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Anna Bier Gallery grateful to sponsors and members
The history of Anna Bier dates back to the early 1900's. She was an art
teacher for much of her life, dedicated to inspiring our youth by
encouraging free expression through the world of visual arts. Upon her
death, Miss Bier's charitable spirit lived on. She willed her home and
all of its contents to the future hope that Greenville would become “a
place where people of all colors, all creeds, and all walks of life
could work for the development of artistic skills and higher cultural
standards for their community”.
The mission of the Anna Bier Art Gallery is to continue her vision and
promote art education through workshops, exhibits and annual events
connecting the visual arts community to the wider public. Creative
workshops are provided for adults and children in a setting designed to
inspire while providing a fun and educational experience for all ages
and abilities. The Gallery provides a unique venue, where exhibits can
be enjoyed by art enthusiasts and patrons aligned with performances
held by the Darke County Center for the Arts. It also provides
connections between those exhibitions and local events, all while
raising awareness on the positive impact of visual arts in our
community.
As the Director of the Anna Bier Gallery, I would like to personally
thank the gallery members and gracious sponsors of our community for
their continued support and encouragement as we close this season and
excitedly prepare for the next. A variety of incredible exhibits were
showcased throughout the year including Darke County’s historical
editorial and political cartoon artist, Paul Ackley. We also enjoyed
the beautiful and bold collage works of Marsha Pippenger, the unique
paint/collage works of Jane Dippold, and the alluring landscape
photography of Jim Crotty. In addition, we held our Second Annual
Elementary Art Exhibit, made possible by the Darke County Foundation,
the Ketrow Foundation and Steve and Eileen Litchfield. This exhibit
reflected the works of children between Kindergarten and Sixth grades
with a beautiful display of creative talent across the board. And last
but not least, our Annual High School Exhibit concluded the season with
an inspirational showcase. We are so thankful for the annual
sponsorship of Ray and Bettye Laughlin as well as the Harry D. and
Esther Stephens Memorial, both for their incredible generosity. We
would also like to thank the Darke County Endowment for the Arts for
the annual funding of the Art Start Program, which allows the gallery
to distribute funds to each of our county high school art departments.
Thank you to all of the art teachers who inspire and encourage these
students to discover their passion and artistic expression and
congratulations to those chosen to exhibit with us.
In addition to our exhibits, we have added many adult and childrens’
workshops throughout the year. And most recently, with special thanks
to Wes and Patti Jetter for their generous sponsorship, we have
initiated the Anna Bier Art Club, an after school program for children.
We are still in the trial/planning phases of this program but will have
more information as the fall season approaches. We are so grateful for
the opportunity to offer these art-enhancing amenities to our community.
The Anna Bier Gallery exhibits and events are made possible through the
gracious support of Second National Bank, Darke County Endowment for
the Arts, Ketrow Foundation, Lydia E. Schaurer Memorial Trust Fund,
Harry D. and Esther Stephens Memorial, Darke County Foundation, and
through all the generous contributions of our loyal members and
sponsors. We thank them. All exhibits are free to the public. The
Gallery will be open every day by appointment. Please contact Tamera
McNulty, Executive Director, at 937-564-5863 to visit the gallery or
for any questions. You may also visit us on Facebook for more
information.
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