Five Hills Art Guild cuts ribbon for new home

By BRITTANY FHOLER 
Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce and the Five Hills Art Guild held a ribbon cutting Friday afternoon to celebrate the new, permanent location of the Five Hills Art Guild in the same office space as Amerivet Enterprises at 336 Cove Terrace Shopping Center.
The Five Hills Art Guild is a non-profit organization founded in 2015 by local artists that “educates, supports and encourages creativity in appreciation/patronage of the arts and cratsmenship within the community,” according to the group’s brochure handed out Friday. 
The mission of the Five Hills Art Guild is “to foster and establish an art culture in our local community and surrounding Central Texas areas,” according to their website. 
Guild President Catherine Blashack welcomed everyone to the ribbon cutting outside the new space before inviting them in for refreshments and to look around. 
“We started from very humble beginnings, working meetings over at the Frames and Things and now we’ve moved from restaurants to garages and finally to our new office, thanks to Amerivet who has given us a room that we are renting from, so we’re very excited about that,” Blashack said. “The other thing I wanted to tell you, we have completed 14 murals so far and four festivals. We are so happy with all the participation we get in the community from photographers to newspapers, whatever, we’re very happy.” 
The owner of Amerivet is a member of the Five Hills Art Guild, and when they decided to move their office space, they chose a location with the Five Hills Art Guild in mind, Blashack said. The art guild rents an office in the space and has full use of the kitchen, conference room and facilities, she added. 
“It’s really wonderful because now we have a place to go,” Blashack said. “It’s nice because we can come in and we can work. We have a place to file our records, which we never had before.”
The organization is still looking for a computer to add to their office. 
“One of the benefits to being over [here] is we also have this gallery,” Blashack said. 
Inside the office space, paintings and art pieces made by members of the Five Hills Art Guild lined the walls of the hallway and were in each individual office and room. Each piece mentioned the name and biography of the artist who made it. Most of the pieces were available for sale. 
“That way people can come in and see the talent that people have here and purchase it and get to know something about each of the artists,” Blashack said. 
Also available for purchase Friday afternoon were Five Hills Art Guild shirts and prints of Ogletree Gap stagecoach mural located inside the Copperas Cove Public Library and the “Earlier Times of Copperas Cove” located at the corner of Main St. and Ave D. 
Live music was provided by local artist Bobby Starr. 
Blashack was pleased with the turnout at Friday’s ribbon cutting and said she thought it was awesome.
As she showed off the different paintings and pieces of art throughout the office space, she brought attention to the variety. 
“We have artisans, not just artists,” Blashack said. 
Featured in the conference room, where refreshments were located, was a painting with three-dimensional aspects portraying Boys Ranch Road, by Denny Furey. The piece will be displayed in the library, joining the Ogletree Gap mural and continuing the detailing of the history of Copperas Cove. 
The Five Hills Art Guild will be offering classes at their new location starting on Saturday, July 13, with a portrait drawing class held at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and again at 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., taught by the guild’s vice president Sheri Wilson. The following Tuesday and Thursday, Sheri will be teaching Beginning Drawing at 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. On Friday, July 19, guild secretary Pamela Rowland will holding “Pamela’s Couples Class” at 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. 
The Five Hills Art Guild also holds “Member Mingles” where artists, members, prospective members and the community have a chance to socialize following the meetings. 
For more information, follow them on Facebook or on their website at www.fivehillsartguild.com, email 5hillsartguild@gmail.com or call at (254) 345-9030.