It became very clear to me at an early age that I had the so-called gift of gab. This has not always sat well with me. For example, my brother can both pick up any instrument and play it, and is also a very talented visual artist, everything from sculpture to sketching. I, on the other hand, attempt to draw still life apples and end up with indescribable cartoon blobs. This also did not sit well with me when watching my best friend and sorority sister immaculately create whatever her heart desired, while I gave up on crafts in the midst of buring my fingerpads off with hot glue. At least I'm able to appreciate the artistic abilities of others.
So when I was able to visit the Quinlan Visual Arts Center off Green Street, I was able to gleefully experience more wonderful art that I could never possibly make. That's half the fun - what's out there that I can't create?
I met with Amanda McClure, the executive director, on Wednesday, at the center nestled just off Historic Green Street.
"The Quinlan actually traces its orgins to a group of artists that used to meet in the 1940's, and they formalized their organization and became the Gainesville Art Association. They we meet at people's houses, at the courthouse steps, at the Brenau infirmary, and they were initially a sketch group," said McClure. "In the 60's, a local business man, Mr. Quinlan, donated the land and the initial investment to build this building, around 1964."
"Some of the original artists that showed at the Quinlan inlcude Mar Dodd, who founded the arts school at the University of Georgia, and some other notable local artists. One of the things they did every year was a member's show, and we just had our 68th annual exhibition."
McClure said the Quinlan marks each year by that art show.
"In a couple of years, we'll be going in to our seventh decade - we're very excited about that - but our scope is still artist centered, always remembering that we are founded by artists, we give artists their first opportunities to show here, we cultivate relationships with artists. Some artists have started here at the beginning of their career and come back, triumphant. That's really at the heart of what we do."
"We function a lot like a museum, it's free to come in, and I put a lot of thought in to 'Is it local, is it relevant, is this somebody that would be interesting to the community,'" said McClure. "It's educational on one level, but it's also for sale, so it's a sales opportunity... It's different from museums, different from galleries, but similar to both. We're in the middle and that seems to work for us."
In 2004, McClure said the building was renovated, which included some additions to the builidng, like the gift shop and some workshop space.
McClure said the Quinlan hosts both exhibitions and juried shows, workshops, classes and more. A newly added garden can be used for outside events, like weddings, that feature all kinds of sculptures. One of their outside sculptures, "Gravity Fritz," which previously lived at the Wachovia (now Wells Fargo building) downtown, was was repaired last month by Syfan Trucking Company.
"The paint was peeling on it and we were trying to find a way to get it done properly. It had been repaired over the years, but the paint was peeling off and it really needed to be taken down to the metal, primed... and they did the whole thing," McClure said. (A photo of that is in the gallery above!)
The Arts Center also has a few things in their permanent collection - including Lamar Dodd's "Gulls" and Rembrandt's "Rembrandt's Father in a High Hat," donated by the Smithgalls just last year.
"We're not really a 'collecting' organization, but there's things that we have," McClure said. "We don't have a lot of exhibition space for this type of thing, but there are the occassional donations.. you just don't say no to a Rembrandt!"
And. that's not all - there's also a gift shop that sells everything from art supplies to books to one-of-a-kind pottery.
So if you've never checked out the Quinlan Visual Arts Center, head over to Green Street at Candler Street, and walk in during normal business hours. It's free and the art is always changing, and if you see something you just have to have, you might be able to buy it and take it home.
In the new year, I'll take a closer look at some local artists, their spaces and their works, some of which are displayed all over town. I'm talking metal horses, bronze ladies and the like. Ever wondered where those came from? So did I, but I'm determined to figure it out!
Happy New Year, North Georgia, and stay curious.
