No, this is not a cruel April Fool's joke. The Western Illinois University Department of Art and Design won't pull any pranks when it hosts its upcoming First Wednesday event from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, in Garwood Hall, the Heating Plant Annex and the University Art Gallery.
Instead of gags, the department is offering a high-energy blueprint for a mid-week creative reset.
Garwood Hall serves as the night’s headquarters for technical experimentation. In the basement, attendees can dive into 'Frankenstein' portrait drawings with Professor Tim Waldrop. For those who prefer a side of competition with their art, Sherry Lindquist will host 'The Artful Egg,' a historical scavenger hunt featuring actual prizes. Other Garwood highlights include printing 'Flowers + Birds' on clothing—bring your own threads—with Professor Susan Czechowski, and watercolor painting focused on organic forms with Professor Damon McArthur.
The Heating Plant Annex (HPA) brings the hustle with tactile projects like 'Tree of Life' decorations and the creation of seed bombs. Meanwhile, the University Art Gallery will stay open late, allowing visitors to decompress with Andrea Kastner’s 'Walking Distance' and Christine Knize’s 'Orchidelirium'.
The event is open free to the public (children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult). Please note that the Garwood Hall elevator is currently out of order, so attendees will be required to climb stairs to participate in the Garwood Hall activities. For more information, contact the Department of Art and Design at 309-298-1549.
