Forty Years #11: Art Alive!

 From 1979 until the mid 1980s, I was involved in Art Alive! The Greater Lowell Art Co-op. I was President of the organization for several years. It was a volunteer position with part-time hours and full-time responsibility. For years I was so depleted by the experience that I didn’t think much about the benefits but I came to see how incredibly fortunate I was to have been a part of Art Alive!

We saw ourselves as an alternative to the established Lowell Art Association. We were given a gallery space by the National Park Service which had purchased the Solomon’s Fabrics building at 200 Merrimack Street in Lowell and did not yet have a use for it. We shared the space with the local non-profit, Human Services Corp. Once the word got out, we drew members from a 30 mile radius. While there was an age range, most of us were in our early 30s to mid 40s. We were an eclectic mix. Some had been to art school; many had not. Some were experienced artists with a resume of exhibitions; many had never exhibited before.

We forged close bonds. We had monthly exhibits where we could exhibit one or two pieces and opportunities for solo and shared shows. To have a place to regularly exhibit with the support of friends was such a great starting point. I shared the struggles and joys of making art with like-minded people. I learned about framing, presentation, meeting deadlines, publicizing work, and forging ahead. Again, maybe too soon, but it made me work harder and get comfortable with the public part of being an artist.