Upcoming Exhibitions

12th Annual Haworth Memorial Art Exhibition

The Art Committee of the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center has chosen Diane Kessler and the late John A. Francis of Weirton to be the featured artists for the 12th annual J. Robert Haworth Memorial Art Exhibition, which will be held on Saturday, October 17 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. The location of the exhibition will be the Museum, which is located at 3149 Main Street in downtown Weirton. The exhibition will run through Saturday, October 24 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Mrs. Kessler was a Haworth student and a graduate of Weir High School and Marshall University. She has been an art teacher and a judge for children’s art contests in our area for many years. Her artwork in watercolor will be on display at the exhibition. Mrs. Kessler recalls that “Mr. Haworth was a quiet and pleasant man. I never saw him get angry. He was very easy-going. Mr. Haworth would sit by us and give us one-on-one personalized attention. He was very encouraging.”
The late Mr. John A. Francis was a 1942 graduate of Weir High School. He often spoke of Mr. Haworth’s quiet and encouraging style of teaching art. In 2010, twenty-three of his painting were donated to WAMCC by his daughter. A variety of these painting will be on display during this 12th annual memorial exhibition.
In addition to the Kessler and Francis artwork, there will be those of other Haworth students and artists from our tri-state area. Current art students in our local schools are also encouraged to display their works.
The idea of honoring the artistic and educational legacy of J. Robert Haworth was that of the late Dr. Ray Greco. The current chairperson of the WAMCC Art Committee is his daughter, Debbie Greco Catton.
Past Haworth students featured at the Memorial Exhibition include: Irene Crago, Kathryn Wright Mortimer, Robert Watson, Lewis Kesling, Virgil Cantini, and Harry Ameredes. Mr. Haworth began his teaching career in Brooke County Schools before working in the Hancock County School system from 1932 until his retirement in 1969.
The exhibition is a family-friendly event sponsored annually by the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center. Admission to the Haworth event is free and open to the public. Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center is a 501(c)(3) institution that is accepting donations, new members, and those interested in volunteering their time and talents to “preserving our history and culture for future generations.”
For a listing of events and exhibits, check out the Museum’s website at www.weirtonareamuseum.com or follow the museum on Facebook at “Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center.”