SHARON ARTS CENTER – A HISTORY

Edited by Penny Warfield

(Original article written in 1997 by Elizabeth F. Morison.)

The long version of this History is also available.
A history of the Memorial Garden is also available.
A list of Gallery Exhibits since our inception in 1947 is also available.
See the Sharon Arts Board-Staff Roster since 1946.

In 1946, William Leroy Young and Ruth Crary Young of Sharon, New Hampshire met David Campbell, the Director of the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts. The Youngs had been looking for a project of cultural significance to which they could devote their energies, talents and substantial finances. David Campbell had been searching for a League affiliate in the Monadnock Region. They recognized in each other the chance to fulfill their respective quests.

On October 22, 1946, the Sharon Arts Center was incorporated, its stated purpose: “To stimulate, encourage and provide education in the theory and practice of the arts and crafts through instruction, exhibitions and marketing assistance.”

Founder Ruth Young had stated early on that “the success of the Center is dependent on the interest of many in the programs it offers, and the Center itself plans to make every effort to teach whatever courses that the people of the region most desire.”

The first classes were held on January 4, 1947, and the School grew in response to the public’s seemingly insatiable appetite for professional instruction in arts and crafts.

Almost a century before in England, there had been a movement for the encouragement of handwork and cottage industries. A descendant of this movement in the US produced organizations such as the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, founded in 1931. The League had established sales outlets for artists and craftsmen throughout the state. The Monadnock Region was one of the last.

Sharon’s Shop opened in 1950 and, over the next few years, the Center took root. As the School grew and prospered, so did the Shop. Items included students’ work and objects provided by the League on consignment from craftsmen all over New Hampshire. All League shops carried exactly the same merchandise, but each shop had a few craftsmen of its own. Sharon was the only shop to sell the furniture of Jim Dye or the bird carvings of Robert and Virginia Warfield. Sharon benefited enormously because of the popularity of their work.

Nora Unwin was – and is – an enormously popular British artist who taught courses at Sharon in printmaking and painting. After her death, her collection of engravings, woodblocks and other work became part of Sharon’s permanent collection.

In 1987, the Shop and the League parted ways. Although Sharon was no longer restricted to selling pieces made by New Hampshire craftsmen, the Board of Trustees made the important decision to limit its outreach to New England so as to retain the regional appeal of its offerings.

Sharon had been true to its founders’ philosophy to promote education in arts and crafts through professional instruction, exhibitions and an outlet for sales. The list of Gallery shows reflects Sharon’s determination to provide the community with inspiration and enjoyment.

But the world of 1947 had disappeared. The corps of devoted volunteers dwindled. People had less time to attend classes or serve on committees. There was a need for practical changes. Computer literacy, public relations and advertising were the new buzz words. Mailings, fundraising, dues, membership discounts – new ways of thinking were needed to answer new demands. So in the 90’s, the Board dedicated itself to finding new means of accomplishing Sharon’s mission while staying financially viable.

Gallery and Store space in Peterborough leased on 1999 became an integral part of Sharon’s makeup, with a brand new Sharon building completed in 2000 to accommodate administrative offices, meeting rooms, studios and dedicated exhibit space reserved for the Warfield Collection of bird carvings.

By September 1999, the Sharon Craft Store was being recognized as a cornerstone of Depot Square.

But for a Keene Sentinel article published in October 1999, marketing director Lajla LeBlanc made the following statement: “Most people still don’t know we’re a nonprofit.” That remains an issue to this day. Sharon’s high profile and success has, in a sense, worked against its fund-raising efforts.

Ground was broken for the new School and Administration building in Sharon in the Spring of 2000. The building was completed in November and dedicated in December. New classes started in January 2001.

2002 was a good year. On June 8, an exhibition of Sharon’s permanent Unwin collection was hung in the Gallery. ArtsWeek for Teens celebrated its first summer as a resounding success. Niche Magazine nominated the Store as one of the top 100 craft retailers in the country, and the readers of New Hampshire Magazine named the Gallery as “Best Gallery” in the state.

2003 was a pivotal year for planning, hiring, restructuring and streamlining, including a major Strategic Planning Session in February focusing on “How will the Center look in 3-5 years?”

