Amish and Mennonite artists share faith and creativity at Heritage Center event

One of the mainstays of the Anabaptist heritage, which includes both the Amish and Mennonite faiths, is God has blessed everyone with a talent.

On Oct. 24-25, a whole lot of those talents were on display during the ninth annual Amish & Mennonite Artist Gathering at the Heritage Center near Winesburg, where artists from all over Ohio and even bordering states united to showcase and sell art.

The event grew out of a shared passion to create a social venue favorable to artists who share common interests among the Amish and Mennonite people.

One of its main purposes is to give artists a chance to celebrate and share their God-given gifts and creativity with others, many of the artists gearing their work toward inspirational and faith-driven work, whether that came through in nature, family, community, church or in everyday life.

Duane Hershberger is both an artist and a member of the Ohio committee that designed the two-day event.

“I think all of our artists truly enjoy being here and sharing their art and their passion with everyone,” Hershberger said. “I believe that using the talents given to us by God is important, and we’re using those talents to share all this beauty with others. That is an important part of why we’re here.”

He said for many of the artists, these talents are a hobby they commit plenty of time to improving and perfecting.

“If I can inspire one person with what I’m creating to the glory of God, then that is worthwhile,” Hershberger said. “I think that is a passion shared by many of our artists.”

The event also was designed to encourage blossoming younger artists to continue to pursue their passion for the arts.

The Heritage Center was packed with booths and tables featuring artwork from paintings with oils or watercolor to pencil drawings, etching, wood working, décor, reliefs and other forms of art.

“This is about spreading the joy of art, especially for those interested in starting out,” Ohio Planning Committee member Freda Graber said. “We’ve got art in all forms here, and we enjoy making it all available to everyone. Every person sees art differently, and our hope is that we can pique the interest of people and inspire them to pursue their passion.”

In addition to the art, even the food displayed maintained a certain artistic appeal that included a colorful array of fruits, vegetables and crackers at the grazing table to the full meal.

The morning of Friday, Oct. 24 featured classes in acrylic by Keturah Yoder, intermediate acrylic by Daniel Miller, learning to paint with Rose Schmucker, sketching with Steven Miller and a seminar on plagiarism by Doug Scheetz.

Following a noon meal, there was a light and shadow painting demonstration, followed by more classes including a special discussion with Jake Brenneman, light and shadow painting, and an open house designed specifically for the public.

Perhaps the highlight of Friday’s main event was Elva’s Chalk Art Show, an event designed for the entire family.

The show featured storytelling through fluorescent chalk, music, sound effects and other aspects that enhanced the beauty of her presentation.

Saturday, Oct. 25 saw classes on introduction to oils from Amy Schlabach; another session with Schmucker; children and a beginner’s session with acrylic from Daniel Miller, Jeremy Kaufman and others; and another session with light and shadow painting.

Graber said the committee sent out 500 brochures inviting artists to the show, beginning this summer, with a goal of getting as many artists involved as possible. The show continues to grow quickly enough that they may have to explore a larger venue in the future, but for now the 10th anniversary show is set to take place in Indiana next fall.

“It’s exciting to see the joy on people’s faces when they experience how incredible these artists and their work are,” Graber said. “That is the reason we put this together, because art can bring so much joy into people’s lives and it gives our artists the freedom to express themselves in whatever medium they choose.”

The two days were filled with sessions and classes, but most of all, it was an opportunity for those in attendance to wander the facility and admire the many forms of art present in the aisles.

With so much creativity and beauty in the center, it made for a peaceful adventure into the world of art.