Schowalter Villa promotes an active visual arts program that includes two and three-dimensional media.
Schowalter Villa residents share their talent by instructing visual arts classes through the Hesston Wellness Center. Classes include pottery instructed by Paul Friesen, woodworking by Ivan White, oil painting by Dorothy Young, and water color painting by Sue Kruger. In 2002 KAHSA recognized the visual arts program with its Innovation of the Year award.
In addition to teaching classes, our artists-in-residence open up opportunities for other artists to join our campus while bringing visual arts to people in our community.
The Ceramics Department is led by Paul Friesen, potter and sculptor as well as former professor at Bethel College, North Newton, and Hesston College, Hesston. Paul shares his knowledge of and love for ceramics with students of all ages and skill levels during his classes throughout the year. More of Paul’s work can be seen on display throughout the Wellness Center.
The Art Club, led by Sue Kruger, joins artists from the Schowalter Villa campus and the wider community who share a passion for painting with water colors. They meet Thursday mornings in the Creative Arts Studio at the Hesston Wellness Center. You can enjoy the art painted by these artists on the walls throughout the Wellness Center and Lakeside Village.
Once a month, Dorothy Young offers an oil painting workshop open to Villa residents and community members in the Creative Arts Studio. Each month features a different subject and no two paintings turn out alike. This is a great opportunity for new and experienced artists to share their knowledge and skills with each other.
Ivan White began offering woodworking classes at the Hesston Wellness Center in March of 2009. His many years of experience teaching in the school system are truly an asset to the Visual Arts department. Ivan offers classes for beginning, experienced and exploring woodworkers of all ages.
Artist-in-Residence Paul Friesen, unveiled his sculpture “Peek a Boo” bear to the children of Hesston Intergenerational Child Development Center, Monday, August 31. Paul described how Judy, director of the childcare center, had given him a log to make a carving from and he had to “find” the bear within the log. It took Paul a couple of years to find “Peek a Boo”, but the results are outstanding. Paul encouraged the children to shake hands or give “Peek a Boo” a pat as they enter the childcare center everyday. The sculpture has made his new home in the lobby of the childcare center for everyone to enjoy.
“It was great to be able to do the games every Sunday this month! We had a wonderful time. As the old McDonald's commercial says: "I'm lovin' it"!”
Donn Gray
Volunteer