“Yeah of course,” said Charlie. ‘I love art and I’d love to answer any of the questions you might have” that was the feeling I got when I encountered Charlie some time ago to interview him about the Art Center. I can’t say how we first met but it was during a misshaped camping trip in the mountains that had little to do with art.“I have been with the Art Center for around 27 years and counting. The ancient pottery you see when you walk into the Center is a collection I’ve been assembling for a long time… Hey?! Can you even hear what I’m saying..??” I couldn’t over the hum of the refrigerator unit at work. Humming to keep the walk-in cooler at optimal temperature. I need to go into the office to get my headphones so we can continue the interview.Some of the other patrons at the bar had disagreed with Charlie’s actions in the last week and took the opportunity to handcuff and duct tape him to the radiator, thus taking away the phone. They were almost jealous that someone had been calling Charlie to ask questions. These people needed to know who was calling and almost tried to play his part. I could hear muffled voices say they could impersonate Charlie and have the conversation with me, thus robbing Charlie of the opportunity to be interviewed by me, Paul.
Sometime later I got a message from Charlie talking about how his friends needed a place in Grand Junction to show off their art back in the day. “I grew up here and went to the high school right down the street from the Art Center. The idea for the Student Art Exhibit was that there needed to be a place for student art to be displayed. All my friends were artists, and I wanted to see their art exhibited.” Now the Art Center is home to several art exhibits that run during the year along with a number of events that culturally enrich the Grand Valley.
The CMU Student Exhibition runs from May 7th to April 4th and shows artwork from students at CMU. This art shows what is possible for students to create from the different studios at the college. This art is selected by an outside juror who has a ton of expertise in the art world. Most of the art at the CMU student art exhibit is for sale to support the student artists entering that art world. It gives the students a sense of what the price of art can sell for when entering into the art world.
The Art Center is located on the corner of 7th and Orchard and is closed Sunday and Monday. Regular hours are from 9 am to 4 pm and all CMU students get in for free. This Art Center offers a few different exciting opportunities for the community.
There are a number of classes that are offered for both kids and adults during the year. Day camps are offered to young kids and youth and workshops are offered to adults. The Art Center offers hiking trips into the canyon lands and production of James and the Giant Peach.
Becoming a member allows entrance to hundreds of museums in America. The membership gets you discounts on classes and at the gift shop. Memberships include newsletters and postcards as well so it’s never a bad idea to support your local Art Center.
By Paul Irvine
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