HCA highlights Arts in the Burg experience

Arts in the Burg took place Saturday, Sept. 21, where a sea of people flocked to Historic Downtown Millersburg to experience a multitude of featured arts.

While there was plenty of visually stunning arts to observe, one of the focal points of the event was to inspire others to find their passion in the arts, and no organization did more to advance that mindset than Holmes Center for the Arts.

HCA had plenty of representation at the event, and its educators and performers opened the door for visitors to experience art in new ways, inviting participation from many but with a focus on youth.

HCA art teacher and board member Cathi Lynch was front and center in the courthouse courtyard, where she was working with a handful of young people who were busy practicing their painting skills using the courthouse as a model.

She said she and the other HCA members were honored to be featured front and center as part of the Arts in the Burg celebration.

“We offer so many different programs at the center, and we’re always thrilled to be able to invite young people in particular to invest in the arts,” Lynch said.

While the youngsters were busy painting, a younger group was enjoying chalk drawing on the sidewalk between the Old Jail and courthouse, where HCA Executive Director Holley Johnson was providing some guidance.

At the base of the courthouse steps in the courtyard, violinist and HCA teacher Daniel Bolton was providing music while visitors drifted in and around the many tents in the courtyard that featured all varieties of art.

Bolton teaches classes at HCA and will host a shared recital at the center between the strings and choir on Dec. 14.

Other entertainment included a songwriter’s panel, a performance from the string quartet Fourpence and a performance from Carol Kopp, a Cleveland dancer who invited others to join her regardless of their skill level.

In the courtyard HCA teacher Karen Drongkowski was teaching visitors Gelli leaf painting, an art form that utilizes a Gelli plate and printer’s ink to create colorful art through the use of leaves and flowers.

“It’s a fun art form that anyone can do,” Drongkowski said.

Drongkowski teaches a pair of adult art classes at the HCA every Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon, as well as a paint and sit class on Friday evenings once every two months.

“It’s fun for people to be creative,” Drongkowski said. “Our goal is to present people with as many different options as possible so they can find the one that they enjoy and ones that inspire them to be creative.”

Among the featured artists were Akron Glassworks firing and blowing glass, floral artist Tuesdie Marshall, Woodland Rustics’ woodworking, Noodle Bones’ handmade crafts, Sandy Fisher’s tie-dye clothing, artist Nathan Perschbacher, Skeletal Conceptions’ jewelry, artist and crocheter Miriam Miller, Red’s By Design handmade jewelry, Cozy Cat Crafted handmade kitchen items, Stitches by Nila, stained glass from Terri-Fritz-Grove, and local artists Amy Schlabach, Marlene Mullet, Michael DeWitt, Duane Hershberger and Jo Hershberger.

The event also included members of the Ohio Plein Air Society, who made Holmes County their home for the weekend as they sought out a variety of outdoor scenes to paint.

The day proved to be a perfect setting for all things art, and at the center of it all was Holmes Center for the Arts, which continues to provide ample opportunity for people to develop their passion for the arts.

Visit and learn more about HCA on Facebook or at www.holmescenterforthearts.org.