Mantorville Art Guild founder’s retirement celebration Feb. 22

After taking the month of January off, the Mantorville Art Guild has reopened and will be celebrating the retirement of Art Guild founder Theresa Hoaglund on Saturday, Feb. 22.
To say that the Mantorville Art Guild exists because of Theresa Hoaglund is putting it mildly, fellow Art Guild members say. She has put her heart and soul into the Art Guild for the past 25 plus years.
Her goal throughout those years has been to promote the visual arts within Mantorville and Kasson as well as the surrounding communities.
In honor of her retirement, a reception in Hoaglund’s honor will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Mantorville Art Guild. Family, friends, fellow artists and the community are invited to attend. Light appetizers will be served with music provided by Layne Noser.
She and her husband Lyle, raised six children, enjoyed many fun travel adventures, tried new hobbies, and eventually moved to Mantorville in 1997. Hoaglund later bought the Mantorville Mercantile which became the Mantorville Art Guild. She has been part of the Guild since it’s very beginning as the founder and president and takes great pride in all that the Guild has accomplished over the years.
But running an art co-op is not easy. There’s been a number of difficult periods such as during
the outbreak of COVID and even more recently, the road construction project outside our front door which was particularly challenging. Still, through it all she believes that art is for everyone. The Art Guild continues to carry on and will follow her example, Art Guild members say.
So, while she may be retiring from the Art Guild, she is still very passionate about her personal art and looks forward to creating her work in her amazing home studio.
The Art Guild was closed in January to do some annual deep cleaning and general maintenance, as well several projects to enhance the Art Guild experience for visitors.
Artists are welcoming the new year by rotating new works into the gallery and displaying recent creations to make for a fresh, new look throughout.
There was also some remodeling done that includes new displays in the main gallery that increases space for exhibiting and viewing art. It also includes a more open floor plan making a smoother flow for visitors.
There are also plans for updating the group’s website.
The next big exhibit will be March Youth Art Month featuring an art exhibit by local students’ March 8-30. The exhibit may be viewed during regular gallery hours with a reception planned for 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 8.
The Mantorville Art Guild is currently open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Summer schedule begins on March 1 with hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 to 5 p.m.