By Iris Graville
Special to the Weekly
One too many stumbles over loose carpet threads at Chimera Gallery sent artist Jan Scilipoti to her computer during the first week of 2015. Jan tapped out this email message to the artist cooperative’s board members: “I just had an idea about how we might create an art event and raise money to buy and install new flooring in the gallery. Let me know if anyone is interested…”
It’s no surprise that the Chimera board wanted to know more. For nearly 30 years (Lopez artists formed the cooperative in 1987) Chimera members have maintained a professional gallery in the heart of Lopez Village. The collective has weathered economic ups and downs to assure that Lopez artists have a year-round venue to show their work and that visitors as well as locals can find fine art and craft made on the island. All that activity takes a toll on the Gallery’s carpet, and the board was eager for ideas about how to cover the cost of replacing the worn floor covering.
A visit to “The Culture Crawl” in Vancouver, British Columbia spurred Jan to propose the upcoming group show, Four for the Floor. “One artist had covered an entire wall of her studio with tiny sketches. It was dramatic,” Jan says, “and great fun to choose a favorite. I knew with all the talent at Chimera, an innovative show like that would inspire people to contribute to new flooring.”
On Friday, Aug. 7, everyone will be able to see how Chimera artists responded to the request to create four, 4 inch by 4 inch pieces. “This idea motivated us to look at our work differently,” says Chimera board president Maxine Bronstein. “The more the artists thought about it, many of them were excited by the challenge.” During the opening and until September 11, a $40 donation lets the customer choose any piece of work from the Four for the Floor show with all of those proceeds going to the flooring fund. Other items by Chimera artists will be available as usual throughout the Gallery.
Evidently the show’s inventiveness sparked enthusiasm in the village. “The response was fabulous,” Jan told the board after she polled half a dozen other merchants about creating an Art Walk from 5 to 7 p.m. the evening of the opening. “People kept suggesting that I talk with other businesses,” Jan reported, with at least a dozen agreeing to participate. “Paper, Scissors on the Rock is going to host a sidewalk chalk event for kids, and Déjà Vu Consignment Shop will set up a table out front with a selection of clothes,” Jan explains. Balloons will identify the following Art Walk participants: Butterfly Lady, Caffe la Boheme, Colin Goode Gallery, Déjà Vu, Gallery 10, Isabel’s Coffee, Just Heavenly Fudge , Lopez Artists Guild at Lopez Center, Lopez Bookshop, Lopez Island Vineyards Tasting Room, Paper, Scissors on the Rock and Vita’s.
“It’s all so cool,” says Chimera member TJ Anderson. The benefit show runs Aug. 7 through Sept. 11.
