Art, Arks & Vitality

     You can tell when a town has been blessed with sponsors who find that a community’s culture and arts breath alive and imperative. I want to take some time and personally thank Citizens National Bank and Purmort Brothers Insurance in association with Central Mutual Insurance Company for their recent sponsorship of our 34th Annual Photography Exhibit. Without the support of our shared vision we could not be a vital link to community health and growth. Not only does their generosity help fund our existing programming, it also helps keep the spark and momentum of new ideas and expansion alive. Again, thank you!

     I recently spent some time in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and had the pleasure of touring the Ann Arbor Art Center. A double storefront with 3 floors of bustling activity and color! It is always rewarding and inspiring to see others at work keeping art alive in their community. Ann Arbor is a hub of this kind of energy with outdoor cafés and music on the street. “The Ark”, a not for profit theater has hosted notable stars for many years. Their tagline “where music lives” resonates a commitment to keeping music alive for the Ann Arbor area.

     We are fortunate to have a history as long and varied as “The Ark” and continue to bring you eye candy art exhibits just as we have done for many years. On October 1 we will launch our 34th Annual Photography Exhibit with a public reception from 7–9 p.m. Awards will be given out at 8 p.m. This exhibit will run through October 28 and we look forward to seeing you there! As always exhibit admission is free.

     Art class registration continues with “Drawing in Your Right Mind,” already in progress on Tuesday evenings. Please check out our schedule or give us a call to find out to find out what class interests you! The line-up as it stands is: “Landscape Oil Painting with Sally Geething,” “Watercolor and Mixed Media,” “Dynamic Acrylic Painting,” “Anime/Manga”, “Beginning Drawing,” “Claymation,” “Medieval Multimedia and Initial Line Art. Instructor Matt Temple has been working with the print making equipment and bringing it back to life, so stay tuned for more offerings soon!

     Contact the art center at 419.238.6837 or wassenberg@embarqmail.com  for further information or to register.  Class size is limited, and preregistration is required.  The Wassenberg Art Center is located at 643 S. Washington Street in Van Wert, Ohio.

By Hope Wallace