When I accidentally drop my phone or discover a toothpaste drip on my turtleneck, I’m irrationally chagrined. Everything moves me. I’m keyed up, turned on and deliriously happy just seeing the January green of daffodils peeking upward.

My condition is totally synchronistic with artCentral’s coming Exhibition, PASSION, opening February 20 and generously underwritten by Cherry’s Custom Framing and Art Gallery and KOKA Art Gallery.

This Exhibition will be the perfect opportunity for me to go public and reveal the source of my devotion. My answer will be hanging on a Gallery wall beside the personal passions of Joplin Regional Artists Coalition’s accomplished creatives. Come and see!

While all artCentral’s Exhibitions and Events appear as elegant acts of love, they happen because there’s a coterie of dedicated art lovers pulling strings at Hyde House. I offer my heartfelt thank you to artCentral’s Board of Directors and the artcentralFRIENDS who make our lovely magic.

President, Eric Haun, is a master of catalyzing ideas. When he’s not painting, writing or creating beauty with tresses, he’ll stuff envelopes or hang banners or whatever else needs doing. Treasurer, Pat Goff, is an absolute wizard with numbers. He kindly and consistently helps me reconcile the figures, as we prudently balance our non-profit budget. Membership Chairwoman, Gail White, (417) 310-7262, gives you and our local businesses and corporations splendid opportunities to partner with artCentral. Board Members Jackie Boyer, Helen Kunze, Sarah Ross, Brenda Sageng, Jane VanDenBerg and Dean Vandergriff  show up, put hands to tasks and constantly inspire me.

Volunteer Judy Goff is the doyenne of the delicious delectables served from our vintage kitchen. Cindy Chilton is our talented impresario for staging our Opening and Event tabletops.

A special thanks to Cindy who enabled us to be environmentally conscientious stewards by participating in the recent e-waste collection. Cindy made the drive and delivered all our retired office equipment and electronics to the Pittsburg Recycling Center.

Thanks to all who’ve called and emailed to offer help. We appreciate all our artcentralFRIENDS.

To volunteer, visit our website at www.artcentralcarthage.org, email artcentral@artcentralcarthage.org or call (417) 358-4404.

Our Annual Membership and 30/30 - 30 Years for 30 Dollars, Campaigns are underway. Watch The Carthage Press for more information.

Mise en place (mē-zen-ploss) is about having everything in place and at-the-ready in order to create pleasing cuisine. French chefs do it. They gather their tools and ingredients in a well arranged space. Then they focus on serving up the best. artCentral is doing it, too, so we can dish up a 30th Anniversary Year of nourishing fine art specially designed for your sensual pleasure and satisfaction.

In the spirit of mise en place and our fourth decade serving art, artists and you, our elegant Hyde House is experiencing a complete reset and updo. We have a beautiful new green roof and thirty-four sparkling, energy-efficient, climate-control windows. The basement, closets, cabinets and drawers have been first stage de-cluttered, cleaned and organized. The attic is being cleared for use as our Artist Atelier and Salon. Our Board Room Boutique now offers an array of gift selections. artCentral’s Permanent Painting Collection is on display with works available for purchase. Our new low-tech recycling center is set up in the utility room. In our high-tech styled office, this thrifty non-profit is being run from my artist-DirectorCurator-geek’s personal laptop and printer. 

All of this is happening because artCentral is a village with everyone doing a fair share.

When I was constructing our website and revitalizing our Facebook presence, Koral Martin, Member-Artist, techie and well-known photographer, generously helped me over some tricky digital hurdles. Thank you, Koral!

Without generous transportation loans of Board Member, Jackie Boyer, as well as Aggie Armstrong and my neighbor, I would have been traveling to Hyde House on foot since Christmas, the day my vintage 4-Runner had a serious engine episode. Thankfully magician-mechanic, Bill Rogers, is making great progress getting my ride back underneath me. Thank you Jackie, Aggie, neighbor and Bill for getting me through this stretch!

While new Patron Member-Artist Brenda Hayes and I discussed her April 25th FIBERS workshop, SweatersUPCYCLED, her talented husband, Thomas, offered, built and delivered perfect Boutique shelving constructed with time and materials he donated. Thank you, Brenda and Thomas!

Here in our mise en place village, there’s a unique niche for you, too. Don’t delay. Volunteer today. 417.358.4404. We’ll help you find your special place in Hyde House, our home on the hill.

