On June 10, Union City resident Carol Strock Wasson won an Award of Excellence at the Indiana Heritage Arts Exhibition and Sale. In the late 1970s, a group of local artists organized Indiana Heritage Arts (IHA) to support the current members of the Brown County art community. The principal activity of this non-profit group was an annual, juried art competition to take place each June.

Today, IHA makes its home at the historic Brown County Art Gallery in Nashville, Indiana. What started as a local competition has grown statewide, open to any artist with ties to Indiana. The annual June exhibition and sale is one of the largest art competitions in the Midwest, handing out as much as $80,000 in prize money and purchase awards to the winners.

IHA continues to honor the legacy of the early artists by supporting today’s Hoosier Masters. IHA leases a room in the Brown County Art Gallery to provide year-round exhibition space to prize-winning artists, where they can offer paintings for sale. IHA sponsors artist workshops by bringing in the country’s top instructors, providing workshop space and administrative services. IHA also supports an annual student art competition held at the gallery by providing prize money to the area’s top art teachers.

An elected board of directors administers all of IHA’s activities. In recent years, the board began buying major works of art from each year’s show to build a permanent collection for future generations to enjoy.

IHA has a statewide membership of artists and patrons and depends on generous donors including corporate sponsors, local merchants, along with loyal collectors, to continue the mission of supporting Indiana’s top artists.

All of the artists who were juried into this year’s exhibition are admired for the courage it takes for each artist to put their work into the public realm, thereby making it subject to judgment and criticism.

This year’s judge, Anne Blair Brown of Tennessee, was conscientious and thoughtful in her decision making. Her understanding of artistic composition and technique made her a most competent judge. The show remains open through July 2.

Brown stated, “It was an honor and a great pleasure to judge the 38th Annual Indiana Heritage Arts Exhibition. The artwork was exceptional and I wish all of it could have been included, but alas there was some paring down to do. It was not an easy task!

“There are some fundamental elements that must be in place for a painting to present well: value composition, brush work, and color. While these elements are very important, I also look for paintings in which the artist goes deeper into the mastery of their subject. I look for paintings with a sense of passion, strong intent, a unique voice. Those are the ones that make me want to cross a room and linger.

“While all the paintings I selected for awards met the aforementioned fundamental criteria, they also touched my art spirit in various ways. Some evoked a sense of mystery, some put a delighted smile on my face, and others were simply a soft and beautiful place for my eyes to land.”

Strock Wasson maintains a studio at 324 W. Oak St., Union City, Indiana, where she offers classes on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. She has also organized the Union City Plein Air group that meets every Monday morning to venture out into the gardens, farms and landscapes of the surrounding area. She and her husband, Dan, also own Wasson’s Nursery of Union City, Muncie, and Fishers, Indiana. She is the mother of two sons and grandmother to two. Wasson is a pastelist and oil painter who encourages and supports the arts in the community. Her efforts have resulted in many amateurs picking up a sketch book to explore and begin to learn the art of painting. Through her encouragement new artists and professional artists from Indiana and Ohio work with her and/or participate in the Union City Plein Air Group.

The Union City Police Department along with Wesley United Methodist Church is excited to invite our local youth to the Thin Blue Line Youth Community Camp.

This three-day/two-night youth camp offers the kids an opportunity to take part in giving back to their community. Our mission is to teach kids what they can do to be good citizens. There will be many events throughout the three-day camp that will revolve around being good citizens and teach them how they can participate in helping their community. There will be games, food, and fun! Those who attend will also be participating with a local community project. Officers from the Union City Police Department will be onsite the entire time. We will have fellowship each night along with Bible-related lessons on being a positive member of your community. This will be an overnight camp for children in the grades 4-6.

Check in will take place on July 12 at 5 p.m. and camp will end on July 14 at noon. Camp will be held at Harter Park. While this camp is at no cost to your child, there will be a list of supplies needed for camping. Space is limited, so register as soon as possible.

Register at the Union City Police Department, 219 S. Howard St.

As Union City has become a community of volunteers, together you can make a difference. What have you done for your community this week?