By TOM ROSE
Special to Leader Publications

Lacking gallery space in Cass County, members of the Cass Area Artists are displaying in galleries and shops in the Michiana area.
Neil Benham of Niles creates popular wood turned bowls and has gained a large following. He sells at Resurrections Unique Home Furnishings and Backyard in Niles, plus Fernwood and the gift shop at the Buchanan Art Center.
The Midwest Museum of American Art 2016 members show in Elkhart included CAA members Tim Ackerson and William Becker, both of Edwardsburg.
Ackerson has been turning wood for six years and said that he has never had artist block. He displayed a turned bowl titled “Nightfall,” reminiscent of the setting sun and the black of night. When starting with a new idea, Ackerson finds that the wood tells him what direction to take so that changing from the original idea is not uncommon.
Becker is an acrylic painter and also an expressionistic abstract ceramist. The work displayed at the Midwest Museum of American Art is entitled “Embrace.” In addition to the MMAA show, Becker is also showing at the South Bend Museum of Art Student/Faculty show until Jan. 31.
He has shown at the Leeper Park Art Fair, the Regional Midwest Museum of Art Competition in Elkhart, and he has two pieces on display at the Buchanan Art Center until the end of January. On March 18, he will participate in the juried show “Love of Art” at the Century Center, South Bend. The Dot Shop in Century Center, South Bend, sells his work. William majored in art education at Illinois State University and is a graduate of the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts.
Alli Farkas of Dowagiac currently displays at Gallery at the Inn at Harbor Shores, St. Joseph, Michigan. This show features Water Lilly Interpretations, originally eleven paintings prior to sales, and is entitled Sky Pads to take advantage of the artists experience viewing the lily pads in Mill Pond that seemed to be suspended in clouds instead of floating on water. “The Sky Pads series meanders in the same sense as the flow of nature.”
Farkas majored in art at Occidental College, Los Angeles and currently serves as an officer for the Cass Area Artists.
This accomplished group of artists also represents the jeweler’s fine art. Darlene Troyer and Dr. Lois Anderson are known for their fine jewelry.
Darlene Troyer of Vandalia, fashions jewelry creations in precious metals and fused glass. A following of fans collect her work, and art shows, galleries, and shops seek to represent her art, which sells quickly. She teaches at the Buchanan Art Center and her work is available in the Buchanan Art Center gift shop.
Cass Area Artist member Dr. Lois Anderson of Lois’ Unique Custom Creations is from the Zimmyville area near Union. Her creations focus on wearable art, and she participates in multiple arts and craft shows in the Michiana area, in addition to selling at Trinity Squares Local Artists & Crafters, located in Goshen at the former Block Buster Video store which shares the same parking lot with Kroger’s on Chicago avenue (closed Sunday and Monday).
Other Cass County artists displaying in Michiana include Mike Slaski of Cassopolis, a sculptor who sculpted the carving titled “Soul”, which is part of the permanent collection of the Midwest Museum of American Art in Elkhart.
In addition, Sharron Ott of Dowagiac will have an exhibition of paintings at the Buchanan Art Center Jan. 11 through Feb. 18. The opening reception for this show is from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, with a 1 p.m. lecture by Ott and 2:30 p.m. performance art by Rayme and Sharron Bartemio.
Cass Area Artists members also include hobbyists, and want-to-be artists, some of whom are taking classes and enjoy sharing art information during open studio and regular meetings.
The group meets at 3:30 p.m. at the Lowe Center Council on Aging, the third Thursday of each month. A website is in the formation stages at cassareaartists.org.
Planning for the Summer Art Show is under way and the call for artists for the July 15 show will be on the website in January.