HEREABOUTS virginia burroughs
Riverbend Art Center’s auction on April 2 offered art equipment and supplies to some, and many memories for others.
Harry Schrager went “because I was on the Riverbend board for 15-20 years — I started when it was still located on Riverside Drive and was president when it closed three years ago.”
To Schrager, who fought until the end to keep the center open, the auction was “very sad, like going to a funeral or an estate sale of an old friend who’s died.
“There were quite a few people there to buy things, though, in spite of the smell. There was a sewer backup where some of the pottery and lapidary equipment was, and the smell was awful. I was surprised that people stayed, but they sold almost everything.
“The pottery kilns, lapidary equipment and looms went very quickly. People were dragging them out, along with the materials that went with them.”
Schrager, a Dayton View resident, had attended to pay his respects, and he met others there doing the same. “I saw quite a few former students. One came from Columbus — she’d come down every week for classes — and she was in tears.”
Lee Kooper, who started taking classes at Riverbend in 1998, and later became a youth instructor, went to the auction for the memories, but also to pick up some supplies if she could get them cheaply,
“I wanted to reconnect with instructors and students, and I wanted to buy some equipment, but it was insane,” she said. “I volunteer at a school in my Northridge neighborhood and wanted to bid on a box of copper blanks used in copper enameling, because I had a project in mind for the kids. I was waiting for this box to come up, but when I saw a box of jewelry wire go for $600, I gave up.
“There was a little box with jewelry making tools I thought I’d bid on for the students, but left when it got into the 30s. I just wandered around and looked at things,” said Kooper.
“There were pieces of Riverbend history made by students, like the vices made on bowling balls so they revolved. Some part of me wanted one, but they went for $80 each.
“The auction was really well publicized, and there were quite a few people in the loom room. I had thought about a loom for a friend, but stuff just went too high, so I left the auction early.”
Kooper, who also helped with Riverbend’s popular Art in the Park, was disappointed that she didn’t leave with a tangible memory, but she’ll keep the memories she has of her own Riverbend experiences.
“I started taking classes at a rough time in my life, and the atmosphere was so supportive and unique that I just kept coming back. At the end, I was even involved with the board — I loved Riverbend,” said Kooper.
Contact this columnist at virgburroughs@gmail.com.
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