Marcia Wise
“My husband, Ed and I, moved from the Pioneer Valley of western Mass in 2015. We had lived over 22 years in Deerfield, MA where we had a beautiful home overlooking the Connecticut River and I was involved in a vibrant art community. It was time for us to downsize and we decided to move closer to grandchildren who live in Jamaica Plain, hence we found a condo community being built in Norfolk, MA and the developer was eager to solve my problems of needing a home studio.
Once our condo was finished and we moved into it, I found myself lost and lonely for an art community. A dear friend, another artist, Alicia, in western MA, told me about the art work of Denise Driscoll who, at that time, had a studio at the Fountain Street building in Framingham. I had no idea, nor did my friend, Alicia, that there was also a gallery in that building. I looked online and found that an Open Studios weekend was soon to happen there in Framingham, so I decided to go have a look and to introduce myself to Denise.
Upon walking into the building, I saw that there was a gallery as I continued to find Denise’s studio. Alicia was correct, I loved Denise’s work and had a wonderful chat with her during which she encouraged me to go into the studio of Cherie Clinton, right down the hall from Denise. So, of course, I did and was delighted to see her work as well.
Cherie told me to go into Fountain Street Gallery, which was on the 1st floor and to meet some of the folks there and ask about membership. I followed these wonderful instructions and was so happy to meet so many members of the gallery that I returned again during the next Opening Reception for the following exhibit there. Again, I felt like I had found a home, a place and a group of people I felt at home with, so I contacted Marie Craig and soon had an appointment to bring a number of paintings, small to large, to show her.
The rest is history for me. As soon as I set up all the paintings for Marie to look at and we began our discussion, I knew, I just knew I “belonged” there, too.
In a few short months after being accepted into this gallery, the building was condemned and we were looking to move. Hence, SoWa and for me, more magic in my life. I had been on a long wait list for a studio at 450 Harrison Ave., so to discover that a space had been found and rented at 460 Harrison Ave was amazing to me.
What I love most about our Fountain Street art community is that it is a community of caring people as well as talented artists. For me, the whole experience from finding FS to becoming a core member was an answer to a somewhat desperate call or prayer… I had not realized how connected I had been all those years in western MA and how my life paled when I finally awoke in another location, here in the Boston suburbs. I’m deeply grateful. It continues to make my life more complete.”