Offering Much to the Community

By Hope Wallace

Paint a Pig? That’s right, you heard correctly. Okay, we wanted to paint a real pig but we had trouble getting one to hold still. Our large papier maché pig is just waiting to be decorated at the Van Wert Rib Fest coming up this weekend! When he’s completed we’ll apply a weather-protective coating so he can grace the Van Wert County Rib Fest in the future. We’ll be at our tent near the Visitor and Convention Bureau information booth so stop in and see us. We are registering for our fall classes and we can get you signed up right there or you can take a brochure to check out at your leisure. Second, we can explain how being a member of the Wassenberg Art Center benefits you, your family and our community. We will have Van Wert County Fair exhibit registration forms and your questions regarding fair entries. We will have forms available for the first ever Paint Out! which takes place during the Van Wert Hot Air Festival.

The next round of late summer classes will consist of painting, Anime, Drawing, Beginning Photoshop and many other one- or two-evening classes that are easy on our crazy schedules and on the budget. We have a continuation of our Claymation Class, an extension on the art of Muppetry, traditional watercolor, acrylics, the art of Animé/Manga, which teaches youth human proportion, portraiture and perspective.  You don’t have to be an artist to enjoy making stuff. You can sign up several ways, by calling us, emailing or you can register online. Easy!

Our next exhibit begins on August 11 and runs through September 5 featuring artist couple, Mille Guldbeck and Jens Svendsen. Mille and Jens were struck by the historical and contemporary importance of the American Garden and the Peony 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. The exhibit opens with public wine reception on August 11 from 6–8 p.m. Admission to this exhibit is free and is sponsored by 1^st Federal Savings & Loan of Van Wert.

Chocolate AND wine. Two of our favorites and on August 14 we’ll host a chocolate and wine fundraiser event and taste chocolate and wine found around Ohio. Karen Koch returns with two of life’s favorite vices and will demonstrate the differences in types of chocolate and how to pair with food and wine. The wine will be furnished by the Winery at Versailles and Stoney Ridge Winery, Bryan. The tasting runs from 6:30–8:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit the art center so sign up soon to save your space.

If all that activity isn’t enough, there is more. We are also going to be celebrating the Van Wert Hot Air Festival by hosting a Plein Air Paint Out on Friday and Saturday September 7-8. Plein Air translates roughly to “open air” and there are painters who specialize in this technique. Attracted to the way light interprets our world plein air painters often work very quickly to capture what we see out if the world. A painting sale will follow the paint out and cash prizes will be awarded. This is open to anyone and registration information can be found on our website and Facebook page. Dr. and Mrs. Kevin Laing sponsor this competition. We also have applications available here at the 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. The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 South Washington Street in Van Wert.