African masks unmasked
Many people in Western society think of a mask as a disguise or a way to play the role of another person or animal at Halloween. But when Pablo Picasso…
Art-to-Art Palette Journal
Framing great-great-grandma, etc.
Previously, we discussed framing paintings; this week we’re moving on to the challenge of framing photos. Framed photos, including those old sepia pictures of great-great relatives and family events…
Milt Caniff and ‘Terry and the Pirates’
Milt Caniff (1907-1988) was unique among American cartoonists of his time because he had a college education. Caniff attended Ohio State University, graduating in 1930. During his time at OSU,…
‘Wall works’ are gigantic signs of hope
Murals created by fresco painting have existed since 300 BC and even earlier using more primitive methods. Once thought of as having a significant impact on communities with messages…
The Stage behind the scenes
“Shop of Horrors” A Broadway performance can deliver a real punch with the performers set under the right background and lighting. There are many aspects in bringing a great show…
Framed! And lookin’ good…
All right, you’ve purchased an original painting – but it isn’t framed. Now what do you do? If you want your picture to look its best, please don’t think “Well,…
He should have stayed acting
    The art of acting has seen few practitioners more passionate than John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865). During his acting career he was called “the handsomest man in America†and a…
Art of the Ballroom Dance
Does Ballroom Dancing remind you of an era when the world was simplistic and sincere? When people were cultured and courteous, naïve and polite? Music was pleasant,…
Give your senses a ‘Zen off’
Many people think that Zen has to do with having a Chinese or Japanese flair to their furnishings, but nothing could be further from the truth. While Zen was…
Following a Dream
Artists seem to have two things in common: Knowing that there is only one path in life to follow and not being afraid to fail. If you ask any…
Animal drawing requires observation
Animals are one of the most popular subjects for paintings, drawings and sculpture. From the Stone Age to the present, artists have been inspired by animals. But even with…
Herblock lampooned the mighty
    “The political cartoon is not a news story and not an oil portrait. It’s essentially a means for poking fun, for puncturing pomposity. Cartooning is an irreverent form of…
Cameras help expand our global knowledge
The earliest cameras were used to record the appearance of things — people, animals, landscapes, buildings. The very first photograph showed a cluttered worktable. At first there was the…
They are history-makers for university
(AAPNW-KY) – University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto today announced that the 4,140 students comprising this fall’s first-year enrollment represent the most academically accomplished class in this institution’s nearly…
Artist will show you the magic
Children are naturally drawn to the anticipation of the unknown. For the high school art students of Deering High School in Portland, Maine, the trick to the magic slowly…
The glamour star of Art Deco
For many designers, the bold bright colors and geometric designs of Art Deco (“Arts Decoratifs”), which reached its peak in the Roaring 20s, represent the best and purest forms…
Framing can enhance or sink a picture
When it comes to framing a picture, in the long run the choice of frame is a matter of personal taste. Different kinds of artwork require different kinds of…
Venus on the half-shell
    You may already be somewhat familiar with Boticelli’s painting “The Birth of Venus.â€Â The image of Venus in this painting has been used in so many ways, from advertising…
Toning it up – or down
If you have access to a copy machine, it’s interesting to put a brightly colored picture into the machine and run a copy of it in black and white…
Got Woodwork?
Pieces have begun to creep in for our “Out of the Woodwork” exhibit scheduled to open on July 4. Do you have something unique that has been hand-made out…
Who says artists can’t be macho?
Stereotyping can be one of the deadliest forms of criticism known to man. Germans love their beer; blondes are dumb, blacks like chicken and watermelon, and so on. Forming a…
Youth class offers many rewards
By Hope Wallace The art of Zentangle is coming to the Wassenberg Art Center in the form of a one-day class for ages 11-14 on July 16 as part…
NEA boss lowers beau geste ‘booms’
(PNAN-USA- Recently in Washington, D.C., at the 173rd meeting of the National Council on the Arts, NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman made known the artists receiving lifetime honorific awards for…
Her brush goes beyond sight
With a deep God-given belief that she was not only born to paint, but also speak through a brush with her artwork, Patricia Wietholter was only four when she began…
His pictures talk a thousand words
The art of photography can take years of work to finally achieve that satisfying impact of a professional artist. Rarely does anyone pick up a camera and immediately…
A life undressed
Photographs of brightly painted doors march through a combination of oil and watercolor canvas titled, “Door Corps.” A lily in vibrant hues of red, orange and yellow in quantifying detail…
It’s official: Capilouto to reign
UPDATE: With a unanimous final vote today (Tuesday, May 3), the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees selected University of Alabama Birmingham Provost Eli Capilouto to be UK’s 12th president. He…
Victoria! Victoria! to ‘role’ again
(PNAN-USA) – The steps in becoming an actor takes much more than ‘I can do that’ confidence, however to achieve one’s rightful place on the marquee, in order to…
She is no longer in the box
The moon pours over a low set of trees as you feel yourself trudging through thick white snow to either the barn that sits off to your left or…
Do You See What I See?
