The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

An Art Party for students and adults on Tuesday, August 15 will be the final Big Sandy Cultural Center Tuesday Art Workshop of the summer. The session will involve a celebration of arts activities from one to four in the Cultural and Curiosity Center, formerly S&J Grocery next to the Bear Paw Coffee Shop.

This is the first year a summer art program has been held in Big Sandy, and the turnout has been rewarding, with both children and adults enjoying the fun of being creative. During the coming school year, drama and performing sessions will be added along with more art workshops and other programs. Days and times to be decided later.

“It’s been very rewarding to see growing interest in the community for what we’re doing and planning for our Cultural Center,” said project director Doug Giebel. Art instruction was led by Roberta Edwards and Kelly Owen, both talented local artists. Giebel, a professional director and writer, will conduct the drama program when it gets going.

The Cultural Center currently wants to find photographs of Big Sandy people who served in World War Two, and the group needs donation of a working refrigerator.

With the help of the University of Oklahoma Library of Western History, a special exhibit section devoted to former Big Sandy author B. M. Bower is being completed with books, photographs and rare personal materials from the successful western writer’s archives. Bower was a major woman author of western stories who began her long career in Big Sandy by writing about the area.

The Art Party on August 15th is free, thanks to donations from the Art4Moore Foundation of San Francisco, Independence Bank of Havre, Roberta Edwards, Della Delaney, and others. Free books will be given to the children who participate, and book lovers of all ages are welcome to visit the Center to enjoy its growing collection of reading materials and huge number of cookbooks.