Gallery Concord Offers a Variety of Flavors
If you’ve been to down town
Concord there’s a very good chance that you drove right past some very
fine art work and were not even aware of it. No, not the defunct Spirit
Poles though it’s quite possible that one could have passed them
without recognizing their artistic merit. However, if you’re looking for
fine works of art, they may be found at the Gallery Concord.
Housed in the old Masonic Lodge at 1765
Galindo Street, and referred to by board members as the “best kept
secret in Contra Costa”, the Gallery Concord has been showcasing the
works of California artists for approximately 20 years.
Karen Mason, the current co-director as
well as a member of the California Watercolor Association and one of the
artists in residence at Gallery Concord, has been at the helm for
approximately four years. She served as Co-director with Renee Fakhrai
until the end of 2003 when Fakhrai stepped down. At that time, Margo
Sanger, also a member of the CWA, was persuaded to step in and is now
co-directing with Mason.
Built in 1927, the Masonic Lodge is the
gallery’s fourth location. Originally located in the Gateway Building on
Willow Pass Road, it moved to Salvio Street near Todos Santos Plaza, and
then to The Willows shopping mall on Diamond Blvd. When Fuddrucker's
decided to expand, the gallery was once again in search of a home. After
a year of retrofitting and refurbishing, the gallery held its Opening
Night Gala on March 15th 2003 at the Masonic Lodge.
When city funding for the non-profit
gallery ceased, the Visual Arts Benefactors organization was formed to
ensure the gallery’s survival. Wanting to maintain an art presence in
Concord, the VAB organized what has become the annual Bill McManigal St.
Patrick’s Day golf tournament in order to raise funds for the gallery.
In approximately 2000, the
VAB joined forces with the California Watercolor Association. The
gallery is now staffed with artist volunteers from the CWA who manage
the day to day operation of the gallery while the VAB acts as the
fund-raising arm of the partnership.
The
CWA members act as “artists in residence” and one of the organization’s
artists is present during business hours to speak with visitors about
the exhibits. Occasionally you will find them working on projects of
their own.
CWA Vice President, Sue Johnston, say
that there is always a watercolor exhibit as Gallery Concord “really is
a watercolor gallery” but that they like to exhibit other media as well.
Each month the gallery displays the work of a different guest sculptor
in addition to one other media, be it acrylic, oil, etc. All artists
whose work is displayed in the gallery must be “juried” in. Artists
submit five samples for consideration by committee and hope for the
best.
Public
receptions are held quarterly at which time new works are displayed. The
gallery will typically host a Friday evening wine and hors d'oeuvre
reception to celebrate the new works as well as Sunday Morning with the
Artist. The Sunday events allow visitors to speak with and observe four
or five artists actually working on their craft. Workshops are held for
both children and adults and refreshments are served.
The
CWA, in conjunction with Gallery Concord, is involved in a lot of
community outreach programs, conducting workshops at local schools for
both students and teachers. They will soon begin a hands on
demonstration program (supplies being donated by a grant from the Diablo
Regional Art Association) as well as docent tours where an artist will
lead groups on an educational tour of the gallery and its current works.
The gallery holds critique sessions the 2nd Thursday of the
month as well as various holiday theme events.
Though only a year has passed since
their arrival, Gallery Concord’s future at the Masonic Lodge is
provisional at best. According to Lydia DuBorg, Assistant City Manager
for the City of Concord, the lease that the gallery signed was a
short-term agreement and that the site is earmarked for future projects,
whatever they may be.
DuBorg says that “development of the
site is being proposed under a redevelopment agency, master developer
resolution”. The developer, who recently acquired additional property on
the site, is proposing condominium housing. She indicates that the
developer is aware of the city’s desire to preserve the Masonic Lodge in
whole or in part and, if possible, incorporate it into any new project.
However no type of a “final application” has been received to date. A
telephone call to the Planning Department for information regarding the
specifics of the proposal had not been returned at the time of this
writing.
In the meantime the gallery will
continue to serve as one of Concord’s cultural hot spots. Currently on
display, through June 29, are new works from 32 members of the
California Watercolor Association. Also on display through June 1 are
works from guest artists, ceramist, Mei-Rung Huang and oils landscape
painter, Norma Webb. Gallery hours are from 11-4, Wednesday through
Sunday.
Bio: Clayton
resident, Joe Romano, is a freelance writer for hire. He can be reached
at:
jromano01@yahoo.com
