Creative Community
What is Creative Community ?
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In early 2015 I invited artists to come paint together in the winter. Eight artists that barely knew each other gathered with a simple intent to create expressive works of art derived from several still lives in the company of others. From this humble gathering the seeds of creating together as a community were sewn. Friendships formed, ideas were spontaneously shared, and inspirations absorbed. More joined in and by word of mouth more and more artists came to participate.
Forged through the common goal of creating art passionately, regardless of level, background, age, & geographic location, artists from a mix of interests, approaches, geographic areas, ages, and experience levels congregated during the months of January and February to participate in this phenomenon. Cross pollination, organically achieved by being in close proximity during the creative act, fosters an impressive body of accomplished artworks. From meeting once a week for five weeks to forming two separate weekly groups due to popular demand, to the debut of Creative Community’s first Pop-Up Show in January 2020, crowds of people have come to participate, see the works created, and meet the artists... A truly joyous occasion!
Creative Community has expanded over the years to include outreach to local community organizations. During the summer of 2017 Creative Community popped up for Popple Painting in Millbrook Meadow. This brought it outside into the park, engaged folks ranging from 4 to 89 years in age with painting on the spot inspired by nature themes. In early 2020 the 1st Better Together Conference was held hosting non-profit, educational, business and government leaders from within the Rockport community. Organized with and facilitated by the Essex County Cultural Foundation, preliminary ideas were gathered to support accomplishing community-wide goals and needs. Since 2020 winter meetings have been held online, each session 3 hours, including people from New England, extending to Arizona, Florida and California.
Creative Community was the inspiration behind the annual Grass Roots Exhibit. Grass Roots held its 1st annual exhibit in 2018 and continues its annual emerging artist exhibit.
Creative Community’s mission is to provide a place and context for artists who wish to create and experience art both in their local community, and within the larger world community. Creative Community supports all who share the goal of creating and enjoying art without regard to formal training or past life experience.
In 2025, I and 3 other Essex county members of the group exhibited their artworks at the State House in Boston.
