provided. All holidays and cancellations will follow Van Wert City School schedules. An online registration is also available on our website. Need-based scholarships are available. 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. (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.