Tomorrow is our next event, Art Tour Odd # Thursday with host Robert Spellman! Robert Spellman is an abstract painter from Des Moines, Iowa. He is represented by Modern Arts Midtown Omaha, Nebraska and by Moberg Chicago. Some of you may remember him as the host of one of our previous events, the Adult Painting Intensive. This time, he will be at the Hotel Pattee in Perry, Iowa on December 15 from 4:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M, where he will be talking about his art and the art of Gary Ernest Smith. As with other Art Tour Odd # Thursdays, we will be near the fireplace in the Hotel Pattee. It is going to be cold out, so why not come and relax by said fireplace in the cozy Hotel Pattee on Thursday night and enjoy the art of Robert Spellman and Gary Ernest Smith? The event is free and open to the public, and you can come at any point during the evening. Betsy Peterson will also be there with her Art Cart. If you have not had used Betsy's Art Cart, this is your last chance! The cart holds various painting supplies, which allow you to try your hand at painting in a similar style to Gary Ernest Smith. We highly encourage you to come!

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This week I wanted to tell you all about the event we are having tomorrow night, November 17! This time it is Art Tour Odd # Thursday #7. Unlike previous Art Tour Odd # Thursdays, this one will be something a little different!
 
Tomorrow, starting at 4:30 P.M., Dr. Randy McCaulley will be at the Hotel Pattee. His theme for the evening will be “An Evening of Art and Music”. As you may be able to glean from the title, tomorrow night will feature both art and music! Dr. Randy McCaulley will be playing his music at the Hotel, using the piano some of you may have seen in the lobby and singing. I do not know exactly what songs he will be playing, but it could be possible that he might take a request or two, so come with some songs in mind. Aside from playing, he will also be there to talk about music, art, and answer any other question you may have. The night will last until 6:30, and you can come any time you like and join in the fun. Similar to previous Art Tour Odd # Thursdays as well, we will have Betsy Peterson’s art cart available, so that you can try your hand at making a painting similar to those you see on display. So far, a few people have tried it and their paintings have come out great. I hope to see many of you there to enjoy the music and the art!

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Today I want to take the time to tell you about the two exciting events that we will be hosting this week! The first takes places tomorrow, and the other is on Saturday, October 29.
 
Tomorrow’s event is Art Tour Odd # Thursday #5. The host for this week’s Odd # Thursday is Perry’s own Betsy Peterson! For those who do not know, Betsy is a local Perry artist who has her studio, Betsy Peterson Designs, at 1121 Second Street, Perry, Iowa. The event starts at 4:30 P.M. at the Hotel Pattee tomorrow, behind the fireplace near the Canning painting. She will be giving a short talk about her art and how it relates to the Gary Ernest Smith paintings on display and then she will be giving tours to those who are interested. The tours will be different from other tours, as they will be given from Betsy’s perspective!
 
Saturday’s event is one of a kind that should provide a unique experience to everyone who attends. This Saturday is the Painting Intensive for Adults. Although this may sound intimidating, the class is for anyone from beginners to advanced! The instructor for this class will be Robert Spellman, a professional painter from Des Moines, Iowa. The class will take place from 9 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, October 29 at Betsy’s studio. Again, the address for Betsy’s studio is at 1121 Second Street, Perry, Iowa. The class will cost $35 per person. To attend, we ask that everyone call or email Betsy, using either betsypetersondesigns@gmail.com or 515-657-1837. You may be thinking, “Why should I attend this class?” Well, the class will help celebrate the artwork of Gary Ernest Smith through the observation of his work. You will be talking about his stories and techniques, and creating a painting of your own using your personality and imagination. This piece will be completely yours; not everyone will be painting the same thing! All supplies will be provided, so you need not worry about bringing your own. We also ask that everyone bring a sack lunch, a fridge and a microwave will be available. Finally, if you want to attend please wear casual clothing you will be comfortable painting in! It looks to be like a very entertaining class, so if you are interested in attending, please remember to pre-register!

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September is almost upon us and with it a new group of events for the Gary Ernest Smith Exhibition! I thought I would take this time to let you all know what and when September’s events are, if you have not seen them already!
 
The first event this month is tomorrow, September 1. This is the first in a series of events we are calling “Art Tour Odd Numbered Thursdays” (or Art Tour Odd # Thursdays, ATO#T for short). This time, the tour will be introductory tours. Similar to the Opening Reception, this Art Tour Odd # Thursday will feature simple tours given every half hour of the art that we have on display. It starts at 4:30 P.M. at the Hotel Pattee, and goes until 6:30 P.M.
 
The next event we have this month is Creative Mornings, another series of events that will continue throughout the Exhibition. This Creative morning will happen on September 6, from 10:00 to 11:30 A.M. at the Hotel Pattee. This event features both art and coffee, and will be hosted by Betsy Peterson and Carolyn Guay. The next event after this is another Art Tour Odd # Thursday on September 15, from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M. at the Hotel Pattee. This tour will be different from the first, as it will be a tour led by Bill Clark, the Hometown Heritage Board President and local businessman. It will feature looking at the art from a businessman perspective.
 
The fourth event in September is the big event that should get everyone excited. On September 22, Gary Ernest Smith himself will be here! Starting at 7:30 at the Hotel Pattee he will be leading an Art Walk! This is a great time to learn about the art on display directly from the artist himself. Prior to the Art Walk, Pam Jenkins Phd, a Research Professor of Sociology (Emerita), at the University of New Orleans and a Permanent Trustee of Hometown Heritage will be giving a presentation entitled “Growing Up in a Small Town and the Art of Gary Ernest Smith” at 6:30 P.M. at the Hotel Pattee. We encourage you to come to both and experience a great night of Art and learning! The next day, September 23, Gary Ernest Smith will be in Ames at the Brunnier Art Museum for a reception there. For anyone who wants to go that night, we will have a bus available to take people there and back at 5:30 P.M. from the Hotel Pattee. The cost is $20 per person and seats are first come first serve.
 
Finally, we will hold another Art Tour Odd # Thursday on September 29, from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M. at the Hotel Pattee. This tour will be led by host Rachel Schwaller, Associate Professor of Art & Design at Grandview University in Des Moines, Iowa. We encourage you all to come to as many of these events as you can, as each tour will be different. Do not forget either that the more events you come to (and get the back page of our printed schedule signed) the greater your chance of winning the Perry Area Gift Basket at the end of the Exhibition! I hope to see you all at these events in the future!

Hello Readers and welcome back to the Hometown Heritage blog!
 
Today I would like to tell you about some updates to the Gary Ernest Smith Exhibition that is coming in August. We have lined up a few guest speakers for the Art Tour Odd Thursdays. For those who do not know, the Art Tour Odd Thursdays are odd Thursdays during the Exhibition and are tours of the Exhibit lead by various hosts, aside from the one. The first odd Thursday is a general tour day, with tours happening every half hour. Bill Clark, Hometown Heritage Board President and Perry businessman, however, leads the next odd Thursday. Betsy Peterson, local Perry artist, leads the third tour, and Adrienne Gennett, ISU Curator of Collections and Education, leads the fourth tour.
 
We have many other exciting events planned during the exhibit. For instance, there will be classes for home schooled and elementary students that will allow them to discover the stories and techniques of Gary Ernest Smith’s Artwork. If you want to know more about the exhibit, as well as get updates about events and other programing during the event, you can find more here. Also, stay tuned to the blog for updates as they happen! You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, as well as sign up for our newsletter to get information sent directly to your email.
 
See you next week readers!