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Imago Gallery
By Betty Harrington
Imago Gallery opened its doors four years ago but is still regarded by its membership as a work of art in progress. We strive to refine our initial vision to showcase new and established artists and to support the arts in Warren and surrounding East Bay communities.
Shortly after buying what is now called the Cutler Mills, Dave Wescott approached several artists and asked if they would consider opening a gallery in a big, open space that was available on the first floor. This news traveled through the artists’ studio grapevine and quickly led to a meeting of people interested in the idea.
Imagine what it was like for a bunch of folks, some of whom had never met, to sit down and talk about opening a gallery. