Art Overflows

This article was originally published in the Daily Post Athenian in Athens, Tennessee on January 12, 2018.

“Tell us about a treasure of art or culture that you are most proud of in your town and why?” queries the first in an interview list for an upcoming video shoot.

If you know me, or have read even one of my articles, you likely know my answer.

Monday afternoon I sat in my office in leggings and a Cardinals pullover because I expected to be the only person in The Arts Center on a sleepy Monday, our town stilled by freezing rain.

Pausing to gaze at the quiet out my window, I heard a creative bustle crescendo on my side of the frosty glass. The dragging scrape of chairs across the Black Box floor was accented by a steady hammer. From the Willson Exhibit Room I heard one of my favorite sounds, my godmother’s graceful, practiced fingers on ivory keys and my heart swelled at the sound of Katie Torbett’s lilting soprano, dancing to my ears as if carried there by linnet’s wings.

AACA Vice President, Art Kimball, the chair-dragger, was as overcome by the sounds of our Arts Center as I; suddenly he burst into my office — without noticing I was on the phone selling tickets — spread his arms wide and smiled “Isn’t this what an Arts Center is all about!”

I am proud of our Arts Center because we live our mission statement daily. Our humble staff of three and a grand company of volunteers work tirelessly to “enrich the quality of life and make a difference for our community by providing opportunities for the expression and the appreciation of the arts.”

I did administrative work, Jen installed our upcoming exhibit, Dave Siklosi hammered and painted the secretary desks for Athens Community Theatre’s winter musical, Art organized the theater, Ellen accompanied Katie, local artists retrieved work and Arts Center students delivered paintings and drawings. Other friends purchased tickets, registered for classes, and shopped The Art Market.

By 7pm Jan Burleson was photographing Jasmine McDermott in the final shoot for a series of promo photos for the musical. As the shutter clicked, Jonathan Berry, Lindsey Kimball, and Blake Chastain rehearsed musical numbers with Ellen and Tristen Rowland. At 7:30 the cast of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” arrived to block Act Two.

The twenty something actors, singers, dancers ranging in age from sixteen to upwards of sixty are volunteer performers who will in six weeks perform a musical originally staged by Broadway professionals.

Working behind the scenes to make it happen are the director and musical staff mentioned above, plus Angie Hudson who choreographs accessible dance numbers worthy of a professional stage, Karen Siklosi, a master of organization who ensures things and people are where they need to be when they need to be there, and Mary Kennedy, who produces costumes and props with a MacGyver-like expertise.

This catalog of community volunteers does not include the artists who paint backdrops and set pieces, the technical staff which from the booth fills the stage with light and engineers sound, the musicians who breathe life into the score, the parents and friends who will labor over costumes or the arts ambassadors who welcome our guests and help facilitate the “front of house” work during a show. And this is a list of the people responsible for only one of many events at The Arts Center.

I am certainly proud of the number and quality of arts programs we provide our community. As I pondered the “why” in that interview question, I realized the essence of my pride. I am proud of The Arts Center because it was built by a village of volunteers committed to furthering a prospering arts and cultural community and today our programs happen because that community is invested - creatively, physically, and financially - in our lasting success.

Just before rehearsal Tuesday evening a pic message from Art lit up my phone. The message read “Love it when the AC [Arts Center] is so busy that things overflow.” The first thing I noticed in the picture was the shining, freshly mopped (by him) floor and then I saw the stage set with instruments and mics for this weekend’s concert “Sisters Two,” which served as a backdrop for the six hand-built, hand-painted secretary desks.