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March 28, 2024

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Spring Housing Guide

Art-A-Site gallery provides venue, art classes

Becky+Laabs+the+owner+of+Art-A-Site+poses+in+front+of+some+of+the+art+pieces+displayed+in+her+gallery.+Various+artists+provide+artwork+to+the+gallery+in+the+hopes+that+it+will+be+sold+to+those+who+visit+the+gallery.

Becky Laabs the owner of Art-A-Site poses in front of some of the art pieces displayed in her gallery. Various artists provide artwork to the gallery in the hopes that it will be sold to those who visit the gallery.

When Becky Laabs retired, she didn’t stop doing what she loves.

Becky Laabs was an art teacher at Bowling Green City Schools for more than 30 years. Now retired, she is still very present in the art and teaching community through her self-owned art gallery.

Art-A-Site, located downtown, opened in July 2008 and sells the work of local artists.

“There was a void around town,” Laabs said. “There seemed a need for an art gallery.”

An art enthusiast since she was a young woman, Laabs said it had always been a dream to own her own art gallery. That dream, she said, came about in a bittersweet way. After the death of her parents, Ann and Phil Ricketts, Laabs inherited enough money to open Art-A-Site.

Near the cash register of the gallery, Laabs has a picture displayed of her late parents, who she said are her “silent partners.”

After starting out with only 11 artists paying the annual $40 fee to sell their work in her gallery, Laabs said she now has close to 100 area artists featured at Art-A-Site.

“What we can offer them is an additional venue to display their work,” Laabs said. “It’s a way to get great exposure and to start a following to get collectors of their work.”

One of the best-selling artists at Art-A-Site is Dorothyann Strange, a local photographer who specializes in pictures of Bowling Green.

“It enables me to have a constant venue to show off my stuff,” Strange said. “It’s all art people would enjoy to have in their homes.”

Strange said her pictures of local Bowling Green sites, like the town’s only sledding hill, sell really well at the gallery. Having Laabs as an owner doesn’t hurt either, she said.

“Becky is always changing it, and she has a wonderful eye for displaying things,” Strange said. “Every time you walk in, it’s new and fresh.”

In addition to being Art-A-Site’s owner and only paid employee, Laabs also teaches art classes in the gallery. From home-schooled children, to adults wanting to learn about water colors, Laabs said she still loves teaching.

Some students come to Laabs even while they’re attending an art class at school to receive additional education.

“I don’t embellish, but I enrich what they’re doing in high school,” Laabs said. “The community is so very supportive of the arts.”

Laabs’ son, Jon Laabs, said his mother is a hard worker and enjoys what she does.

“She loves this town with all her heart,” Jon said. “Art has always been her passion.”

Laabs used to visit a nursing home in town and teach the residents art to keep their minds fresh, Jon said.

“She’ll do anything the community wants her to do,” he said. “She loves students, and she loves art. She’s a rare find.”

Laabs said she is grateful for all the support the community has given her and likes to pay it back.

“If only one person signs up for an art class, we don’t cancel the class,” she said. “Our gift to BG is to offer this gallery.”

Strange said she, like the other artists featured in the gallery, is thankful for the opportunity to share her work and advises customers to stop in.

“It’s a great place to buy gifts because you don’t have to walk in with $100 — you can go in with $10,” Strange said. “Art-A-Site is an undiscovered jewel in our town.”

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