Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Garret-Holets, Petkovsek, Struble, Van Gorden, Dougherty
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 5/16/2018
CART Center Event (2-Yr. Ann. – 12 May 2018)
Anniversary Event Spurs Emotions at CART Center
Jo Ann Van Gorden Dougherty greeted a visitor at the May 12 Clark Cultural Arts Center anniversary luncheon. Dougherty was sitting between river paintings done by her and Neillsville artist Pat Struble – the painting done with each of the artists looking at the river from different directions. (Scott Schultz/Clark County Press)
By Scott Schultz
Emotion cracked in Linda Garrett-Holets’s voice as she addressed people attending the May 12 second-anniversary luncheon at the Clark County Cultural Arts Center.
Garret-Holets, the CART’s director, said she was moved by the number of people attending the fundraising event that featured art by Neillsville Pat Struble.
“What you guys do and what you say about who we are and where we’re going is important,” she told the gathering. “It’s going to make a difference.”
The difference, she said, is in that, without such support, a project such as the CART will either thrive and move forward or close.
Garrett-Holets said it’s important across America for arts projects such as the CART Center to survive so that people can see and understand the cultural diversity of rural areas.
She noted that the center – including all that went into the May 12 event – is operated totally by volunteers.
“The volunteers love their community, and they love art,” Garrett-Holets said.
Barb Petkovsek, the center’s vice president, said she was is happy to see what’s becoming of the building that used to be the Neillsville First United Methodist Church, which she’d attended.
“The repurposing of this building warms my heart,” Petkovsek said.
Besides the fundraising raffles and silent auction, the event provided the chance to view and purchase some of the art by Struble, who’s among the Neillsville area most iconic artists.
Tamara Van Gorden, Struble’s daughter, said Struble’s family is finding and having prints made from more of the artist’s original works.
Since its opening the CART Center has organized 175 art classes and two summer camps. It’s also opened for receptions and community events on a rental basis and has artists’ studios.
Information about the CART Center is available by visiting www.ccartcenter.org, calling 715-819-1280, or e-mailing info@ccartcenter.org.
Art by Neillsville artist Pat Struble was featured during the May 12 Clark Cultural Arts Center anniversary luncheon in Neillsville. (Scott Schultz/Clark County Press)
