Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this September and we are proud to share with Winnsboro and its surrounding areas a glance into our history and a look into what new and exciting things await us on the horizon.
If you haven’t had the chance to peruse the WCA art gallery lately then we suggest that you come and see the annual Women in the Arts (WIA) art exhibit that will be here until October 9th. It is a stunning show full of talented work by local woman artists and our biggest WIA exhibit yet.
The WCA art gallery will have a new and exciting art exhibit in October. Unraveled: The threads that connect will feature four skilled fiber artists: Kristie Smith, Valery Guignon, Brenda Buck, and Phyllis Neal. This exhibit presents figurative and abstract works which reflect our lived experiences, both current and historical, through the lens of women weaving, knotting, twining, plaiting, coiling, pleating, lashing, and interlacing. These four talented artists will present visually striking original pieces which emphasize the artistic power behind a commonly overlooked medium such as fiber.
Speaking of new and creative activities, WCA has some exciting things planned this fall. September and October will have many wonderful music education opportunities. Beginner guitar classes start on September 15th with our dedicated guitar and piano instructor, Aaron Zook. Join us for WCA’s first drum circle on September 15th at 5:15 pm and experience the healing power and community strengthening of percussion. The drum circle is free and welcomes folks of any age or level, and if you don’t have a drum then bring your buckets! If you’re feeling adventurous then you can sign up for WCA’s first swing dance class on October 2nd or attend the Rhythmic Healing class on October 9th. Rhythmic Healing students are encouraged to bring an exercise ball, but the drumsticks will be provided. We also offer private music lessons for guitar, piano, woodwinds, and voice at WCA
If the visual arts intrigue you then you can sign up for the mixed media collage workshop on September 18th and explore the many possibilities of this art form with Valery Guignon. Colored pencil classes with Kaye Jackson begin on September 28th. We will have cool new workshops in October including a bent wire sculpture workshop on October 16th, a fiber art greeting card workshop on October 23rd, and a mosaic workshop on October 30th. Call WCA at (903)342-0686 or come by 200 Market Street to register for any or all these activities!
Neil Gailman once said, “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly you’re doing something.” Trying new things can be difficult for many people. We worry about making mistakes, what others may think of us, and that it just won’t go the way we expect it to. However, when we venture outside our comfort zone we learn, experience, and grow as a person.
WCA is a great place to try new things. There are many benefits to trying new things! Among overcoming fear, learning more about oneself, making memories, and learning valuable lessons, doing new things also stimulates our brains and our creativity. Any good artist, writer, or musician will tell you that a key component of creativity is trying new things. Come try new festivals, events, concerts, and classes here at WCA and embrace the spirit of creativity!
