More activities coming with warm weather

With the warm spring weather comes construction! The crew from Alexander & Bebout has begun our newest addition to the Wassenberg Art Park. By summer, we will have a pavilion that will serve to host bands, show movies, host weddings, and hold a picnic table when not in use. We think a flexible-use structure like this will make a great addition to the park. 

Next up?! Our annual High School Invitational Exhibit is opening on April 28 at 1 p.m. with a free, public opening reception. Free snacks and music. Be sure to check out the incredible art young people are creating! If you have a creative individual, have he or she contact an high school art teacher for the submission procedure.

Next Pint Night? Thursday April 25, 6-9 p.m. Heidelburg Distributors will be on hand to demonstrate craft beers and great wines. Live music by Weston Thompson and friends, art projects, check out our gift shop and hang out with friends.

Have you checked out our art classes? There is still time to sign up for our newest upcoming! Arm yourself with your paintbrush or pencil and join in. We promise, our art classes are mostly painless. Watercolor Class: Ongoing.Tuesday mornings 10 a.m. Openings available. Fee: $45 Regular, $40 WAC member cost.

ArtReach: After school art classes: Ages 7-11: Tuesdays and Ages 12 and up Thursdays. 3:30-5 p.m. Sign up anytime.

Three Summer Art Camps will be held during the weeks of June 11-14, July 9-12, and August 13-16. Young people ages 6-11 will meet at 10 a.m.-noon and ages 12 and up 1-3 p.m.

Instructor: Emilie Fisher. 

ArtNight: Thursday 6-9 p.m. Bring a group of friends and a project and come on in. We have staff on-hand to help you out. Do you play the piano, an instrument, participate in a drum circle? Let us know, our stage is open! We often feature quick and easy projects, which are posted on Facebook. 

Stained Glass Basics II (wait list): Instructor Joe Balyeat. May 1, 8, 15: 6-8 p.m. Learn to cut and piece together glass for a basic stained glass piece. Design options available. You will learn the Tiffany-foil method of stained glass. Class is $40 for members and $45 regular for a three-week course. Learn the basics for cutting glass, piecing it together, foiling and soldering. Materials included. Feel free to call to be put on the waitlist. Class attendance can fluctuate, so an opening may pop up. We will be offering a short stained glass one-day workshop in June. Stay tuned for details.

We still have openings Explore the Surface: Instructor Pat Rayman. May 3, 10, 17, 24, 10 a.m.-noon. (ages 18 and up) Learn multiple drawing techniques on various surfaces while learning composition and technique. Some of the surfaces we will be exploring are colored pencil on wood, scratchboard and pastels. Materials needed are: a sketchbook or drawing paper, drawing pencils, HB and 2B a black pen (fine or medium point) and colored pencils. $40 member price/$45 regular. Pat graduated from the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art in New Jersey and the Maryland Institute of Art in Baltimore. She taught elementary school art for 32 years, while staying current with workshops and teaching adults in varying art centers in the area. 

We are super excited. Mark your calendars! Firenation out of Toledo will be visiting the Wassenberg Art Center on August 24 with their mobile hot shop! They will be demonstrating the art of blowing glass. Opportunities to create your own glass item will be available. Stay tuned for details!

Our gift shop is open year-round. We get new items all the time. Great options to purchase one-of-a-kind, unique items, crafted by artisans in the area for the people who are one-of-a-kind to you. There is always a need throughout the year to purchase for those special to us and to show them how much we care and find them unique by purchasing the same. 

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. in Van Wert. We can be reached by telephone at 419.238.6837 or email at info@wassenbergartcenter.org.