In June 2004, the Warfield Collection was installed in Sharon. The Collection, on permanent display, includes 26 bird and animal carvings, three miniatures, two Warfield Primitives, two award-winning pots thrown by Virginia and Robert’s sculpture of dancer Martha Graham. The Collection booklet (available on our new website) was compiled by the design firm of Teplow Cucurullo Communications in Brookline, also responsible for the new website. Copies are available gratis at the exhibit.

A “Memorial Garden” designed by Bill Parker of Parker Garden Design and the Memorial Garden Committee, was installed in front of the School and dedicated in the spring of 2006.

In early 2007, a $1 million Capital Campaign was initiated to raise $650,000 for the purchase of the Peterborough space and $350,000 to add to the endowment.

In 2007, the Board adopted new Mission and Vision Statements. Learn about those statements HERE.

A Volunteer Program for workers in the Store, the Gallery and the Administrative Offices numbered 90 by 2009.

In 2009, three pivotal initiatives were commenced, spearheaded by Board member Penny Warfield:

A Grant Committee was formed to pursue all future fundraising possibilities.
Sharon’s old website was not serving the organization, so in early 2009, a request for a complete overhaul was sent to several design firms and, in a symmetry worthy of Sharon’s history, the winning bid was submitted by the same Teplow firm that had created the Warfield Collection booklet. The website was launched in October 2009, enhancing immeasurably Sharon’s public image and accessibility.
Sharon’s written History, not updated since 1997, was brought current with both a long “internal” version (to preserve our detailed on-going history) and this much abbreviated “external” version (for fundraising and website publication). Both versions are available on the new website.

In the fall of 2009, Sharon reinvigorated its Board with new members and commenced both its Annual Fund drive to support operations and a $1 million Capital Campaign to raise funds to purchase the Peterborough space and revitalize the endowment. Effective January 4, 2010, we enlisted the services of an Interim Executive Director, Robert Pettegrew (a former Board Chair!) to take us into the future.

After a year of dedicated work by Alex Wall and our web designer, Sharon’s new website launched on March 17. It supports and serves artists and craftspeople and cultivates relationships between artists and the community. Navigation is user-friendly and we believe the site will create an emotional connection with visitors and foster a sense of community.

We finally did it! With the help of several generous supporters, we purchased our Exhibition and Store space in Peterborough in August, and celebrated with two high-profile exhibitions which brought in a new and enthusiastic constituency.

In October, Carolyn Howard succeeded George Foote as Board Chair, and we launched a search for a permanent Executive Director.

Elizabeth Morison, former President of the Board, passed away on New Year’s Eve 2010 at the age of 91. She was instrumental in keeping a living written record of Sharon through 1997 as the author of Parts I, II and III of the long version of this History.

In June 2011, Keri Wiederspahn took over as our new Executive Director. We welcome her guidance as we move ahead.

We also lost former Governor Walter Peterson, who sat on our Board for more than ten years, to cancer. He was a friend and advocate, and a great statesman, and he will be missed.

Many out-of-the-box events and exhibitions are in the works. This is a new, exciting era for Sharon, and we look forward to the future.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

“We are the only organization that does all the things we do with the school and the galleries.” (Director of Education Melanie McDonald – Board minutes November 18, 2008)

Few cultural institutions have had as auspicious a beginning. The combination of the League’s professional assistance, the enthusiasm of the backers and the finances of the Youngs came together at Sharon in an unbeatable partnership.

There is no doubt about the need for such a place in Southern New Hampshire.

Since the beginning, dedicated individuals who believe in the idea and are ready to spend time making it work have formed the basis for the Sharon Arts Center. The faculty’s expert instruction has inspired three generations of students. Dozens of citizens throughout the Monadnock Region have served on the Board, volunteered in the Gallery and Shop and run the organization. (A complete list of Executive Directors, Board Chairs and recent Staff is attached.) Their contributions to the well-being of the Center are inestimable. As has been observed before, but never too frequently, it is the people – all of them, in their various ways – who have made the Sharon Arts Center the unique place that it is.

_____