The Exhibit, The People, The Art

By Ava Jones

The cultural environment here at LeMoyne Arts, especially in the midst of our Tri-State Watercolor exhibit, feels particularly indicative of the natural landscape I’ve grown up in. Every Tuesday and Thursday, I walk through the sculpture gardens, past the fountains and the little bridge that intersects the art education facilities where I can hear kids laughing, working on their pottery projects. Once I’m in the gallery, I’m surrounded by beautifully evocative pieces made by artists all over Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Water lilies, cowboy boots & Jim Beam, alligators, cypress trees & wading egrets. Not only have I joined the community that taught me how to create art as a child; I’m surrounded by art that takes me back to the natural world of North Florida I grew up exploring. There’s something quite special about that combination of nostalgia, and I’m grateful for this space. In that sense, it’s not quite a new community, but it’s a new sort of channel; new eyes to see it through.

Today, three older folks came in smiling. They said they were here to view our permanent exhibit, which features some beautifully intricate pottery by Mary Ellen Free. I hear people across the gallery awed by her pieces pretty frequently, so I offhandedly mentioned how stunning they were as they were entering. Turns out one of them was her father, and it was his first time seeing her portion of the exhibit here at LeMoyne. His eyes lit up, and once they finished their look around, he came up to my desk to chat. He was excited to show me all the progress pictures of her ceramic projects, and I was excited to see them. I talked with them all for a while; another woman asked me about my own love for the arts, whether I’m pursuing them at FSU, and where I began. She told me about her 10-year-old granddaughter – how her nose is always in a sketchbook. I got to see pictures of this little artist’s work as well – she’s going places! And that is my favorite part. I love interacting with the passionate, artistic individuals who come through here, and their loved ones who are always brimming with pride. Right now, that is how I can best describe the concept of “community” I have here at LeMoyne.