Thank goodness for these inspirations. Thank goodness for our Y-- the pristine pool, the friendly, encouraging staff and the excellent hot showers.

As a relatively recent transplant, I’m still discovering the plethora of perks, like the Y, found in our small community. Do I take our Y, one of our amazing small town amenities, for granted? I hope not.

Having lived for a number of years in New York City and for sixteen solitary seasons in the way-back wilderness of the Ozark Highlands, I’m continually amazed by our choices, especially regarding the ease and efficiency of daily maintenance of body, mind and spirit in this treasure of a community we call home.

In Manhattan and Brooklyn, getting to the Y pools involved a significant commute on the subway or on my bike. At crowded lap times I might be sharing a lane with five or six other swimmers. More than once the congested conditions stirred up a territorial fist fight. Seriously!

My swims could also be exciting in the wilderness stretch of the Little Buffalo River winding beneath Chimney Rock. Like those times stepping out from the ice-edged gravel bar to plunge in for the first polar bear dip of spring. Or summer laps navigating through the family of water moccasins at Jack Pot Hole. Those reptiles seemed to think they owned that spot and didn’t particularly care to share.

Aren’t we Carthaginians lucky? Yes, indeed. We live in a wonderland of grace. We have a Y and access to inspiring showers and space to get around without too much competition. And up there at the top of the list of our Small Town Blessings, we have artCentral. What a treasure for us and for our region!

As one of our Board Member artists, Brenda Sageng, so cogently declares, we have “Grand Art in a Small Town”. Yes, we do! Come see. Join in the fun and celebrate our 30th Anniversary with us. We’ll sprinkle you with delight and shower you with artful inspirations!

Passion, a blockbuster exhibition featuring the artists of the Joplin Regional Artist Coalition, opens February 20th.

For more information and to volunteer, visit our website at www.artcentralcarthage.org, email  artcentral@artcentralcarthage.org or call (417) 358-4404.

Happy New Year from artCentral! As we Carthaginians put away our holiday lights, there remains a lingering luminescence in January’s sky. Look eastward off Grand Avenue. You’ll see a shimmering radiance, where artCentral’s 1110 East Thirteenth Street campus is positively aglow with anticipation.

At Hyde House, our home on the hill, a party is in the making and you’re on our guest list! 

In 2015 artCentral celebrates our 30th Anniversary serving Art and Artists in Carthage and far beyond our corner of southwest Missouri.  As artCentral’s new DirectorCurator, I invite you to join us for our RETROforward! year of festivities - cherishing our rich past as we stretch into our shining future.

Our new calendar is already full with Exhibitions and Opening Receptions showcasing a glittering array of artists including Joplin Regional Artists Coalition (JRAC), Frank Young, students participating in Art Feeds in Carthage, Andrew Batcheller, Tom Jones and Brent Skinner, Rebecca and Bill Perry, as well as Diana and Jim Bray.

Koka Art Gallery and Cherry’s Custom Framing and Art Gallery have already stepped up to sponsor February’s JRAC show. During January we’re inviting our other supporting Underwriters to select an exhibit to sponsor for our 2015 season.

This year we’re adding several artCentralSATURDAYS, when small people come to scavenger hunt on the lawn, sample a mini-artCamp class, play I Spy! in the Galleries and enjoy refreshments on our spacious porch. Shirley and Scott Hoenshell of S&S COMPUTERS are enthusiastically underwriting this new adventure! Also for younger folks, we’ll host our annual artCamp in July.

For grownups we’ll offer an enticing spectrum of Workshops and Classes led by artCentral artists and pros. These artful opportunities will include Wordsmiths and Readers, Easels and Edibles, MudPuppies and FiberArtists, Tai Chi and Yoga.

As more activities are added, we’ll keep you up-to-date with our new media platform including our new website www.artcentralcarthage.org and our presence on Facebook (ArtCentralCarthage) and Twitter @artcentralcarth.

After our pause for winter renovations, we’ll launch our spring season with Passion, an exhibit featuring the works of regional JRAC artists. The Opening Reception will begin at 6:00pm, Friday, February 20th. All artCentral Members and the public are invited. Admission is free.

As artCentral’s sparkling offerings keep our lights burning brightly, we’ll be waiting for you to come and join our party. Just travel east on 13th Street to reach our shining glow. During all Exhibitions, our galleries are open weekend afternoons and other times by appointment.

To volunteer and for more information, you can easily reach me at (417) 358-4404 or by email at artcentral@artcentralcarthage.org. I look forward to welcoming you soon!