Hannah Page, 14, helps her father Brad Page, 48, a Butler Arts Center board member, spackle holes in the one of the gallery walls in preparation of the art center's first art show since the pandemic started called "Art is..." The show will begin on April 16. Thirty artists were accepted for the show, each with 2-3 pieces each.

For the first time since the winter holidays, the Butler Art Center will be filled with art this April.

Its first exhibit back is designed to encourage thoughts about what art is, how it is created and why it is important.

The “Art Is…” exhibit is designed to showcase submissions of all media and genres. “We wanted to open up an exhibit to everybody's interpretation of art,” said Christy Culp, art center vice president.

The center accepted three entries per person for the exhibit via online submission. Art Center board member Faith Stoughton said this kind of exhibit is the perfect way to reopen the center coming out of the pandemic.

“It's so relevant right now, in the fact that it gives you pause,” Stoughton said via email. “It forces you to really think about what art is, why it is art and how you, as an artist create it.”Stoughton said the “Art Is…” exhibit will celebrate everyone's interpretations of art. “We chose this instead of a theme because it can encompass those whom a themed show may have been irrelevant to,” Stoughton said. “For example, a weaver may create beautiful wall pieces but they don't have a subject, like animals for instance, that would allow them to enter the Nature and Wildlife show in October. With the 'Art Is…' show, the artists can include anything they consider to be art, all mediums and genres.”Helping to prep the gallery Tuesday evening was art center board member Brad Page and his daughter, 14-year-old daughter Hannah Page. Brad said 30 artists were accepted for the show, each with two to three pieces.While the center will be open all day for this show April 16, there will be two separate sessions for the exhibition, one in the morning and one in the evening.

The art center officially reopened Saturday. The center is also restarting its community classes, beginning with a three-day The Magic of Watercolors starting April 10.The center is also debuting a new monthly workshop series called “Saturday Stop-In,” where participants can come to the center between noon and 4 p.m., pay a nominal fee, and create, according to Culp. The first Saturday Stop-In will be April 17 and is called “Paint Your Own Planter.”A free workshop will be a collage sampler April 24.The center's full calendar of events and registration information can be found at www.butlerartcenter.org.<i>Lauryn Halahurich contributed to this article.</i>

Brad Page, a Butler Art Center board member, hangs an oil painting called “Tarkana Tribal Woman” by Marilyn Tynan while preparing the gallery Tuesday for the center's first show since the pandemic. “Art Is...” will open April 16. Tynan is one of 30 artists whose artwork has been selected for the show.

The sign outside the Butler Art Center on Main Street in Butler County. The art center's first show since the pandemic started called "Art is..." will begin on April 16. This image was taken on April 6, 2021, while center members were preparing the walls to hang art from the 30 artists that were selected for the show.