Artist Date

Last week I took myself on an artist date to a place that is fun for me to watch develop and grow.  There is still quite a bit of construction that is on-going but there are already tons of artists studios and retail shoppes open and each week there seems to be something new. Its been open for I guess a year at least. One of the many women who paved the road for African American women artists in this city/state had her name on an empty studio and it was a jolt of joy to my heart to see that. Elmer Lucille Allen is the type of woman who meets you once and remembers your name and any shared information forever.  First a chemist but always an artist, she makes being retired look damn good as she is a young spirit (me, I turned 84 soul years when I was 27) and she loves, loves, loves people.  I don't think I've ever been young...wild, yes, stupid, plenty, but never young. 

Here are some photos of my walk through Mellwood, (the place use to be Fischer's meat slaughter and meat packing facility).    Long time ago I lived down the street and on Sunday nights and Monday mornings the trucks would be backed into the unloading docks. I wonder if spirits of dead pigs haunt the place?????  The meat facility shared the street with Tumbleweed restaurant, a local tv station, houses, and apartments and faced north toward the highway, Coxes Park on River Road and the river being the Ohio. The genealogy of geography.

(l) This will be a live theater when complete.  (r) This is walking from the parking lot and the building that will become the theater is to the right. 

(r) This is just passing through the gates to the right and will become an artists'  supply store but I hope it doesn't hurt the other 2 art suppliers we have here.  (l) This is just as you look up on the right as you pass through the gate.                                                                                             How could I not love a cafe that has Peace in its title!?! The last photo on the right is the hallway into one section of the studios/retail space. To the left is a maze and I do mean a maze of rooms that all look like the one on the left corner of the picture.  Currently, studio space goes for $11.00 a square foot and there is a tenant that develops artist with disabilities of all kinds and they rent out studio space for 70 or 80 per month and they also run drop-in studio time during the day and after school.  I don't know if I've ever mentioned it here but one of the things I'm most proud of is developing a fine art program for adults with mental retardation and severe physical disabilities.  They have since gone on to widely exhibit and buy a gallery/studio to showcase their art. Even though I no longer work there this is still an area that I truly love to read and hear about.