Blacklight gallery, fluid art, part of Crest Theater display at upcoming Art & Wine Walk

Apr. 28—Next Friday's Art & Wine Walk features artists at 24 downtown locations. Rebecca Wasson from Claflin and Adalee Kirmer from Holyrood will present blacklight art at the Crest Theater, 1905 Lakin Ave. Wasson will also show her fluid paintings.

A quilt being raffled by the Central Kansas Threadbenders quilt guild will also be on display.

Wasson started volunteering to do small, free art programs at the Claflin Independent Township Library and they filled up about as quickly as she could get them posted.

"About a year into regularly doing art programs for the library, 4-H, Girl Scout Troops, I was approached about a formal business," she said. "My husband Jeff and I now have an art studio, Cloud 9 ~ Creative Experiences based out of the Bushton Plaza, recently known as Central Plains Middle School."

Kirmer is a high school student who has become an "artist in residence" at the Independent Township Library. She and Wasson lend their talents as part of a face-painting team at area events.

"Adalee and I are thrilled to do the blacklight exhibit together this year!" Wasson said. "I chose the blacklight theme since it was something no one else was really doing at the time. I'm so excited to have my artist partner in crime doing it with me!"

The blacklight art will be set up in the back of the theater so as people make their way past the seating they will enter a darkened area set up with ultraviolet lights that make the neon colors pop, she said.

"People are often surprised, not realizing why the lights are low at the back half of the seating until they make their way back from the artists on the stage and see the bright display of art," Wasson said.

Wasson will also feature her "fluid art."

"I stumbled across fluid art while recovering from a stroke about 10 years ago," she said. "I was never one to sit still, so when I was unable to physically keep up with my ambition I refocused and started down a path of Art. It kept me busy; it was a form of therapy also. I enjoyed art for the first time in my life and wanted to share it with others."

Wasson's background was in respiratory care/biology/human genetics. "Art was not even close to any of that!" she said. "The only art experience I had was an online class many moons ago, so I taught myself."

She hopes others will feel free to do the same.

"If you can stir in a cup and pour from a cup, you're qualified to do fluid art," she said. "It's simply a process of using colors you like and mixing to the desired consistency, layering your colors and letting gravity do its job. There are no lines to stay in, no 'rules' per se."

While there are many ways of creating fluid art, each with its own effect, one of Wasson's favorite techniques is a Dutch Pour, where the artist uses a blow dryer or straw to blow out blooms in the fluid paint.

"I think the real reason fluid art is my favorite is truly that almost anyone can do it," she added. "I have seen some beautiful artwork come from many people that have said they are not artists. I rather enjoy opening the door that shows them they can, and providing the proof that goes with it!"

Quilt raffle

The Crest Theater will also be the place to view a quilt made by Margaret Evers with the Central Kansas Threadbenders. The group is selling raffle tickets for this queen-size quilt featuring the "chandelier" pattern.

Money raised by the Threadbenders quilt guild supports one of the members' outreach programs: TLC Quilts. According to member Mary Ann June, the TLC Quilts are made by members and donated to victims of fires or floods. They also donate quilts for kids going through cancer, through the Kansas for Kids Fighting Cancer Foundation.