Home – An Exhibition

Home – An Exhibition

On display at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre Gallery

January – May 2024

Closing reception to be determined

Home: An Exhibition

Curator’s Notes

The artwork in this exhibit explores the idea of home in various ways. Some of the artists are depicting real spaces where they live or have lived. Other artists are imagining places fantastical or reminiscent. The concept of home involves people, animals, objects, places, ideas, hopes, and dreams. 

The theme for this exhibit was inspired by the life and work of Wade Bussert, an incredible human and artist who recently left this world. Bussert spent decades creating artwork in his small town of Kewanna, Indiana. His drawings and paintings have documented the architecture, businesses, and landscape of Kewanna and its surrounding area.  Home was central to Wade Bussert’s work and his life, and in the display case on the south wall of the gallery you’ll see some work from my own family’s collection of our dear friend’s work. 

At first we wanted to gather his work as a solo exhibit in this beautiful Centre that is dedicated to the arts, which we know he would have just loved.  Yet Wade was a core part of an incredible artist community in Kewanna – a town of maybe 400 residents.  This community brought together artists of all levels and interests for workshops, art shows, carry-in dinners like only Hoosiers can do, and campfires with songs and stories that could last for hours.  As a more recent, peripheral friend of this community, Wade never failed to welcome me and make my creative spirit feel like it belonged.  Reflecting on this, the move towards a group showing made a lot of sense, and I invited local artists to share work with us that considered the theme of home.  I love the range of imagery, stories, and ideas shared together here.  I think Wade would too.

Wade was a mentor, friend, and inspiration for all who crossed his path – from how he lived – authentically and completely, to how he created and worked – from a place of love, joy, and fun.  Thank you, Wade, for giving us pieces of your home, heart, and soul to bring into our own.  

Kathleen Tieri Ton

Participating Artists