Heritage Estates Resident Creates Colorful Windows!

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Heritage Estates resident Evelyn Wambolt keeps busy creating colorful, artistic accents to the many windows in the building. Although she was drawing as a child, she took up painting at 50 after watching Bob Ross’ artist instruction programs on television.

Several of the windows throughout Heritage Estates now have decorative touches thanks to one of the residents who likes to share her artistic ability.

“I always drew things with pencil when I was a kid; but I didn’t start painting until I was 50,” said Evelyn Wambolt. “I started watching Bob Ross on television and thought I could also do this. I got some paints and brushes for Christmas and have been painting ever since.”

Wambolt admitted she usually doesn’t have a specific idea of what to paint when she picks up a brush, but the inspiration starts to flow once she starts.

Her window creations started when she moved to Heritage Estates last March and one of the staff asked her to paint an office window. Her artwork took off from there with about 12 paintings, so far, adorning the estate windows.

The window in the administrator’s office was created from the reflection of the Monument in the glass.

Another of Wambolt’s window paintings is more whimsical — a frazzled looking sunflower on the beauty shop window. She said it was her idea of a bad hair day.
Kim Johns with Heritage Estates said before Wambolt moved in, most of the windows had blinds on them.

“We took them down to open up the offices and to bring in more light. Evelyn has done a great job framing them in and giving them life.”

Wambolt has also worked with a few people over the years, teaching them the basics of painting.

“She’s sold a lot of her paintings in the gift shop at the Maranatha Bible Camp with the money going back to the camp,” said daughter, Esther Melroy. “She’s also been commissioned for paintings that have gone around the country.”

Over the years, Wambolt has taken on the challenge of all sizes of paintings. While she and her husband were working at Maranatha Bible Camp, she painted a large mural in the sweet shop.

She was also recruited to paint a large concrete block building on a friend’s property after the owner complained how ugly the building was. The resulting landscape painting was featured in the North Platte Telegraph.

While Wambolt and her husband were raising six children, she still made the 60-mile daily trip from their home in Julesburg, Colorado, to Sterling, Colorado, to attend nursing college.

With only an eighth-grade education, she was able to graduate on her 50th birthday.
After they retired, the couple moved the Maranatha Bible Camp near North Platte. While her husband was in charge of all kinds of duties, she was the camp nurse. She also taught Bible studies for about 20 years and is still in touch with many of her students.

“My mother is an amazing woman for her 96 years and has led a remarkable life,” Melroy said.
And Walmbolt said she feels very fortunate to still be active. “I don’t like to brag about myself, so I let my daughter do it.”

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