What's your art?

Are you a cook, concrete specialist, bricklayer, building contractor, architect, musician, painter, illustrator, or sculptor? Do you sew, hook rugs, code html, draw or decorate seasonally or interiors? Creating is basic human nature whether a person's forte is making a pretty picture or making a comfortable home. Maybe this is why we have opposable thumbs, though animals create in their own sense. In particular, my pets usually create a mess, which is probably beauty to them.

As I sit in the quiet galleries at the Wassenberg Art Center on the eve of the holiday seasons the positive power of individuality silently echoes from each piece of work displayed under the gallery lights. I'm reminded of the power of good that there is in this world to create. The sculptures and paintings express a lack of fear and sense of pride residing in the artists who created them.

Individually they give voice and say this is who I am. Collectively, they say we are Van Wert, we are Northwest Ohio, we are Indiana, Toledo, Fort Wayne and the Tri-state area. They provide visual underscores to our culture. This is why art is so very important to our survival as a community, state and world.

So, what is your "art"? What do you create? The Wassenberg Art Center was established to provide this community the resources to find out, to help facilitate and to keep this crucial component of our identity alive and growing. So, in this time of thanksgiving and gift giving, consider the gift Charles Wassenberg left for this community and how you can say thank you by your participation.

The 22nd Annual Artists Exhibit and Sale, sponsored by Van Wert County Hospital and the Van Wert County Foundation, runs through Dec. 16. Our hours are, Tuesday-Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Stop in and give thought to the works representing the positive power of creation and identify us as community.

Tuesday night again is ArtNight from 6-8 p.m. Also starting Dec. 7 we'll begin offering ArtMorning! Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-noon. Nov. 30 starts, Beginning Oil Painting with Sally Geething. We still have a few openings, so if you are interested in signing up to explore the world of oil painting give us a call. The re-workability of oil paint and Sally's dynamic instruction technique and if the ruckus and sounds of laughter coming from the classroom is any indication, this class is pure fun.