Time to get on the Wassenberg SoapBox

Join us this Saturday, March 16, from 6-9 p.m., for great art, snacks, music, awards, good company, and a cash bar. We all have something important to say. We are saying it with art. This all media exhibit is about your visual interpretation of the word or meaning of the word SoapBox. Free entry and always open to the public.

Art Teachers, heads up! The annual High School Invitational call for entries is coming your way. This is always a cutting edge exhibit and a great way to see what is going on with young artists. Exhibit dates: April 28-May 12.

 “Blink!” has been chosen to be constructed at the Wassenberg Art Park sometime this summer! Artist Todd Kime of Toledo has won the proposal to create an interactive sculpture that is wind/human powered. The sculpture will pay homage to the firefly whose numbers are declining due to pesticide use. Stay tuned for further developments. This sculpture was made possible by a grant from the Ohio Arts Council, with matching funds provided by the Van Wert County Foundation and Avangrid Renewables

Pint Night is coming up quickly! Thursday, March 28, from 6-9 p.m., Premiere Beverage Company will be on hand to demonstrate craft beers from popular breweries such as Dark Horse and Founder’s Brewing Company. April 25, special guest Heidelberg Distribution, demonstrating new brews and wine! Music and art available.  

Have you checked out our art classes? There is still time to sign up! Arm yourself with your paintbrush or pencil and join in. We promise, our art classes are painless.  

Watercolor Class: ongoing. Tuesday mornings 10 a.m. Openings available.  Fee: $45 Regular, $40 WAC member cost.

Elements of the Draw: Instructor Matt Temple. March 8, 14, 21, and 28: 6-8 p.m. Matt will demonstrate art techniques such as perspective, shading, pen and colored pencil techniques and more. Matt is a holds a degree in Fine Art from Defiance College and a degree in computer animation from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and in addition to being the Wassenberg office manager has exhibit extensively in the region. His varied and strong rendering skills will help persons 14 years and up take their art game up a notch further. A list of materials will be available shortly. Fee: $60 Regular, $55 WAC member cost. 

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

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: Instructor Joe Balyeat. April 3, 10, and 17: 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.

Explore the Surface: Instructor Pat Rayman. May 3, 10, 17, and 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. 

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. (former Van Wert Armory). We can also be found on Facebook.