ARTIST OF HOOKER COUNTY

County & Community History • Entry T104

One of Glen Geirs many Bronzes in color.

Wanda Smith's crocheted Hat Clock, sawblade clock painted in acrylics and acrylic painting on a slab of tree clock

Sandhill scene painted by the Mullen High art class in early 1980s on west side of 'Big Lil's' Bar

Dry Valley Church - Cathy Nichols in acrylic — Dry Valley Church – Cathy Nichols in acrylic

Sandhill Pond Visitor - Claudia Tompkins sand-painting with acrylic background (using Hooker Co. colored sand) — Sandhill Pond Visitor – Claudia Tompkins sand-painting with acrylic background (using Hooker Co. colored sand)

Wanda E. (Middaugh) Smith was born in Cody, Nebraska May 22, 1923. She attended grade school in rural Cherry County and graduated from High School in Gordon, Nebraska. She taught school for two years before marrying Allen Smith in August 1943. To this union three children were born: Gloria, John and Jim. During the years the children were growing up and in school, she did many different crafts including croche-ting, making a lot of the family clothes, ceramics and then to painting with tube paints on dresser scarfs, pillow slips, etc. Finally in 1980 she decided to try oil painting after starting on her own. She took a painting class taught by Claudia Tompkins and since then she has attended workshops by William Shimnel Jr. of Arizona (oil); Marvin Espe of Minnesota (acrylic); Barbara Schaffner, a wild life oil artist from Montana; Charles Cross, oil portraits and most recently an acrylic workshop by Tim Saska from Texas.

In 1987 Wanda took a college class of Still Life Acrylic taught by Bruce Wyman, earning one college hour credit. At the present time she makes clocks by painting on round saw blades and square or rectangle pieces of wood. She enjoys painting landscapes and wild life in either oil or acrylic.

In the early 1980's the Art Classes of Mullen High School, under the direction and assistance of the Art teacher Mrs. Cheryl Jetter came up with a real neat painting on the west wall of Big Lil's Bar. They did some research and decided on a typical sandhills scene and the Community Improvement Committee furnished the paint and the kids furnished the elbow grease.

When I first tried painting in 1977 I had an eight month old baby and another one on the way so needless to say it got put off for awhile.

Then in 1981 Claudia Tompkins gave a painting class in acrylics. After getting a good basic start from her I have really enjoyed painting.

I've taken a few workshops both in Mullen and Thedford in which I learned techniques that have helped. Still practice is what helps most for self improvement.

About three times I have been in Art shows, all in Mullen. It is very interesting to have a picture critiqued by a fellow artist. In one exhibit I had a painting judged as best by the public who came to look.

Besides painting pictures I have painted on saws, saw blades cast iron skillets, rocks, and ceramic tiles made into refrigerator magnets. I have made at least 600 of these magnets and have them in several different states.

Besides acrylics I've also worked in oils, watercolor and really enjoy drawing.

Some day after my children are grown I'm looking forward to taking more workshops and spending a lot more time painting. For now I'm enjoying my family and painting when I can.

My interest was first aroused in the 4th grade when my crayon drawing was awarded a blue ribbon for an Easter picture. This desire for drawing followed me through the years in school. I attended Chadron State College to obtain my degree then took Art courses for enjoyment. Instructors there were; Carpenter – Commerical Art; a black Artist listed in “Who's Who in Art'', Artist – Still Life and Ceramics; Dillon – Acrylic, oil, still life and figure drawing, also watercolor.

I taught school for 29 years and eight of those years included teaching art classes 1st through 12th grades and ceramics 7th through 12th. I instructed several adult classes in the evenings.

I have attended 3 to 5 day workshops through the years. The first was under Tom Talbot, oil in 1969; James Disney, acrylic and oil in `82 and `84; Charles Rogers, watercolor in `85 and Patsy Smith, arcylic in `86. One must keep learning and experimenting with the art meadias and taking advantage of all workshops if at all possible to improve techniques.

The regular medias are a challenge to paint in but I love to be creative so I try other media. I dye Hooker County sand and do sand painting; use cancelled postage stamps for collage pictures combined with either acrylic or watercolor. I wedge my own clays and develop original sculptures to be fired for ceramics. Letting the creative process flow through me is most invigorating and makes me want to do more.

My husband, Glen, is my severest critic, he also gives me encouragement and confidence and – makes all the frames I need for my Art projects.

I have always liked to draw. As long as I can remember I spent much of my free time with paper and pencils. My Mother was interested in painting also. I have one of her pieces that was done on linen cloth and is 100 years old now.

I did not have a chance to take any art classes until I attended Charon State College at Chadron Ne. The class I took there was primary drawing. After teaching several years I had plans to attend the Fort Collins Art College at Fort Collins, CO. but instead I was married.

Some years later I saw an advertisement for a correspondence course offered by an art school in Minnesota. Because of hard times I could not enroll at that time even though the tuition was only $300 for the 3-year course – 12 months each year. About 2 years later an aunt left me a small inheritance and I used it to take the art course. I completed the course and felt that it was very worthwhile. I took a few lessons from Tom Talbot of Thedford, NE. shortly after that and enjoyed those lessons very much.

Much of the painting I have done was after my children started to high school, but I have done some pieces off and on all my life. I like to paint landscapes. I have done some scenes with animals but prefer to do pictures of just landscapes. I like to paint with oil because it gives one time to do detail work and is also colorful.

As a student in grade school, Glen began to draw the western scenes he saw around him. He began painting in oils in his teen years. Then in 1978, Glen started sculpturing, along with his ranching. This proved popular almost from the first. He has won numerous awards at the Nebraska's State Art Show, and third in Sculpture at Death Valley, California. Glen has been invited to show at the Fort Robinson Western and Wildlife Show; Oregon Trail Days at Gering, Nebras-ka; Minnesota Western and Wildlife at the Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis, Minnesota; George Phippen Memorial in Prescott, Ari-zona; Days of '49 Death Valley, California and Iowa Wildlife and Western Art Festival in Des Moines, Iowa.

The newest dimension in sculpture is color patinas, instead of just the French browns. Galleries and collectors are now showing their interest by calling Glen. Glen will exhibit and sell the moldings done either in living color or in the traditional natural bronze hue.

A lifetime of ranching, and now we will “Let time tell us'' how successful the Art work will be. Alice is keeping an autograph book with names and drawings by the artists with whom they become well acquainted. Alice, Glen's wife, gives encouragement and also does his bookings.