Wassenberg collection on display now

By Hope Wallace

To celebrate this sunny day and the knowledge that spring is around the corner we are going to travel to warm Bradenton, Fla., to visit the Village of the Arts (VOTA). Established in 1999, the Village is located in the southern section of downtown Bradenton and is comprised of 240 residential structures. Within this 42 acre area are 30 galleries, studios and businesses. Approximately half of the village buildings are artist-occupied residences. Three cafes/restaurants, arts-related retail businesses, a yoga studio, two wellness centers and the home of the Manatee County Cultural Alliance are also located within VOTA. All of these entities are located in refurbished residential properties, many of which were constructed in the 1920s. Supported by the nonprofit Artists Guild of Manatee, 20 percent of the businesses located in the Village of the Arts are full-time ventures.  The number doubled in the past few years as VOTA continues to invest in marketing, signage and cooperative ventures with other local cultural outlets. One of the newest galleries in VOTA is Arte Coyoacano, which carries popular Mexican art, fine art paintings, sculpture and towering sculptures of wood, plaster and found objects by owner/artist Alfredo Garcia. Garcia, a self-taught artist, has one of 10 VOTA galleries which opened for business in 2009.

The Wassenberg Art Center’s Adult Student Show & Tell exhibit is open now through March 3. We invite you to come and enjoy these artworks by area artists at skill levels from beginner to professional!  Many of the works in the exhibit are the adult students of Pat Rayman, our most popular and prolific instructor. “Art is for everyone” is a common theme throughout her classes and her students do well. Many people are surprised at the level of work they are capable of doing with just a little guidance from an instructor. This exhibit runs in conjunction with selections from the Wassenberg Art Center collection. A highlight of the WAC collection show is an original painting by David Humphreys Miller. Miller was originally from Van Wert, the son of Lew Miller, a well-known artist who lived on N. Washington St.  As a young man in high school, David Humphreys Miller became interested in the Battle of Little Big Horn. He wanted to investigate the battle from the perspective of the Native Americans who had fought in it. Learning five dialects, he individually interviewed and painted from life the 72 Native American survivors of the battle. Much of the information we know as truth today is attributed to Miller’s research.

The Ohio Watercolor Society (OWS) traveling exhibit will open on March 9 and continue through

March 31. We invite you to attend the public opening reception running from 1 to 3 p.m. where refreshments will be provided. The Ohio Watercolor Society’s traveling exhibit is comprised of approximately 40 watercolor paintings selected from last year’s OWS competition. Winners of this competition go on to compete in national level competitions of the prestigious American Watercolor Society (AWS). The artists from all over Ohio and some border states that are represented in this show are just another shining example of the powerful talent Ohio has to offer. As a side note, we are excited to be scheduled to host the American Watercolor Society exhibit in early 2015.

During the opening reception of the Ohio Watercolor Society exhibit on March 9, you are invited to create a ceramic tile. These handmade tiles will be used in and around the Wassenberg Art Center’s future home in the old Van Wert Armory building, which is currently being remodeled into a state-of-the-art community art center. Areas such as the stage front, restrooms and outdoor areas will receive a splash of uniqueness with these tiles and will further mark the Wassenberg Art Center as a community effort.

On April 24, our friends at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center will have international National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore on hand for a color-saturated presentation on photographing some of the worlds most exotic wildlife.  Another event, “Remembering Rockwell”, presented by Ceci Wiselogel and scheduled for March 14 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will let you learn more about “America’s Favorite Illustrator.”  Visit the Niswonger Performing Arts Center website for ticket information, and ticket prices are very reasonable.

If you have any questions regarding the classes or programs and would like to sign up please call the Wassenberg Art Center at: 419.238.6837, email: info@wassenbergartcenter.org or register for classes online at: wassenbergartcenter.org. Hours during exhibits are: Tuesday through Sunday 1–5 p.m. The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 S. Washington St. in Van Wert.