Windsong Acres to recognize artistic career of international commercial artist this summer

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Windsong Acres will host a celebration of the remarkable career of internationally published commercial artist Shelly Rasche July 29 through Aug. 14.

The three-week event will feature a comprehensive display of her paintings, drawings and pottery, along with “stories from behind the scenes;” a candlelit dinner with a special program and open house each Saturday evening by reservation; and a silent auction of some of Rasche’s never-before-offered items to create a scholarship for area art students

Now retired from creating new commercial designs, Rasche is still doing pottery while battling Alzheimer’s. More than 750 of her designs are still being promoted worldwide by her agents. Interestingly, Rasche’s most recent product samples were two different “Peace” angel designs that a London Company has made into counted cross-stitch kits that are sold all over Europe.

An incredibly prolific artist, Rasche has produced thousands of designs during the past 35 years. Her work has been featured on a wide variety of commercial products such as greeting cards, prints, Bounty paper towels, magazines, books, ornaments, plush animals, music boxes, puzzles, figurines, clothing, fabric, counted cross stitch kits, yard flags, TV trays, mugs, baby bedding, wallpaper, candles and more. She even designed the complete line of “Grinch” gift items that were sold in the mass market when the movie starring Jim Carrey was released.

This retrospective art event will formally open Friday and Saturday, July 29-30 with special activities including musical guests, refreshments and scheduled opportunities to tour the artist’s residence. The silent auction and a self-guided tour of the artwork will remain open daily for three weeks, ending Sunday, Aug. 14. The candlelit dinners on July 30, Aug. 6 and Aug. 13 will be held in Rasche’s Scale House studio. Limited seating is available by advance reservation only and will include a short program of stories and anecdotes from her career, along with the opportunity to tour additional artwork and her home décor in the artist’s residence.

The silent auction will have items never before offered to the public including original artwork, sketches of greeting cards and other published items, items and sketches she designed for “The Grinch” merchandise, rare drawings and limited edition lithograph prints from Rasche’s college days and more. Various other prints, product samples and memorabilia will be available for purchase throughout the show. All the proceeds of the silent auction will be used to fund an art scholarship for area students in Rasche’s name.

A detailed schedule of activities and updates about the silent auction will be available online at “Windsong Acres” on Facebook.