Color Wheel and Deal: Art-O-Rama, YART Sale combo proves easy sell at Parkersburg Art Center

The Parkersburg Art Center was packed during their annual Art-O-Rama held Saturday. Visitors got to engage in artistic activities and found out about activities going on at the center. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

PARKERSBURG — The Parkersburg Art Center was alive with creativity and community spirit on Saturday as it hosted its annual Art-O-Rama alongside the popular YART Sale.

This free event, a long-standing tradition at the Art Center, serves as a celebration of local art, creativity, and the organizations that support families and children in the community.

Art-O-Rama has been a staple in Parkersburg for years, offering residents a day of hands-on artistic exploration.

“Art-O-Rama is our free community arts day,” Parkersburg Art Center Managing Director Jessie Siefert said. “We do it every year in March.

“I’ve been here for 19 years, and it was going on before I got here.”

Lavinia Hill, left, works on creating a maraca out of a toilet paper tube during the Parkersburg Art Center’s Art-O-Rama on Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

This year, the event expanded even further, incorporating representatives from local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA.

“We went the extra mile and brought in even more community groups that serve families and children,” Siefert added.

Visitors not only got to engage in artistic activities but also learned more about the Parkersburg Art Center’s upcoming summer programs.

“This is also a reminder that we have 10 weeks of summer art camp,” Siefert said. “It kind of says, ‘Hey, come out here and get creative and play with us at the Art Center.’”

This year’s camp theme is Art Takes Flight, catering to children aged 4 through 17, with specialized sessions for different age groups, including mixed media and clay camp options for teens.

The Parkersburg Art Center hosted their YART Sale on Saturday selling books, electronics, holiday decorations and many other things at a discounted price. The leftover stock from the event was donated to Habitat for Humanity. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Beyond this annual event, the Parkersburg Art Center remains a hub for artistic expression throughout the year. In April, the center will host a poetry and art event where poets submit their work, and artists create visual interpretations of selected poems. The presentation of these pieces will take place on April 12.

Another highly anticipated event, the Portrait Artist Caper, will take place on April 26. Inspired by the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year competition, this event will challenge 12 artists to complete portraits of four different sitters within two hours.

Complementing the creative activities, the YART Sale provided an opportunity for visitors to purchase donated art supplies, frames, and other materials at bargain prices. Traditionally held every other year, this year’s sale was an exception due to an overwhelming number of donations from the community.

“We use what we can, but we can’t use it all,” Siefert explained. “So, we put it out for sale, and what is not sold today will go to Habitat for Humanity.”

Attendees certainly felt the welcoming atmosphere.

One young visitor, Lavinia Hill, shared her favorite part of the day: “The stencils!”

Others discovered the event through word-of-mouth, underscoring the strong sense of community that the Parkersburg Art Center fosters.

At its core, Art-O-Rama and the YART Sale reinforce the Parkersburg Art Center’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.

“It’s free and it’s for everyone, and our admission is always free,” Siefert emphasized. “We just really want to reinforce that this is your Community Arts Center, and we want you to use it.

“It’s nothing snooty or highfalutin. We’re of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com

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