Everyone is invited to a fun opening reception

By Hope Wallace

This past weekend we chose to set up our LineArt class in the room where we’d be surrounded by the works of the late Clyde Burt of nearby Melrose. One reason was due to space constraints with other classes going on, but mostly because these dramatic and naturally inspiring ceramic wall murals cause people to linger, myself included. The hustle/bustle seems to drop back in importance as the works literally draw you in. You find yourself wanting to know more about this man and his art. The Wassenberg Art Center Association is humbled and delighted to be the first, public exhibit of Burt’s work in over 30 years. A pioneer in the American Studio Pottery movement, In 1967 one of his pieces was chosen for the Arts and Embassy program established during the Kennedy administration. It hung in the American Embassy in Nigeria under Ambassador Brown’s tenure, and It is now hanging in our front gallery. Even though located in a rural community, the Wassenberg Art Center is known to show high caliber works, and the Burt exhibit is no exception. Burt has pieces in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and has won awards through the Art Institute of Chicago. We are very fortunate to share this body of work with people and we are thankful to the Burt family for placing their trust in us to do so.

In our large gallery, Animé/Manga students were surrounded by the works of the Indiana Wildlife Artists as they worked. Tigers, herons, raccoons, flowers, deer and many other flora and fauna watched in quiet approval as young people created their

storyboards. Listening to the laughter followed by periods of quiet concentration, I am reminded how fortunate the community of Van Wert is to have such a legacy passed onto them by Charles Wassenberg. In turn, I am reminded how happy running the art center with its mission to foster human creativity makes me. So again, thank you Mr. Wassenberg.

We invite everyone to our public reception to celebrate the ongoing support from the surrounding community of the Wassenberg Art Center, and to celebrate the efforts of the Indiana Wildlife Artists and Clyde Burt¹s ceramic murals. We will have some wine tasting and refreshments featuring the delicious cheeses from Canal Junction Cheese. Canal Junction gourmet, all-natural cheeses are made just up the road in Junction, located along the Auglaize River, south of Defiance, by the Schlatter family. The Schlatters create their own recipes from the milk of grass fed cows who are free to roam extensive pastures and produce the best milk for the cheese. The reception runs from 6-8 p.m. this Saturday, February 4. Stop by, say hello and celebrate the global quality art and food which comes from our own small world.

As always, our classes are ongoing and diverse. Give us a call or email us and we can send you a schedule. Upcoming selections are Oil Painting, which is every Wednesday with Sally Geething. There is one more day to sign up for Printmaking with Matt Temple. Brooke will be showing how to Paint with Wine on February 15 and 22, and don¹t worry, you can sip along too! Beginning Ceramics for youth has filled, but we will be offering this again in the near future, so stay tuned! Dynamic Watercolor starting on February 7 with the lovely and accomplished Pat Rayman still has a few open spots and Beginning Photoshop with yours truly, will begin on February 7 as well.

Contact the art center at 419.238.6837 or by email: wassenberg@embarqmail.com The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 South Washington Street in Van Wert.