For 20 years, visual art found a home at 612 Main Street. Emerging artists made their debut, and those whose names are known across the country were able to return to their roots. Workshops provided countless hours of learning experiences. Every Tuesday, the studio was filled with innovation and inspiration during open MakeSpace sessions. Even down in the basement, treasures waited to be used for life drawing events, mural painting, and theater set designs. This is a legacy I’ve had the opportunity to oversee as the Visual Arts Coordinator at The Matthews for the past three years, and now we step into a new pioneering adventure.
I have painted and plastered each wall of this space, arranged thousands of pieces of artwork, learned its history, coordinated and taught workshops, and sat in the quiet company of the humming Termespheres after receptions ended and the doors were locked. In those moments, I learned that it is not the purple accent walls or creaky floorboards that make this space magical. It is you, the artists, who are brave enough to share your work. And I say brave with complete confidence. It takes courage to bring something you have poured your energy and skill into and entrust it to a gallery to be presented to the community. And the experience continues in our community, to each of you who walk in our doors and walk through the gallery, it is the impact of your time and intention that says “art is important.”
A gallery is often referred to as “The White Cube”, a space cleared of distractions so visitors can have an intentional, uninterrupted experience with the art. Our task now is to create that moment without the physical space. We aim to inspire intentional art appreciation in a flexible and mobile setting that is still accessible to the community and welcoming to artists of all ages and skill levels. Knowing the passion for the arts in our community, I am fully confident that we can accomplish this and grow it into something unique and amazing.
I will miss this gallery, as it holds so many memories for me. Not only as a staff member of the Matthews, but also as an artist and art appreciator. This decision was not made lightly, nor out of fear, but from forward thinking and adaptability. We have worked hard to keep our visual arts program sustainable and accessible, and that mission will continue to guide us. With the support of fellow staff, our board of directors, local artists, and community members, I feel ready to step into the wild unknown and begin building something new. There is, of course, a touch of nervousness. But that is the joy of art. To create something with the tools of your craft and an idea so centered in your mind that it must be brought into reality. That is what we aim to do: hold fast to our mission and honor the legacy of those who worked diligently to create a space for the arts, while bringing it all into a new era. While the gallery walls have held so many memories, we are excited to take that energy and creativity beyond the bricks and mortar. Our new programming will bring visual art to the community in fresh and flexible ways: open calls for exhibits in partnering spaces and the theater, a MakeSpace art library with open studio hours, Spearfish ArtWalk collaborations, hands-on workshops for artists of all ages, public art projects, and “Brush Hour” sip-and-paint sessions designed to spark creativity in a welcoming, relaxed environment.
I am honored to take on the responsibility of exploring new ways to connect artists with the community, inspire intentional art appreciation, and make art accessible to everyone. I am deeply grateful to each of you for your unwavering support and belief in what we do.
With Deepest Respect,
– Tia Erin
To learn more about future visual art program visit: https://www.matthewsopera.com/visual-art/
