Founded in 1962 in the parlor of art patron Annie Winkler's home, the Wilkes Art Gallery has experienced many transformations over the years.  Perhaps the most dramatic of these was the 2004 move into the renovated, original North Wilkesboro Post Office building located in the heart of downtown North Wilkesboro.  The Gallery's 10,000 square foot facility includes over 3,500 square feet of exhibition space, an education center with a complete ceramics studio, painting and drawing studios, two multi-purpose classrooms, and a Gallery Gift Shop.  The Wilkes Art Gallery provides quality educational experiences through exhibits, classes and workshops for all ages.  Art surrounds us all.  Join us in celebrating the arts and their value 24:7.

Me and My Friend: A Media Menagerie On display from June 20 until August 1 at the Wilkes Art Gallery. This exhibit includes over 100 original works from two lifelong friends and artists, Karen McVay Butch and Martha Enzmann. Original paintings, costumes, hats, masks, toys, drawings and more are included in the exhibit. Each friend works in a distinctively different style but they insure that their work will show well together by using common themes, common subjects and a common palette. This exhibit has allowed them to bring together a wide range of their artistic pursuits. Me & My Friend: A Media Menagerie will be on display June 20 through August 1 at the Wilkes Art Gallery with an opening reception on Friday, June 20 from 6:00-8:00 pm.

Summer Art Camp Ages 5-8, 10am to Noon; Ages 9-13, 1 to 3pm. Summer Art Camp begins at the Wilkes Art Gallery on June 16. Each class is one week in duration, and each includes a visit to the Wilkes County Public Library. If you wish for your child to be able to check out materials while visiting the library, please send their library card. If they do not have one, applications are available from the Gallery at the time of registration. All camps except the preschool camp are $50 per week for members and $65 per week for non-members "Imagining Me" for preschoolers costs $40 for members and $50 for non-members. Limited scholarships are available. To secure registration, a 50% deposit is required. Each camp is limited to 10 participants. Imagining Me June 16 to 20 Registration Deadline: June 10, 2008 Instructor: Connie Broyhill Ages 3 to 5, 10am to 11:30am Children will play, explore and discover in three exciting art studios created just for them! Sunny days will be spent smooshing and squishing clay, and mixing, swirling and painting with bright liquid watercolors and cubes of frozen paint. Campers will spend time collecting, sorting and building with found objects and natural materials. Together, we will explore the beauty of our natural world. Our experienced educators will encourage children to communicate their ideas and stories and facilitate long-lasting connections between the arts and nature. The Art of Paper June 16 to 20 Registration Deadline: June 10, 2008 Instructor Lindsey Sutphin Ages 5 to 8, 10am to noon Ages 9 to 13, 1 to 3pm Explore the world of the fiber arts. Begin the week by experiencing the ancient Japanese art of paper-making. Continue your journey the southern American crafts of drawing and stitching. The week will be completed with bookmaking. This will be a fun-filled week of fiber arts. Clay Creations June 23 to 27 Registration Deadline: June 17, 2008 Instructor Chelsy Miller Ages 5 to 8, 10am to noon Ages 9 to 13, 1 to 3pm You can make it with clay. Learn to make a cup, plate, bowl and mug. Campers will make a complete place-setting of their own original design. The week will be completed by making vases and other functional ceramic forms. Interested participants will experiment with both hand-building and wheel throwing techniques. Young at Art- the Mini Masters July 14 to 18 Registration Deadline: July 8, 2008 Instructor: Connie Broyhill Ages 5 to 8, 10am to noon Ages 9 to 13, 1 to 3pm Pick up your brush and create masterpieces in the style of the great painters. Paint flowers in Van Gogh's choppy strokes, Picasso's cubist faces or Matisse's collages. Use paint and objects to create oversized-artistic Pollack inspired paintings. Create an unusual sculpture and learn to draw with chalk pastels, pen and ink and more. Wild World of Art and Design July 21 to 25 Registration Deadline: July 15, 2008 Instructor: Connie Broyhill Ages 5 to 8, 10am to noon Ages 9 to 13, 1 to 3pm Come learn about design and how it is engaged in almost every aspect of our daily lives. We will create vibrant, energetic works of art through experimentation with a variety of media including painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking. Products created will include oversized splatter paintings, a work of southern folk art and more. This camp will be an adventure not to miss!