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Ward Van Haute is a self-taught painter, sculptor, glass artist, and curator. In July 2014 he opened Bethlehem House Gallery, on Main Street in historic downtown Bethlehem, PA.
Van Haute was born in 1978 in Ft. Belvoir, VA. In 2001 he received his BA in TV/Film Production from DeSales University in Center Valley, PA. For 15 years he worked as a properties master and art director for stage and screen in Philadelphia and New York.
At Bethlehem House Gallery, Van Haute, designs and curates four group shows annually. He integrates scenography into his exhibitions, grounding each gallery room into a unique and innovative interior designed space to highlight the practical use of fine art in the modern home.
In his Bethlehem studio, Studio 945, Ward Van Haute works primarily in oils on the reverse of fused glass panels. He marries the folk and sacral arts techniques of reverse glass painting with contemporary style and subjects. Additional media include found object sculpture, urethane casting, kiln formed glass, and stop-motion animation.
Ward Van Haute is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and exhibiting innovative fine art in the Lehigh Valley. He currently serves as a board member on the ArtsQuest Visual Arts board. He served two terms on the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission from 2016 to 2022. Van Haute was a Juror for the Lehigh Valley Region of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Art Awards in 2019 and will be the Judge for the BFAC 2024 Fine Art and Craft Show on Main Street in Bethlehem.
Rachel Bell is the Assistant Director & Gallery Manager at Bethlehem House Gallery. Through her attentive supervision over the gallery’s daily functions, she’s able to provide clients and patrons with detailed information regarding each exhibit’s curation of handmade items and fine art on display. She also oversees the promotion of these artists and their work by managing the marketing for the gallery on various social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. During the transition period between exhibits, she installs artwork, assists with the curation of interior design, and tends to administrative duties all while leading a sales team with a passion for supporting the local artists of the Lehigh Valley regional area. She’s committed to providing an excellent experience for all gallery guests through select customer service and believes that artwork is a wonderful way to enrich the daily lives of everyone alike. Rachel graduated from Tyler School of Art through Temple University in 2017 with a BFA in painting/drawing, a minor in art history, and a certificate in floral design. Rachel, being an artist herself, works in mixed-media painting and silk floral arrangements/installations, frequently displaying her work in Bethlehem House Gallery and other local venues and exhibitions.
“I love representing the areas local artists! This community is one of inspiration and intrigue, an I’m so happy to be a part of it.”
Sienna Proetto is the Studio Assistant at Bethlehem House Studio 945, where she assists in fabricating exhibition materials for the gallery as well as art framing and fused glass preparations. Sienna is a 2015 graduate of Kutztown University with a BFA in painting.
The Bethlehem House Gallery Team is comprised of a small group of dedicated assistants that report directly to Ward and Rachel. The primary role of this team is to serve as sales associates who actively represent our artists and the gallery’s mission through their passion to providing patrons with an informative experience. When the gallery is changing exhibits, these team members assist in the installation of artwork and furniture as well as necessary maintenance responsibilities to ensure a smooth and successful transition between shows. Our team shares a devotion to the arts and practice their own artistic studies at local and regional universities. The Bethlehem House Gallery is fortunate to have the assistance of this dedicated group of young individuals.
Lu – Gallery Assistant
Elliot – Gallery Assistant
Julia – Gallery Assistant