HONESDALE, PA — The energy of the Wayne County Arts Alliance (WCAA) was much in evidence on August 16 as volunteers shared that vitality with visitors and passersby of all ages. The arts alliance held a special project celebrating the 50th anniversary of the River Reporter: a community collage. 

Preparations began early in the morning.  

There were multiple options for self-expression, and adults and kids enjoyed cutting and pasting archival copies of the River Reporter and a kaleidoscope of recycled papers to a large canvas—and also to 3D cutouts that could be assembled to form letters of the alphabet. 

The inventive activities were conceived by WCAA curator and artist Debby Pollak and art enthusiast Jay Hostetler.  The gallery was staffed by Phyllis Chekenian, president of the WCAA board.

The day was searingly hot, but people made art in the shade of sidewalk tents, accompanied by the sound of Main Street and spontaneous improvisations on the WCAA-decorated spinet piano.

The event was tied to the exhibition “Twenty-Six: Art of the Alphabet,” which featured contributions by 13 local artists. The works integrate and respond to the alphabet, creating more than 61 pieces of art from sculpture to bas-reliefs and even embroidery.

The exhibition closed on August 23. 

There’s a vitality to the Wayne County Arts Alliance as it pursues its mission—an energy evident in the commitment of its extraordinary group of volunteers. The arts alliance’s facility, located on Main Street in Honesdale, is the result of sweat equity; grit and vision took on a building and completely restored it.  Two floors are for exhibitions, and a gift shop features a wide variety of creations—from jewelry to books—by local artists.

According to Chekenian, WCAA exhibits are creating a destination for people from outside of Wayne County: evidence of how the arts support more than culture but also economies, by promoting tourism and commerce.

Shopping local also means supporting the arts.  As the holiday season approaches, the WCAA will offer its annual sale, which includes not only fine art but also wearable and usable objects, which are made by local artists. There is no reason for anyone not to have art in their homes, because year-round the WCAA  offers art that is surprisingly affordable, and sometimes even costs less than mass-produced art purchased online or in big box stores. 

Wayne County is home to a number of outstanding artists, but at the Wayne County Arts Alliance, one can also see a passion for art that inspires the broader community to become engaged in a multiplicity of ways.

The arts alliance is one of the many local cultural and business organizations that are partnering with the River Reporter to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Purchases of subscriptions to the River Reporter made through the Wayne County Arts Alliance website will, in part, support the ongoing work of the WCAA while also helping to make sure the River Reporter can serve the community for another 50 years. 

The large canvas made on Saturday, “Fifty,” will be installed permanently in the offices of the River Reporter.

To subscribe and to support the Wayne County Arts Alliance and the ongoing commitment of the River Reporter to award-winning local news and cultural reporting, visit www.waynecountyartsalliance.org.