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Wiley Art Gallery – Lawrence County Art Association
April 30, 2021 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
The Lawrence County Art Association will hold a public reception on Friday, April 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. to open a new art display. The show is open themed and features over 30 unique works in oil, acrylic, colored pencil, watercolor, pastels, photography, and mixed media.
What makes a painting special for an artist? Often it’s something that holds personal memories. A young man’s likeness painted from an old photograph holds fond memories for local artist Phyllis Westfall, because that man was her brother who passed away.
LCAA member James Hutchinson illustrates his books with special scenes of growing up in Bedford and serving in World War II. Marlo Engler’s work documents life on a Hoosier farm. Dottie Sherwood’s legacy lies in her paintings of Spring Mill Park.
Other artists are less sentimental: “I’ve done paintings that are close to my heart,” said LCAA president Sammie Justesen, “but whatever I’m working on at any given time is my favorite. Once a painting is finished, I move on to another favorite. “
Each show at the Wiley Art Gallery spotlights how artists view the world around them by finding beauty in everyday settings and landscapes. As one artist said, “Like Van Gogh’s painting of a pair of old boots: You don’t need to paint a cathedral, you just have to be an interesting painter.”
For people who’d like to create favorites for themselves, art instructor Deb Weld will open the gallery on the first Saturday of each month from 10 a.m until 1 p.m. with projects such as painting straw hats, making floor cloths, and more traditional artwork. Deb will provide supplies and anyone over 14 is invited to drop in and participate. The project on Saturday, May 1 will be a simple floral painting.
The Thursday painters’ group welcomes artists and visitors from 1 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and colored pencil artists work at the gallery on Thursday mornings.
The Wiley Art Gallery is located at 14th and J Streets in downtown Bedford, directly across from the Milwaukee Depot. Hours are Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.; Fridays 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For further information, visit Lawrence County Art Association on Facebook.
