Art Center officially moved

By Hope Wallace

The moving truck rolled out last night at about 8 p.m. The Wassenberg Art Center has officially changed lodgings. We are already getting settled in and these large boxes of files that require my attention don’t seen to be going away on their own. We want to thank the Trustees of the Van Wert County Foundation, in particular current Executive Secretary, Larry Wendel for allowing us to realize our vision and provide Van Wert with a very strong visual arts presence. Our new address is 214 S. Washington St. Our telephone number has remained the same. While we are only open by appointment at this time, we will return to regular programming on Nov. 17.

The first order of business scheduled is accepting new artwork for our 24^th Annual Artists’ Exhibit & Sale this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 9 and 10, from 1-5 p.m. This is a non-juried show, which means the work presented according to the call-for-entry guidelines will be accepted and available for exhibit and sale through Dec. 20. If you are interested in becoming a member and showcasing your work in this exhibit give us a shout. We will officially open the 24^th Annual Artist Sale & Exhibit on Sunday, Nov. 17, 1-5 p.m. This exhibit brought to you by the Van Wert County Hospital and the Van Wert County Foundation is a great opportunity to shop for the holidays while supporting local artists. Prices for original art are reasonable and you will be presenting your loved ones with original, quality items.

Because of our newfound space, now we can have more than one exhibit at a time! Faces of Little Bighorn will also make its debut on Nov. 17. Provided by long-term loan from donor Robert Brent Stevens, this exhibit ties Van Wert to the pivotal American battle, the Battle of Little Bighorn. The work and interviews of the late David Humphreys Miller, who grew up in Van Wert, links our community to some very compelling research and findings regarding the mysteries surrounding this battle. At the tender age of 16, Miller, armed with $100 and a car, headed out West to begin interviewing the surviving Lakota/Sioux warriors to learn their side of the U.S. slanted story. He kept right on going and ended up writing two books based on those interviews, and painted 72 portraits, and consulted in popular Western films such as Cheyenne Autumn. Valued at nearly one million dollars, Faces of Little Bighorn will be the only collection of David’s work displayed anywhere in the country. This will become a dynamic exhibit that will continue to evolve, change and become more interactive.

If you have any questions regarding exhibits, classes or programs or would like to get involved please call the Wassenberg Art Center at 419.238.6837, email info@wassenbergartcenter.org or you may register online at wassenbergartcenter.org.