NEDERLAND - The Nederland Community Center truly lives up to its name, as it serves to feed, teach, entertain, celebrate, and invigorate local residents through its programs and facilities.

Though the halls are often filled with the sounds of lively debate from the multi-purpose room mixed with the cacophony of intense sport activity coming from the gymnasium, the center is never more alive than when its halls are highlighting local artists.

On Thursday, March 6, 2025, Annie Thayer, along with members of the Arts Committee, Community Center staff, and volunteers, presented the Art at the Center Winter Exhibition and Demo Show. 

Art lovers were treated to the live guitar music of Evan Cantor, and were given the opportunity to mingle and chat with some of the 25 displayed artists, each with different experiences and backgrounds that have influenced their unique styles that are delivered through their chosen mediums. 

A suggested donation of $10 granted guests with drink tickets for red or white wine, ballots on which to note their three favorite artists, and the pleasure of letting those incredibly talented artists lure them into infinite worlds of imagination and creation.

Gretchen Acharya’s pastel work transported viewers to places of serenity, local author John Mattson presented his acrylic paintings and photography of stunning landscapes, and Lee Kennedy showcased her floral paintings that pop from her skill and technique.

Nancy Kirkendall’s work with cold wax and oil created textures that brought her paintings to life, and Layna Melvin’s portraits of horses captured the life in their eyes and highlighted their graceful movements.  

Matthew Neidenberg showed his striking, bright epoxy paintings on wood, Serene Karplus’s photography invited viewers to look closer and see the art in nature, while Annie Thayer’s work presented a window into both a beautiful realism and a surreal world just beyond.

Wolfy Wolf showed his latest playful interpretations of Nederland living, and Christine M. Springer delivered natural landscapes that exude emotional expression. 

Evan Cantor’s use of color in his landscape paintings grabbed the viewers and pulled them in, Jeanne Benson used colored pencil to illuminate the beauty of the nasturtium plant, and Bill Ikler presented intriguingly complex sculptures made from IKEA packing cardboard.

Courtney Crockett’s work displayed great depth and mood on 140 pound cold press arches paper, and Dennis Quinn used oil paints to depict the bustling life of a restaurant’s kitchen. Brent Warren showcased his colorful and chaotic experimental sculptures.

Lorelei Stumbo returned with her wildly original found art style, using burnt salvaged plywood as a canvas; Jennifer Sharp’s imaginative view of the world around her was expertly translated to canvas. Janna Butler delivered her postcard-perfect watercolor paintings, and Kate Faulk invited viewers into abstract visions of our industrial reality. 

Khitzi Lee’s mixed media work represented cyclical worlds of expression, Lisa Gakyo Schaewe used natural waxes and resins to create encaustic images of nature, and Meg Viola Fox showed bright and charming pieces of watercolor and mixed media while also leading a sketchbook demo for attendees.

Kathy L. Bremers hosted a painting demo, and also perfectly captured Nederland wildlife in her displayed watercolor paintings. Artist Giana showed her impressive ceramic and pottery work. 

At the end of the evening, the art lovers handed in their ballots and the hardworking volunteers quickly tallied them.

Jeanne Benson and Jennifer Sharp tied for first place, Matt Neidenberg was awarded second place, Gretchen Acharya and Nancy Kirkendall tied for third place, and Annie Thayer won the People’s Choice Best of Show award. 

Arts at the Center continues to showcase the wonderful and unique expressions of artistic talent and soul that these mountains hold.

A very special thanks goes to Thayer, to the volunteers, the Arts Committee, and to the artists who spilled their love and pain onto canvases to be displayed. And thanks to the Nederland Community Center for bringing Art at the Center to the community, for allowing the arts to continue to thrive and therefore keeping creative expression alive in Nederland.