Roadblocks and baking soda

By Hope Wallace

If you happened to be trying to get through town this morning, you may have found the road blocked momentarily by large sheets of metal roofing being unloaded by an even larger truck. These were being placed in preparation for their installation on the armory roof. While you were sitting there, (thank you for your patience) maybe you noticed that the eyes of the armory are indeed bright. Rager Home Improvement Inc. has recently finished trimming out the new energy efficient replacement windows throughout the facility and what a difference a simple window can make. The rest of the building, in the throes of renovation, well, look rough, but the white trim pops out, makes the brick look fresher and hints at the good things the building is headed for.

Back in January I dragged Brian Renner, president of First Federal Savings & Loan through an armory filled with baking soda dust. Back when the project started Spray’s Construction pressure-sprayed encapsulated baking soda onto the original glazed block walls to clean them. So this fog of dust was not similar to a bit of drywall dust, no, this is walk-around-like-Count-Dracula-holding-up-a-cape-so-you-can-breathe-dust. I wanted to show Brian what the armory could mean to Van Wert and how much an art center can appeal to a much larger group of people than just to the mysterious art world. Apparently Brian and First Federal think so too. Sometime after that, Mike Cross, one of our Foundation board members, presented the portal sculpture concept to First Federal’s board and they voted to fund the hand-forged archway. The sculpture will be created by nationally known sculptor and blacksmith Michael Bendele of Delphos. We can’t say thank you enough to First Federal Savings and Loan for their generosity and commitment to our community. Their example of civic pride is a testament to the residents and to northwest Ohio as a whole.

Our next round of classes starts Saturday with Anime/Manga drawing classes. Anime is taught by Matthew Temple, Wassenberg Art Center’s office manager and instructor. This class is a great way for young people to learn how to draw people, deal with proportion and expression. If you haven’t signed up, or have a question about our many other choices of instruction give us a call for more details.

Our next exhibit is the 2013 annual High School Invitational and is sponsored by Cooper Farms. We invite you to celebrate the hard work and skill of our young artists! We are looking forward to providing these artists a respected and local venue to exhibit their work. This a juried competition with the student having an opportunity to win cash prizes. The works on exhibit come from area high schools within a 35-mile radius of the Wassenberg Art Center. Public opening reception is April 20 with awards presented at 7 p.m.

On May 10, 6–10 p.m. May 11, 9–Midnight, 12 9 a.m.–5 p.m. We are holding an all weekend scrapbooking crop as a fundraiser for the NEW Wassenberg Art Center! This is an excellent opportunity for Senior moms, new moms, and all the rest of you who are woefully behind on your projects to finish them or make some great progress! All proceeds benefit the Wassenberg Art Center. Cost for the entire weekend: $50, Friday – $10, Saturday – $30, Sunday – $20.00
. Sign up for the entire weekend or partial as priced. Payment can be made at or sent to the Wassenberg Art Center prior to arriving to reserve your table. Snacks will be served on Friday night and Saturday will have a continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks. Sunday we will have a continental breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Water, ice and coffee will be provided or you may bring in any other drink of your choice. No alcohol, please. In addition there will be gift packs for all, a raffle table with $1 tickets or 6 tickets for $5, and scrapbook vendors.

On April 24, the Niswonger Performing Arts Center will have international National Geographic, photographer Joel Sartore for a color saturated presentation on photographing some of the worlds most exotic wildlife and since we love photography we can’t help but want to more about this world renowned photographer and see his amazing work. For ticket information call the NPAC at 419.238.NPAC (6722) or visit their website at npacvw.org.

If you have any questions regarding the classes or programs and would like to sign up please call the Wassenberg Art Center at 419.238.6837, email info@wassenbergartcenter.org or register for classes online at wassenbergartcenter.org. Hours during exhibits are: Tuesday through Sunday 1–5 p.m. The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 S. Washington St. in Van Wert.