Living with art - Ch. 3 vision for a small town
By David Vowell

Photo by Ann Doran

This time last year I was busy gathering artworks and arranging them in the gallery space, trying out display ideas for the Grand Opening that was held on Valentine's Day. On that day I was gratified to see over 150 visitors attend the opening reception.

Some came for the party atmosphere, some out of just plain curiosity, and some purely for the love of art. Those who keep coming back to visit the gallery certainly are doing so for the delight in the art to be seen here.

David's Fine Art for the Mountain Community was started with some particular goals in mind. First, to be a source of delight for the community and a resource for artists, teachers and students in the area. There is both beauty and inspiration to be found in the gallery.

I think it is often true that we think of art, even artists, as impractical, providing pleasure at times, but not essential to life. Yet when we walk into a gallery we will often feel the altered state of mind that shows us how aware we really want to be of the beauty around us.

An artwork captures for us an image we wish we were more alert to in our infrequent walks through the woods. Or, a painted image awakens in us thoughts of what it was like to live as a child, or deal with grief, or relax on vacation by the seashore.

Holding in our hands a clay vessel or a wood turned bowl, we begin to think about the hands that formed the bowl and, in our admiration, we find ourselves realizing that human beings like ourselves can create delight! And we discover that we need delight in our lives.

For all these reasons that art is important to us as individuals, so it also should be for us as a community. So in this third "Living With Art" article in my series, I will describe for you my vision for a community that embraces and promotes the value of art.

Let's take downtown Murphy. You might live in Andrews or Hayesville, Brasstown or Mineral Bluff, but these thoughts are for you to consider as well.

Here in Murphy there are a goodly handful of empty business spaces mixed in with the longtime shops and offices downtown. Each time I have watched visitors stroll along Tennessee Street or Valley River Avenue I have realized that, not only would they visit longer, but they would enjoy it even more, if those empty store fronts were filled with delights for the eye and mind.

This made me begin, months ago, to picture my new hometown, Murphy, N.C., as a much loved destination for visitors and nearby residents. I began my "wish list!" Two or three more galleries of course - perhaps one devoted to contemporary art, one featuring Native American artwork, another with Appalachian folk art.

Then I recalled the marvelous treat of live entertainers brought in once a month by the Daily Grind and Wine Shop, the laid back Friday night music at the Healthy Coffee Shop, and I began to want to see a new downtown venue for performance art - Bluegrass, light classical, pop bands and more. "Hey," I said to myself, "why doesn't Murphy make a home for a little theater group?" Maybe you are already having other, similar ideas come to mind yourself.

Well, there's no sense beating around the bush. Having a vision is one thing. Making it happen requires more than just the will to do it. It takes money. Probably lots of money. And, as I said in last week's article, our decisions about having art in our lives usually involve both our emotions and our wallets. Sometimes a community is blessed with both elements appearing at once.

Down in Lawrenceville, Ga. for example, developer Emory Morsberger undertook an initiative that included buying and renovating 38 properties in the once fading but historic town square area. The Morsberger Group had lots of financial resources, but were guided by Emory's vision for a basically dormant and rundown part of his town, namely, to produce "a community where people can live, work, and play."

Boutiques, galleries, restaurants, even a theater group , even downtown homeowners now call Lawrenceville's town square home. Business, and delight, thrive where life, culture and even history had once all but faded away.

In this example from the real world, a vision (the emotional element) and the wallet (Morsberger's financial involvement) produced a community benefit and yes, delight.

If you haven't already guessed it, you can be sure that I believe that delight is essential - to your life and to your community's life. Lots of my downtown business neighbors have contributed to a similar vision for our town. Dave and Amy at the Daily Grind, George and Muffy at Shoebooties, Linda at the Curiosity Shop, just to name a few.

And now I must wonder aloud: who up here in our corner of western North Carolina might be the Emory Morsberger of Murphy? There's a big cultural vision ready to be made reality for historic downtown Murphy. If you're the "wallet" - I know some folks who'd love to talk to you!