Being bored is a choice

By Hope Wallace

When my girls were little (and not so little) and would complain to me that they were bored, I’d respond primly with the words, “that is your choice”. Their response usually resulted in their slumped shoulders and a heavy tread toward the back door or their bedrooms. Every once in a while, delighted, I would spy them heavily engrossed in an art project or a favorite game of dress up. Only once did dress-up result in my boss’s son being tied to a tree and being circled by my daughters clad in Native American costume. After confirming all was well and the boy was happily playing the role of cowboy I was quite thankful my boss had a sense of humor.  I digress.

Being bored certainly is a choice and sometimes it’s good to simply be bored. It’s quieting. However, there is always something to be done. It’s the thing that separates us from the other mammals that inhabit this earth. We make stuff. We make stuff with forethought, and instinct not simply the latter.

We will be making a lot of stuff in the coming months readying the Van Wert Armory to become our new home and this will be our main focus for the next several months. Our classes and exhibits will go on here at 643 S. Washington St. as always except for the added dust we might be kicking up. What would you like to see happen as at the bigger, better Wassenberg Art Center? What are your ideas of how you think an art center can become a more involved and integral part of Van Wert?

As we prepare for the holidays and anticipate spending time with family and friends, I’m struck with the bittersweet thought that this will be the last Christmas we spend in the old Wassenberg house, which has been tackling “I’m bored” since the 1930s. This house has served the Van Wert area well and it is out intent to continue to serve our community in a much broader fashion. We look forward to this challenge and it’s doubtful we’ll be bored anytime soon.

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and creative New Year.

The Wassenberg Art Center’s hours during exhibits are: Tuesday through Sunday 1–5 p.m. and you may contact the art center at 419.238.6837, by email: info@wassenbergartcenter.org or via our website at: wassenbergartcenter.org. The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 S. Washington St. in Van Wert.