What a delight today’s first was! I’ve known about Local Color Art Gallery & Studio, located in the Gryphon Building in downtown Joplin. I even had it on my list of firsts as a place to visit. So I love the way events arranged themselves so that I made it my first for today.
After I viewed the deeply moving Angels for Joplin exhibit at the Joplin Library I searched on Facebook to see if I could locate the artist. I found her. And realized she was connected to Local Color Art Gallery & Studio. She most graciously invited me to visit at a time when she would be there and today, that happened.
It was such a pleasure to meet Tricia Courtney in person. She is as creative and warm and compassionate as her angel sculptures indicated she would be! We had a great conversation and then I strolled through the gallery.
What a beautiful, magical place. The space is open and lit by an abundance of natural light streaming through the many windows. It is imbued with a sense of purpose and creativity, making it the perfect backdrop for the 16 local artists who sell their work there. Hand crafted pottery, paintings, sculptures, furniture and wearable art are skillfully displayed throughout the gallery. I was amazed at the variety of art styles and pieces.
Tricia was present to answer my questions and introduced me to one of the artists, Percilla Penner. I admired the painting she was working on and enjoyed chatting with her also. Percilla and Tricia both teach at the gallery, offering fun classes for adults and children. Budding artists are encouraged to create their own masterpieces and show them off.
I left Local Color Art Gallery & Studio feeling inspired. I will be a frequent visitor, to browse and to shop. And I look forward to attending many art classes there and allowing my creativity to blossom. What a fun way to bring more firsts into my life.