Millersburg Hopper
- Town of Millersburg, Millersburg, IN 46543
Millersburg Hopper
Artist: Angie Thieszen
Information: The Hopper was built in 1900 and the stain art section was created in 2022; measures 6 feet by 6 feet; Hopper is wood and metal and the additional stain art pieces out of treated lumber.
Description: The pre-existing hopper is original to the railroad in Millersburg. It has been privately stored in a barn to protect it since it was used on the railroad. The history and present values of Millersburg is depicted through artwork set up inside of the hopper. Angie wants the viewers to be welcomed to Millersburg and shown her values — family, agriculture and business. The piece shows the history of the town in its booming days as well as the current town activities people can be a part of. Angie worked with old historic photos to create four “scenes” or artwork pieces for three of the four sides of the top of the hopper. The front of the hopper is a welcome to Millersburg sign. All the realistic photos are hand-drawn by the artist and then “painted” with wood stain using cotton swabs and cloths. The actual stain art process begins with hand-drawing each piece with pencil onto a smooth unfinished wood surface and then “painting” them with wood stain using cotton swabs and cloths to paint the images directly into the wood with wood stain. The artwork is additionally protected from the outdoor elements with a clear coat.
For sale: $3,000
About the artist: Angie enjoys working with photos that accentuate details and highlight contrasting elements. She tries to get people to slow down and take some moments with a piece of artwork by capturing those details in unique ways. She works with various subject matter from landscapes to animals to reflections of water. Angie also enjoys using her gifts to enhance the community around her. Angie has been working primarily with wood stain for about four years although, having been an artist her entire life, has worked with other mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, Etch-A-Sketch, and murals. Once Angie has a photo to work from, she often reduces that image even further until the detail she sees is brought to life.