Postcards sending colorful greetings in LaGrange

Postcards send warm wishes to those who drive past the LaGrange County Courthouse.

The postcards program returned this year after a short hiatus, courtesy local art students, LaGrange County Arts and Focus LaGrange.

“Every year it’s been something a little different,” said Amy Whited, Lakeland Intermediate School art teacher.

This year, the postcards were the fifth- and sixth-grade Lakeland Intermediate School art club’s first official project.

Lakeland Junior-Senior High art club and Westview Junior High art clubs also contributed to the postcards – durable wooden canvases repainted year after year with new designs.

This is Westview’s first year participating, and Whited said she hopes Prairie Heights will also get involved in the future.

“Collaborating is really important in our county,” Whited said.

The postcard project mirrors efforts in other nearby burgs, such as the postcards at Bixler Lake in Kendallville and in Constantine, Michigan.

Painters with LaGrange County Arts did pieces on display at business locations, including the LaGrange County Community Foundation, REMC, LaGrange Town Hall and the Farm Bureau. The majority of the postcards at the courthouse are by students. Whited said it is a way for artistic youth to share their talents and a way for the community “to raise them up and shine some light on them.”

Whited started the postcard project a decade ago and LaGrange County Arts was just launched this year. There are around 20 members. The long-range plan is to become a nonprofit organization, said LaGrange County Arts Director Mary Woodworth. This year, it hosted an art show at the courthouse and an art station at The Garage during Corn School.

Woodworth said LaGrange County Arts wants to “bring the arts back to life in LaGrange County” with a focus on youth.

“We work with all the high schools,” said Woodworth. She said she’d like to see the postcard project continue to grow along with other LaGrange County arts events.