The Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and extending appreciation of Western art and culture. In service of programs forwarding that mission, on the evening of April 19, the museum hosted its “Off the Wall Party” gala.
The Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and extending appreciation of Western art and culture. In service of programs forwarding that mission, on the evening of April 19, the museum hosted its “Off the Wall Party” gala.
The event was staged in culmination of the museum’s first-ever photography exhibit, “A Photographic Show Featuring the Art of Garry Anderson and Joe Payson,” which opened in late January. Each of these two photographic artists donated six artworks for auction. Proceeds were slated for Wieghorst youth programs. Several of the artists’ other photographs on display were still available for sale during the party.
The catered reception featured champagne, wine and a bevy of appetizers. Prizes and a raffle also contributed to efforts raising money. Raffle tickets could be purchased for $20 a sheet. Auctioneer Clint Bell quick-called bids on the dozen photographic artworks.
Earlene Hollmichel, executive director of the museum foundation, described ongoing programs that will benefit from the dollars the party brought in. She noted that each year the museum pays for a weekend of art study for high school students, during which 20 students are able to work one-on-one with an artist who instructs them.
The museum further has a yearlong educational outreach program for third-graders. Hollmichel said that over the past month around 600 children had participated, by touring the museum and Wieghorst house. This program for youngsters concentrates on Indians, Western art and culture, and the background and history of Western artist Olaf Wieghorst. The museum further awards a $25 cash prize and certificates and trophies for essays based on the museum visit that have Olaf Wieghorst as their topic. The next awards ceremony will be conducted at the Greenfield Middle School in May. Board members dress in Western gear as cowboys to present the awards.
“The children are usually very perceptive, and they bring their parents back to visit,” Hollmichel stated. She envisions the museum hosting a show featuring student art in the fall. She is also eager to show art from local developmentally disabled artists and artists with other disabilities.
“We are going to keep the back room for Olaf’s art,” Hollmichel said. “We want to bring different art in, and not only Western, into the front room and change up the art there. The purpose is to get people into the museum.”
The museum stages about four fundraising art auctions each year. The Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center is located at 131 Rea Avenue in downtown El Cajon. The museum’s hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. More information about the museum and its upcoming special events can be found by phone at (619) 590-3431 or online at www.wieghorstmuseum.org.
