Linda, this is in my small town. Our little town is like 100,000 others in the US.....lots of old buildings wanting to be used. The main room on the left (in the picture) is 30X50 with 30 ft ceilings. I'm jazzed!

Tim I not only want to sing in the choir, I want to rent some space. I am so jealous!

I know someone you could unload the pews too for production of a few hundred brush holders! :)

Beth, you would welcome in any choir...man can you sing!

Sa-weet
 

Timothy,
Congratulations on the place. Our town has the North Jersey Art Center which is also a converted church. It's broken up into gallery space, workshop space in the basement and first floor dividing children and adult classes, and a small discussion area. Do you have any intentions on doing anything similar, based on your needs first of course!? I saw on your website that you do workshops, and wondered if doing it on a regular basis close to home was something you considered. Kinda like Daniel Greene's workshops.
BTW, I'm jealous too. Good luck.

Tim,

If jealousy is one of the deadly sins, all of us on the Forum are in deep trouble. Congratulations!

And double WOW WOW Tim with the church and all. That sure is everyones dream to have such an inspirational space. Keep us posted on the any progress or ideas. I have just been looking the last couple of days locally myself for something.

Congrats and paint away.

Patt

Workshops etc?
 

I have been asked by several artists about workshops in this new place. It is better for that than many places I actually have held workshops in. The main room is 30X50 with high ceilings so we could get 15 painters in there and everyone would have tons of room. We could have 4 or 5 models. I may try that next year. I could do all the ads etc. myself-which appeals. I'll sure let you know Jimmie. A friend of mine did that on his own and got 34 students!

As to rooms etc. My work goes out so fast (to clients, shows, galleries) that I don't think I'll do a gallery. In my town it would mostly be only a distraction to my work. I'm sure there will a "discussion area". I'll be able to do woodworking, crating and framing well part from the painting area for the first time ever.

Wow!!! This is soooo awesome! Major congrats Tim!!!

Oh... I can just imagine "Long Island" ice teas in the confessionals while the tunes of "Gladiatior", gently meander down the spiral staircase of the choir loft as the chorus in their "Laffel" green robes proccess to the solo descant of Sarah Brightman's version of Madame Butterfly - all the while a mad artist is wildly painting copper pots throughout the sacrasity. And their in the front pew is - Bill Clinton. Tim, Tim, Tim....

Gallery
 

Tim,

Everything in your plans sounds great and I'm sure you'll do well. I was actually thinking of displaying other people's work along with yours.

Whatever theme you feel like doing, make an open call, and set up a show for a couple months at a time. I hope I don't sound too naive bringing this up, but you could make commission off other artists. The center in our town has a separate gallery, no bigger than 15x30 and if needed, blocked off from the rest of the place. They only like to show student's or past student's work, and they do no advertising whatsoever.

Like I said, maybe I'm sounding naive or even borderline dumb, if so, just say it in a nice way.