from the Peoria Journal Star
At the turn of the 20th century, when the El Paso (Illinois) depot stood at the junction of two railroad lines, countless tons of freight moved through the L-shaped building from one line to the next.
Now the north-south Illinois Central line is a bike trail and the old depot, with its whitewashed walls and plank floors, houses a different sort of exchange.
"This building was designed as an exchange point for commerce, products, people. It retains that idea, but now it's a place where people exchange their talents and gifts, where art can be expressed and appreciated," said Dennis Schreck, owner and operator of the Freight House Exchange gallery.
Schreck, a contractor and El Paso native, bought the old depot six years ago to save it from being demolished. He transformed the building into a unique conglomeration of art gallery, local history museum and classroom--all corresponding with his idea that art is "celebrating the individual."
"The main purpose is to stimulate people to be part of the exchange, whether that's hanging things on the wall, giving lectures, teaching a class--or it may be appreciating any one of those things, learning from them," Schreck said. "In art, as in any relationship, when you're giving something, you're also getting back, and when you receive, you also give."
An art exhibition by a mother and daughter tandem from El Paso, Jeanne Craig and Denise Scheer, is on display through February as part of Heritage Month. The works reflect American Indian culture, since Craig's husband--Scheer's father--was an American Indian.
While Craig's work centers around paintings and carvings, her daughter has created everything from a choker necklace made from porcupine quills to a ceremonial headdress decked with wild turkey feathers, strips of mink pelt, horse hair, beadwork and a small turtle's shell.
A carved "house post," which is like a miniature totem pole for indoor display, is one of Scheer's most unusual pieces.
"In the year my daughter was born, we had an ice storm that January and one of the cedars we used for a windblock fell down. I took that tree, stripped the bark and started carving," she said. "I had never done anything like that before. I'm the type of person, though, that's self-taught. I didn't know what I was going to do. I just let my heart and the spirit of the cedar tree tell me what to do."
The result is a six-foot pole topped by a long-beaked hawk, followed in descending order by a rainbow, a sun and dog holding a pair of children wrapped in its embrace. The pole tells a story from Scheer's life. "But it's impolite to ask," she said.
Scheer wants people who view her work to consider their personal heritage.
"I hope to make people aware of their own history and go back and find out what it was about, to research their own culture and ancestors," Scheer said.
During Heritage Month, the Freight House Exchange features seminars and displays related to the history of El Paso and surrounding areas. Residents can bring in old photographs, memorabilia or personal artifacts connected to the town's history for temporary display at the gallery.
"There is a vast wealth of experience out there in the community to be exposed and appreciated by other people," Schreck said. "Art is the expression of experiences. That expression is shaped by an individual's perception, which is tied very closely to their roots. Our roots anchor us to a place and give us substance, but a person's substance is just as important as their dreams."
Schreck's theory of art in the community is made real by the variety of courses offered through the Freight House Exchange. The spring 2001 schedule includes Hebrew lessons, watercolor painting, nature photography, book-binding, and even a nature walk led by a Eureka College biology professor.
"I think of this place as a college for the community. In any group of people there are a variety of talents and gifts that can nurture the needs of other people in that group," Schreck said.
The Freight House Exchange is filing for not-for-profit status, as well as applying for grant money. As for now it relies much on volunteer efforts and donations, since Schreck shoulders much of the costs in keeping the gallery open. Still, he believes in the exchange taking place at the old depot.
"My purpose is to bring the creator of art works into a relationship with the community. I've created a space for that to happen," Schreck said. "I've created my dream train, and art consultants and artists have jumped right on. They believe in what I'm doing as far as celebrating the individual, and stimulating people to exchange their talents within the community."
The Freight House Exchange, located on U.S. Route 24 in El Paso, encourages group showings and is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call ahead on weekends. For more information, call 527- 6861.
Reproduced with written permission from the Peoria Journal Star.
