Brain Drain through the Membrane

By Hope Wallace

How many members of the Kardashian family can you name? How many famous artists? If you can name more Kardashians than artists you may want to lift your head out of the sand. What is brain drain? Also know as the hollowing out of America, this phenomenon is common in small communities across the United States and is responsible for the declining population we have here in Van Wert. How does it happen? There has always been a fluctuation of rural vs. urban inhabitation but we here in Van Wert are losing our young people to larger cities or to different areas altogether. When deaths outweigh births, it’s not good.

Attracting people to and halting a declining population within a community isn’t as simple as getting a retail business to locate to an area and provide eight or so minimum-wage-paying jobs. It takes foresight and the ability to look deeper. One wouldn’t try to heal a broken arm with a Band-Aid^® strip, nor should a community attempt to reverse a declining demographic with development that may not have the best interest in its historic, architecturally significant downtown area. Can this development go the distance? We want to attract jobs that can provide a decent living so graduating high school and college students will stay and not move off to cities simply to be able to make a living or to take advantage of a more active life or a town that has more varied activities to offer.

If I owned a mid- to large-size business capable of bringing say, 50–100 jobs to the area, would I look for a strong arts community as opposed to a prevalence of small discount retail chains? Absolutely. Why is this? It all goes back to that basic human need to create, whether it is a fine sculpture, wonderful food or a great carpentry project. People make stuff and are happiest when they are doing so. As that business owner, would I look for a place that could keep all levels of employees happy, engaged in vital community activities a strong arts support system can provide? Yes. How and what does this have to do with art?

What if we had a centrally located facility to draw serious artists who create glass, pottery, metal work, paintings and other forms? What if that facility could support young people, both college-bound and those who might prefer to stay in the area?  A town that produces serious art and music attracts people. Serious art is, simply put, cool. People come to visit, people attend the town’s festivals, demonstrations and art fairs because it is fun to shop at original shops, eat at unique restaurants and play here.

Since the economy has declined, urban housing costs have skyrocketed. Increased competition alone makes it difficult for an artist to live in an urban location and often requires the artist to work three jobs to maintain. As a result, and with the ability to plug in, a trend in the art world is emerging. Artists are seeking out rural communities to create their work even though the market for the artist’s work is greater in cities. The cost of small town living is much lower allowing the artist more time to focus on their passion. This is a good thing for Van Wert! Van Wert has a history steeped in the arts and from that a current infrastructure to support incoming artists still exists. The potential for Van Wert to become a vital arts destination community is very attainable.

Another vital part of our infrastructure is music, and music has always been an important component of Van Wert. With the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, our active civic theater and the free concerts in the parks we already have many components to becoming a destination community. Mr. Niswonger gifted much of the performing arts center to Van Wert to attract people to his hometown. The Niswonger Foundation provides scholarships to students and in return requests that for each year a student is supported, that student must agree to return to their rural community and give back.

We have the components to create an art destination community. We have that which can retain our people, draw newcomers and visitors. Participation in, promotion of and growth of our visual art capabilities is essential for survival. Let’s put our resources both architecturally and intellectually to work!

Our next exhibit opens on August 11 with a public wine reception and we’ll be hosting wife-and-husband team Mille Guldbeck and Jens Svendsen, who were struck by the importance of this flower and our multiple gardens to Van Wert. Mille is a professor of painting at Bowling Green State University and Jens holds an MFA in Fine Art and an RN in psychiatric nursing. Jens has also taught art at BGSU and currently works with adults with autism. Mille completed her education in painting at the Jutland Fine Arts Academy in Denmark and received her MFA from the University of Iowa. Prior to that time she had lived and worked in Europe, completing degrees in anthropology, painting and printmaking. Art galleries worldwide represent Mille’s work. Jens’ drawings tend to be focused around portraiture and animals, are often rendered on corrugated cardboard or brown paper grocery bags. He specializes in drawing and has a background in 3-D and printmaking. His work resides in private collections in the U.S. and Denmark. This exhibit runs through September 5 and admission is free.

On August 14, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., and back by popular demand, Karen Koch will join us to host our second chocolate and wine tasting. The chocolates and wines will be from our very own state of Ohio. Cost is $25/member or $30 for non-members. Join us for this informative and very tasty evening and help promote good things. Proceeds benefit the Wassenberg Art Center.

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. During the storm recovery you may reach us at: 419.572.9942. The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 South Washington Street in Van Wert.