FREEDOM GALLERY: Interlude

Freedom Old Home Week Lawn Party

My "other house" sold! 
Capital available, time to get ripping on renovations...Full speed ahead! 

But wait!
Freedom Old Home Week is the first week in August, this year being the 119th year for the event.  For almost thirty of those years, there has also been the tradition of the opening event, the Friday evening lawn party, held on the lawn of "The Great White Barn."

Me pointing to Peg Scully's  "painting corner." 

Joel's Wall

Mary Hockmeyer, former owner of the barn and house at 8 Elm Street, started the lawn party tradition. What better place to hold the opening of Freedom Week Festivities than the lawn of the barn located in the center of town. For the first seven years I lived in Freedom, that lawn party was one of my favorite events, so when neighbors and acquaintances in Freedom learned I was to be the new owner, the big question was, are you going to have the lawn party? My answer, "Of course, I can't think of anywhere better!"

Sarah's Wall

New owners of course put their own stamp on things...mine was to have four other artists in town share my space with me, announcing, as it were, that the barn would be a gallery. This year ALL Freedom artists were invited to bring three works of art. A recent book I'd read, Show Your Work, inspired me to spread the message. We managed to add 6 artists to the fold, including 4 excited "newbies" to the world of exhibiting, with plans to expand to the second floor next year! 

Terri's Space and Ian Marshall's Memorial

Think of the complexity of closing down construction...interrupting the work, cleaning and clearing the space completely for the exhibit, than full speed ahead again two weeks later. My contractor, Ray DesMarais, understands about artists. His wife is one.  

Interludes and deadlines...because another, bigger exhibit is on the planning board for October 13/14/15.
Probably the official opening, as well!

Deadlines...exhibit interludes! 
Mind changing!
(I expect working with an artist is not always easy, we're known to be quirky)

Thank you to all the artists who participated and to Ray DesMarais for engineering the "interlude" seamlessly.  

NEXT EXHIBIT will feature White Mountain Scenes from photographers and artists who live,  hike, play, and practice their art in the region they live in. Possibly on view as early as October 9, there will be a special preview for Appalachian Mountain Club members the weekend of October 13, 14, 15, followed by the official opening of the Freedom Gallery.

Keep watch on this blog...

Coming to the gallery as well:
Freedom Rings in the Holiday, November 17,18  will again feature mainly local artists.

Yoga in Freedom will expand its offerings and switch from Town Hall to the gallery as soon as the down stairs is heated sufficiently and work upstairs finished. 

Classes on "Creating on Purpose," "Finding and freeing your creativity," and other classes will be offered starting in January.