By Rosalie Block, Art Talk

We have a new staff member at the Albert Lea Art Center.

Ann Farr from Geneva is taking over later this month in the Art on Broadway Gift Shop that is within the Art Center itself. Come on in and meet Ann, and check out all the neat items that would make great gifts for any occasion &8212; birthdays, anniversaries, and Mother&8217;s Day, to name a few. If you happen to have an artist in the family, we have art supplies, as well.

Ann will be a big help to us at the Art Center. Not only will she be covering the hours for us in the gift shop &8212; Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. &8212; she will once again be calling volunteers to help out in the galleries. If you are willing to give us a couple of hours a month, but aren&8217;t sure that your name is on the list of volunteers, please call

us &8212; 373-5665 &8212; and I will personally make sure that you are included on the calling list.

We have missed having our wonderful volunteers come in to provide a friendly face as visitors browse through the different displays each month. But with no one to regularly do the calling, it just hasn&8217;t been possible to do the scheduling. (I hear that ne&8217;er-do-well coordinator claimed she just didn&8217;t have time to do it. What do you suppose she does with her time, anyway?)

And while you are coming in to shop, be sure to pop into the galleries to see the art work done by

the junior and senior high school students. Be prepared to be hungry! Talk about delicious-looking pies, cakes, fruit, pasta, soup, cereal and even a burger and hot dog. Who knew? Along with the realistic looking food and other ceramics, the drawings, mixed media and other hanging artwork is definitely worth coming to see.

Two classes are planned at the art center this month. Katie Heeter from St. Ansgar, Iowa will teach a &8220;Paint Your Own Pottery&8221; (and other items) on Saturday. from 9 a.m. to noon. Cost is $10, and that includes all supplies. Come in to pre-register at the Albert Lea Art Center; call 373-5665 if you have questions. Beth Tostenson will be teaching a watercolor class on Friday, April 20; call Beth if you are interested in this session.

For those of you who have been asking, the Art & Garden Tour has been set for July this year; yes, that is July 20 and 21. Conflicts caused this change, so, gardeners, think July for all the floral stuff you want to display in your lovely gardens. I&8217;m not sure if my dandelions will be in full thrust or not. The crab grass should have a good start, and that pretty thistle that comes back every year on the south side of the house could have quite a start by then.

And, no, I have no luck or skill when it comes to growing plant types. I have killed every variety of houseplant known to mankind. A late brother-in-law once gave me advice, saying that I had to talk to my plants, and that would make them grow better. I explained to him that I did talk to them.

When I infrequently watered anything, I told him I said, &8220;OK, live or die, Sucker. It&8217;s up to you.&8221;

Didn&8217;t seem to help a bit.

Rosalie Block is the coordinator of the Albert Lea Art Center.