Home and Arts

I've lived in Fountain Square nearly all of my life.  For those counting it's like 40 years (yikes!).  I've seen so many changes and not all good either.  When the G.C. Murphy store closed, hell even before it closed, we wondered what would happen to that very old building.  The neighborhood had a lot of blight at the time.  Some would say it still does but bright spots appeared on the horizon.

The arts community found Fountain Square and it's old buildings appealing.  Slowly they started to make inwards on the blight.  Bringing with them color, life, vibrancy, and most of all hope.  The feel of the neighborhood began to change.  The Murphy building and the Fountain Square Theater buildings began to show improvements and attracted groups to their large spaces.  In a matter of time it became cool to hang out in an older area of the city. 

Places like The Murph and FS Theater Building, along with a little place that was Deano's, drew a fun crowd and good times have been had.  Deano's has closed now for a couple of years but the growth and life continued with places like Brass Ring and B's Po Boy, Radio Radio, the White Rabbit, the list goes on.

Flash forward a few years to me sitting in the Art Bank talking to my artist friend Danielle and a tall gal over hears me talk about being from Fountain Square.  She introduces herself, Kelli, and explains to me that she's on the Arts Council in Fountain Square and is looking to recruit some people.  I contacted her group via email and joined their meetings last year about June. 

That was the start of my involvement in my community in a positive way.  This year I'm chairing the Art Fair of the Fountain Square Art Squared event on 9/22/12.  This experience has fulfilled something in me that my day job cannot touch.  I have a sense of belonging, a sense of accomplishment, a sense of community that is so strong.  This work really makes it hit home that this place helped shape me into the adult that I am as no other place I've visited.

We are not a perfect community.  We have problems.  But there are people here who try everyday to make life better in our community.  People who have love, hope, faith, and a desire to make a difference.  I'm proud to be part of that. 

I will move away soon but I will always be a part of this neighborhood.  There's a connection to this place that moving won't take away.  I tried when I was out of high school to get away from it and it pulled me back in when life elsewhere wasn't what I imagined it to be.  I came home.