The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery

A snippit from Artscope:

Two young Vermonters are redefining the parameters of the “art of community” — both on their own terms

Twenty-somethings Christy Mitchell and Ned Castle could hardly be more different. One is a Savannah College of Art and Design grad, who moonlights as a lighting designer as she builds a small arts empire on Burlington’s South End; the other is a largely self-taught photographer, who finally found his passion for ethnographic work when he met two young men from Rwanda. Both make community an integral part of their artistic lives.

A self-proclaimed dabbler in the arts, Mitchell graduated in 2003 with a concentration in metals and jewelry. Post-graduation, she made a pilgrimage to Vermont upon the urging of a good friend. Immediately, she found a home in Burlington’s South End arts district, where local studio and gallery owners took her under their wings. When she started designing lights for Stephen Conant, owner of Conant Metal & Light, the metaphoric light bulb went off in her head: she wanted to open a gallery space in the empty caverns of the former soda plant building, a ginger ale bottling factory in a former life. Conant, one of the first members of the South End Arts and Business Association (SEABA), gave her the green light in August 2008.

Now, Mitchell’s S.P.A.C.E. Gallery (which stands for Soda Plant Artist Collective Environment) is home to 12 artists — including sculptor John Brickels and internationally-known doll artist Beth Robinson — and hosts monthly shows of new art from up-and-coming talent. The business model is simple: Studio artists rent the space, which allows Mitchell the freedom to host shows not bound by sales. This is of great importance as she is dedicated to providing new artists with an opportunity and an audience. With audience numbers topping off at 2,000, it’s a fantastic vehicle for exposure…

Read the full article:

Source: ArtScope Magazine July 2010

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