On Wednesday, June 7, about 25 members of RiverArts gathered at 200 High St for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new RiverArts Education Center. The building, on the corner of High and Queen, is the former location of the Houck’s Menswear store.
Andy Goddard, executive director or RiverArts, said the center has already been in use for a couple of months, with life drawing and photography classes using the facilities. However, the space needed sprucing up — the former occupant had painted a plaid pattern on the walls, and the artists repainted it to a more congenial flat white. And curtains on the front display windows were judged a necessity for sessions involving nude models.
The space is also available for individual artist members of RiverArts when it’s not in use by a class. Goddard said Chestertown artist Holly Geddes likes to paint in the space, and when she leaves the curtains open, passers-by often stop and watch her painting. Some of them have come in to strike up a conversation with the artist, Goddard said.
Plans for the space, which has two rooms, are still in flux, Goddard said. It’s possible the back room may be set up as a photography studio. And a movable partition is in the works, to allow the main room to be divided so two classes can use it at once.
The space fills a definite need, Goddard said. Previously, RiverArts had to hold classes either in the KidSpot space adjacent to its galleries or in the instructors’ home studios. The Education Center, which is adjacent to the RiverArts clay studio, brings the teaching component of Riverarts into a dedicated space the center of downtown Chestertown.
Ready to cut the ribbon!
Members of RiverArts stand poised to officially open the new RiverArts Educational building on the corner of High and Queen streets in Chestertown, MD.
Essentially a large open space, the new educational center provides flexibility and can be used for small groups, large classes, or even individual artists. The open plan allows multiple configurations for multiple uses – lectures, demonstrations, atelier, workshops. It is the perfect complement to RiverArt’s Gallery and KidSpot on High Street. (Photos by Jane Jewell)
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