For the Miami Valley Today.

TROY — The Troy-Hayner Cultural Center is presenting Romancing the Canvas, featuring paintings by Shirley DeLaet. The exhibit will be on display Aug. 26 through Oct. 16. A reception honoring the artist is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 26, from 5 to 6:45 p.m. The reception is a way to meet this local artist and get to know more about her and her artwork. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.

Shirley DeLaet is a self-taught artist whose work includes illustration, design, and the fine art of oil & watercolor painting. Within it all, lies her passion for the beauty found within everyday life. Her subjects are intentionally varied and filled with the discovery of underlying beauty found in the ordinary, and sometimes, in the strangest of things. She doesn’t hesitate to add a surprise, or a touch of humor, in her works providing it tells the story she wants to depict. Everyday life sparks her inspiration and labels of genre do not confine her imagination.

DeLaet has retired from a long career in the commercial art field as an illustrator and graphic designer. She currently works as a part-time receptionist, at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center and also teaches Watercolor Painting & Oil Painting classes in the Hayner Art Studio. Shirley creates her art in her Troy, OH studio.

The Troy-Hayner Cultural Center is proudly supported by the citizens of the Troy City School District through a local tax levy and generous gifts to the Friends of Hayner.

Troy-Hayner Cultural Center is located at 301 West Main Street, Troy, Ohio 45373. Hours of operation are Monday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Hayner Center is closed on holidays. For more information, visit www.troyhayner.org or call 937-339-0457.