Norwood Art Connection hosts first gallery

Longtime readers may remember the Norwood Art Association, which unfortunately dissolved last year.

Since that time, local artist and community advocate marypaz has been working on creating the Norwood Art Connection, which says in its mission statement that it is aimed at connecting artists, businesses and the Norwood community to bring art front and center.

Last Wednesday, the group had its first gallery at Tax Solutions in the center of the Downtown. The gallery featured local artists, board members and others.

“This was kind of our first step, because what we’re going to do now that we’ve said, ‘Hello!’ is we’re going to start putting together a portfolio of artists and a listing of businesses,” she said. “Ultimately we’ll do things like street festivals and shows, really a big expansion of what I was trying to do with the Norwood Art Association. But right now we need to build up enough people.”

At the gallery, marypaz explained that the big idea is to harness artists and business owners into a symiotic relationship.

“We want art and business working together are an essential economic and cultural force in a community,” she said. “This is a soft opening, as we just formed and we wanted to get out there and say, ‘Hey! We’re new in Town!’”

Though it hasn’t been easy, marypaz said several businesses have already expressed interest in hosting exhibits, like Wood Space. She said eventually she wants to have a street festival where artists set up shop right in front of, well, the shops.

“Where the artists are right outside the door,” she said. “It’s a way of getting people into the business, increasing the foot traffic while also giving artists more places to show. Because it’s really hard to get out there and be seen.”

“Art brings a real strong economic basis for a town,” she said. “If I can get this going – and then find someone to take it over for me, because I’m not exactly a spring chicken – then I think in the future the Town will be considering art and artists and cultural things in its planning, like other towns do. That’s what I’m hoping.”

Tax Solutions Inc. owner – and Norwood Art Connection Treasurer – Susana Murphy said she’s done events with marypaz in the past, like the Norwood Art Walk, and she’s excited to see more with the Connection.

Though she said meeting marypaz was almost stranger than fiction.

“I’ve done at least one a quarter, sometimes more,” she said. “I moved in here in 2021 and I had this whole wall, and I didn’t want to put up something tacky or cheesy and look at it for the next 10 years right? So I thought, ‘I wish I could bring in some local artists,’ and marypaz walked in the door literally the next week.”

Murphy said she’s been doing a bunch of galleries with other artists, like photographer Jonathan Cardoni, in the last few years, and she said she never charges a commission.

“This is a service to the community,” she said. Murphy said she was raised in a social justice home, and provides a lot of services for the community, like free tax preparation for some seniors who rely on Social Security. “Some only have $16,000 a year and they can’t pay that much, so I just do it for them. I grew up with parents who did a ton of social justice, volunteering, and doing good works. We were Irish Catholic, and so it’s definitely something I’ve always done my whole life, and with this? I definitely love it. I’ve met so many people I wouldn’t have otherwise met.”

Board member and Norwood Muralist Tara Bilotta said she joined the Connection because its mission struck a chord with her.

“I liked her ideas of connecting artists and businesses, because it was something I was trying to do on my own with my art,” she said. “But I also want to support and help other artists.”

Bilotta will be unveiling the new mural on the Carroll Building – on the side of 534 Washington St., Kappy’s Coins and Stamps – at 11 a.m. on Aug. 29 for Norwood Day.

“I am excited,” she said. “The unveiling is going to be great, but Norwood Art Connection will have a booth as well!”

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For Wednesday’s opening, Bilotta said she was really glad she came.

“It turned out really great,” she said. “I didn’t think so many people would show up and I’m so, so glad they did. I’m glad we got the word out. I had a lot of really positive conversations with people and I met some new artists, which is always cool.”

Board member Ieshia Karasik said she started her watercolor painting only this year.

“I have meetings back-to-back-to-back, and so it started is my friends and I would, if we had like 90 seconds, I’ll go and I’ll paint,” she said. “In between meetings, it really refreshes me and makes me happy.”

Karasik said she feels it allows her to decompress and not strain herself too much in the meetings.

“I’m using one side of my brain for the meetings and then I get to use the other side for something I enjoy,” she said.

“I’ve been working with marypaz through the Norwood Cultural Council and she’s been talking about this as something she really wanted to do,” she said. “I’m so proud that she’s actually brought it to life. I mean you have these businesses here in Norwood and you have these artists too, and it’s bringing people into space and community. So as a member of the NCC, she invited me to be on the Board and I really support the mission.”

“I got to see a bunch of great art and I think this is exactly how we want to see spaces used in Norwood,” she said, noting it was almost the end of the show. “And people are still here.”