Holiday show provides gift ideas, promote art

Watercolors, photography, jewelry, pottery and other art mediums can be found at the Main Street Vermilion Arts Guild’s, 685 Main St. in Vermilion, holiday Christmas show running until Dec. 23.

The Arts Guild has been showing its work at Main Street Vermilion’s location for the past 15 years to promote local art.

“Our big purpose is not just to have this gallery, but it’s to promote art in Vermilion,” said Janet Waggoner, a local artist and guild member.

Waggoner, a former high school arts teacher, said there are about 35 members who’ve been selected by a jury to join the guild.

Each applicant is judged by their artwork “because of the (gallery’s) space allotment,” she said.

Members also are expected to volunteer at the gallery, Waggoner said.

“We all volunteer to run the gallery, so if you’re in the show, you also have to volunteer to sit in the gallery, she said.

Waggoner said the holiday show proves particularly popular, with cards, jewelry and prints being best-sellers.

“This is real popular because we have a lot of things that people buy for gifts,” she said. “People like to buy art for their homes, and plus when you’re on vacation, they like to take back a memory.”

The organization recently purchased several new cases, including a fine jewelry case, to better display their artwork.

The Arts Guild also works with the Ritter Public Library and high school artists in the are to put on art shows throughout the year.

In addition to running five shows a year, the organization conducts workshops for the public, from beginning watercolor to jewelry.

“It’s whatever our members want to put on,” Waggoner said.

JORDANA JOY — THE MORNING JOURNAL Local artist and Vermilion Arts Guild member Janet Waggoner stands in front of her work showing at the organization’s Christmas Holiday Art Show, running from Nov. 10 to Dec. 23 at Main Street Vermilion, 685 Main St. in Vermilion.