Listening to an artist speak through one of their paintings is not as philosophical as it may sound. Every fluid brushstroke, every mixture of color, every shadow cast upon…
Wind Quintet are classical gems
(PNAN-NY) – A fresh, dynamic group of musicians has emerged to create a new angle on classical music and storytelling, making the art of music-telling stories a delightful learning…
Square Dancing is anything but square
A kaleidoscope of vivid color uniformly flows across the dance floor, creating the impression of an opening flower on a warm summer day. Blues, reds, violets, and a splash…
A chit chat with David Poxon
It has been a cornerstone in the international art world since 1907. Known for its tedious selection of “the best of the best”, any artist elected into this distinguished entity,…
Chosen new ‘leader of the pack’
(NWPR-OH) – Having served as interim dean since August 2010, effectively May 1, 2011 it becomes official for Bonnie K. Mathies, Ph.D., who was appointed dean of the Wright…
Art program truly giveths forward
Off in the distance a siren screams but never comes close to deafening the war on the other side of the bedroom wall. School is a refuge but…
Favorites in gardens and in art
    For hundreds of years the tulip has been a favorite subject for designers, artists and photographers. The Old Dutch masters painted huge, spectacular still lifes featuring many varieties of…
She is on a ‘yellow brick’ road
After Tufts University in Boston, where she majored in Music, International Relations and Russian and East European studies and with a minor in Philosophy, Julia Torgovitskaya performed dozens of…
Long chosen a 2011 best
(AAPNW-OH) – Opening at the Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus with an artist’s reception and awards ceremony, from 1:00-4:00 pm on Saturday, May 1, the “The Best of 2011”…
Images of ago are a historical feast
(PNAN-AK) – “Sailing for Salmon: The Early Years of Commercial Fishing in Alaska’s Bristol Bay” exhibition will take visitors on a trip down memory lane, to a time when Bristol…
Wallace talks about Bruce
We all can learn a thing or two about ability from Bruce Lynn Dellinger. Bruce is an artist from Timberville, Virginia, whose work we are fortunate to currently have…
Center has new logo
If you have seen any literature pertaining to The Wassenberg Art Center lately, you may have noticed that we have a new logo. Logos are more than just a…
He made art of great beauty
Edourd Manet (1832-83) promoted a very quiet revolution in painting. The fashion of the day, in painting, called for careful color, subtle blending and polished “finish.” But Manet preferred…
They examine society’s jewels
The role of a curator, in an overall general understanding, is one who is entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard a cultural organization’s collection of mainly historical or scientific…
Bessire responds to mural uproar
UPDATE: A public forum entitled, “Whose Art Is It?”, is set for Friday, April 8, noon-1:30 pm, Portland Museum of Art. “A state long renowned as the home of…
Living legend of prose focus of show
(AAPNW-NY) – Opening Friday, April 1 at the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) in Rochester, “John Ashbery and Friends: Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror” is an exhibition centering around the…
Dual shows opens soon
By Hope Wallace, Executive Director This Sunday marks the opening of our new dual exhibit “It’s in the Cards” and “The Art of Therapy”. In the Cards showcases an unusual…
Ganesha: The elephant-headed god
Paintings and sculptures of the elephant-headed deity popularly known as Ganesha have intrigued people for thousands of years. Hindu sacred texts relate a variety of stories explaining his appearance. …
‘Monarch of the Glen’ by Landseer
It is a highly recognizable painting — a magnificent stag standing alertly against a mountain background. If you haven’t seen a picture of the painting itself, you may have…
Week of the Young Child
This is the Week of the Young Child and one of the most important things in a young child’s life is imagination. It’s important to encourage children to use…
A portrait of Felice Willat
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Works of beauty is a…