When the Concourse Club of Palmerton held its annual Art Show in conjunction with the Palmerton Festival, the club started a new tradition — paying tribute to a local artist.

For the inaugural event, the natural choice was local watercolorist, William Wesley Wentz.

Wentz passed away earlier this year, and his lasting contributions to the local art scene were put on display.

Wentz was born and raised in Palmerton. He graduated college with a degree in metallurgy, moved to Western Pennsylvania and worked in the steel industry.

He began painting around age 40 and studied the art of painting with many great artists over the years.

Believing that a good painting came from inside the artist’s head, Wentz began to develop his own style of painting which naturally led to passing his knowledge on to others through teaching.

He held workshops on weekends, and upon his return to Palmerton, taught watercolor at The Baum School in Allentown.

Bill and his wife, Beatrice, purchased property in the area and designed a place where Bill could teach art in his home.

Wentz was a staple on the local art scene. He held classes for the Carbon County Art League, he participated in and judged many local art shows and became a mentor and friend to many local artists.

The retrospective of his career displayed at the Concourse Club show, took the viewer on a journey through Bill’s passion for art.

Beginning with some of his early works as a student and a novice painter, continuing through his years of painting local subjects and landscapes.

One highlight of the show, centered around Bill’s personal philosophy on teaching art to his students. Several of Bill’s students are now teaching art to the next generation of local artists.

The Concourse Club hopes to spotlight more local artists in future shows and help to continue to nurture the love of art in this community.