Brewed Fresh Daily

Since Finestra was featured in the PD this week, I figured it was about time I stopped in and checked out that little shop behind the travel agency. I'm glad I did. I had the best conversation with one of the owners, Gillian Barnes. She's incredibly knowledgable about the art and gifts they sell. Finestra is the only gallery in the Midwest to have a group of Dannish painters. In Painesville! How cool is that? The painters are Finn Pedersen, Inge Horup, and Kare Nissan. Finestra is part of an event happening on May 2 titled "Beauty Mark" at the B.K. Smith Gallery on the campus of Lake Erie College, a small independent liberal arts college, similar to Gillian's and my alma mater, John Carroll. The event is being sponsor by the Artreach Committee. I'm excited that there's a grassroots movement of people organizing around the arts. I'm even more excited that Gillian invited me to participate. I was reminded that there are some important things that need to happen in the ecology of a community. One, there has to be a center of learning thats engaged with the commmunity its in. Two, there has to be a core of creative people who inspire others to persue the creative process. Three, there has to be enthusiastic people who promote both, and can a viable living while doing that. From my conversation with Gillian, it sounds like they're doing just that. I'll ask again. What's going on in your neighborhood that you should be involved with?