‘Art Angel’ steps up to help Center continue holiday giving program

Since 2010, volunteers at the Clear Lake Arts Center have been creating one-of-a-kind ornaments out of fused glass in the John Larsen Glass Studio as a thank you gift to people making a donation to the Arts Center’s Youth Arts Program. Over the years, these ornaments have obtained the title Art Angels, although at times they looked more like an elf or penguin than an angel. The title Art Angel is also given to the person making the donation, or the friend, or family member, in which the donation is honoring.

Earlier this year, because of the closing of at least one glass factory that produces colored art glass in the Northwest, there was fear that the Clear Lake Arts Center would not be able to continue the Art Angel program.

But as so often happens at the Arts Center, an Art Angel stepped up, explained Paula Hanus, director of the Clear Lake Arts Center.

“While I wasn’t sure what we were gong to do, I knew we weren’t going to let the program die.  Then on Election Day, I saw Clear Lake glass artist John Larsen at the polls.  I asked him about some ornaments he had brought into the Arts Center a week earlier and if he had any more.  By the end of the week Mary, John’s wife, arrived with a donation – a box of Sailboat ornaments.   Since 2010, we’ve had fused glass angels, penguins, reindeer and elves; and this year because of John and Mary’s generous donation, it’s a sailboat.  Words truly can’t describe our gratitude to John and Mary for saving our program. It’s our Christmas Story.”

People can make a donation to the Art Angel fund in their name or in the name of a relative or friend. The person named in the gift will be listed as an “Art Angel” on the Arts Center’s virtual Donor Wall at www.clartscenter.com under the Membership tab.

The Clear Lake Arts Center is located at 17 S. 4th St.