They also hope to launch a series of "First Fridays" soon. As she envisions the "First Fridays" events, there will be music on the street corners and art displays in businesses and restaurants. Wells said she can see incorporating in Fayetteville some ideas from the Art Walks held monthly in Charleston. She also said officials with the Town of Fayetteville are supportive of the coalition.
For decades, people have worked to tell the world that Fayette County is a place for world-class outdoor recreation, she said. Now work is also underway to bring Boy Scouts from around the world to the new Summit Bechtel Reserve in Fayette County.
"With the coalition," she said, "I think we can enhance the experience of tourists who are drawn here now and will increase in the future."
On the new web site, members of the coalition wrote, "We have room for more art in Fayetteville. By fostering an environment in which art is not just appreciated, but encouraged and supported, we can have a significant impact on our community and its value to ourselves and the state of West Virginia."
Art not only can enhance the spirit, but it can also put money in the pocket. Several local businesses are partnering with the coalition to draw more people to the area and to support business.
As a long-term goal, the coalition also envisions drawing a music festival to the area, even one with national status.
Wells said the coalition is seeking volunteers and donations. The coalition has its tax status as a 501c3 organization. The web site, www.fayettevilleartscoalition.org, provides information about how to contact members. They range from email, to Twitter, to a Facebook connection to a post office address -- P.O. Box 344, Fayetteville, W.Va., 25840.
Wells said that the diversity of the coalition's board is a strength. One board member is Ronald DeWitt. He lives in Fayetteville, but he is the director of artisan services for Tamarack in nearby Raleigh County. His connections with the juried artists who display their work at Tamarack helps the coalition, Wells said.
Wells balances her life as a wife, mother of two small children, a teacher, and artist. She was looking for ways to squeeze in more time for her own art and for ways to keep inspired when she founded the coalition. "The coalition fills a big hole for me," she said. She wants the coalition to make an impact on many lives.
Reach Susan Williams at susanwilli...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5112.
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. -- Everyone knows Fayetteville is a cool small town. It even says so on the entrance signs.
How could anyone possibly make Fayetteville cooler? How about improving access to its arts community?
Like many people, Shea Wells was drawn to Fayette County because of its natural beauty. She has worked as a raft guide for more than a decade. But she is also an artist and an art teacher. Many people drawn to the biking, hiking, rafting and rock climbing that Fayette County is known for may not be able to earn their livings in outdoor recreation. Also people who do work in the tourism industry may not be able to sustain their incomes beyond "seasonal" recreation.
Why not develop art as a way of making a living and also as a way to nurture the natural environment? Wells said she and other like-minded people have been talking about how to enhance the environment for the arts for years. Now the Fayetteville Arts Coalition is a reality. Even though "Fayetteville" is in the group's title, Wells said all Fayette County artists are welcome to join.
"This area has so much to offer," she said, "except for the fine arts."
Wells said coalition members have many short-term and long-term goals. One immediate project is called "Art in Sight." She explained that artists in the coalition want people to see an artwork unfolding and understand what goes into the making of an art project.
The first artist who will be making a public art project for the coalition is Charleston artist Rob Cleland. People in Charleston are familiar with his work on public murals. In Fayetteville, he will start work this spring on an exterior wall of the Fayetteville Physical Therapy Building.
So often, Wells said, she has driven into Fayetteville from U.S. 19 only to see the blank wall of the therapy building that seemed to be "screaming for a mural." Wells envisions other buildings in town as future "canvasses," too.
Among the many goals that Wells and other members of the coalition hope to bring to fruition is a monthly art market. She said they are using the McGuffey Arts Center in Charlottesville, Va., as a guide. They hope to give local artists a chance to display and to sell their work and eventually work toward a permanent location where art can be exhibited.
Wells also said they want to use part of a permanent space for education. Wells teaches art at Collins Middle School, but she said most teachers agree students do not have enough opportunities to find arts enrichment. If they had a permanent space for studios and exhibits, Wells said they would definitely include space for arts education. They are looking for permanent space, including a former school.
They also hope to launch a series of "First Fridays" soon. As she envisions the "First Fridays" events, there will be music on the street corners and art displays in businesses and restaurants. Wells said she can see incorporating in Fayetteville some ideas from the Art Walks held monthly in Charleston. She also said officials with the Town of Fayetteville are supportive of the coalition.
For decades, people have worked to tell the world that Fayette County is a place for world-class outdoor recreation, she said. Now work is also underway to bring Boy Scouts from around the world to the new Summit Bechtel Reserve in Fayette County.
"With the coalition," she said, "I think we can enhance the experience of tourists who are drawn here now and will increase in the future."
On the new web site, members of the coalition wrote, "We have room for more art in Fayetteville. By fostering an environment in which art is not just appreciated, but encouraged and supported, we can have a significant impact on our community and its value to ourselves and the state of West Virginia."
Art not only can enhance the spirit, but it can also put money in the pocket. Several local businesses are partnering with the coalition to draw more people to the area and to support business.
As a long-term goal, the coalition also envisions drawing a music festival to the area, even one with national status.
Wells said the coalition is seeking volunteers and donations. The coalition has its tax status as a 501c3 organization. The web site, www.fayettevilleartscoalition.org, provides information about how to contact members. They range from email, to Twitter, to a Facebook connection to a post office address -- P.O. Box 344, Fayetteville, W.Va., 25840.
Wells said that the diversity of the coalition's board is a strength. One board member is Ronald DeWitt. He lives in Fayetteville, but he is the director of artisan services for Tamarack in nearby Raleigh County. His connections with the juried artists who display their work at Tamarack helps the coalition, Wells said.
Wells balances her life as a wife, mother of two small children, a teacher, and artist. She was looking for ways to squeeze in more time for her own art and for ways to keep inspired when she founded the coalition. "The coalition fills a big hole for me," she said. She wants the coalition to make an impact on many lives.
Reach Susan Williams at susanwilli...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5112.
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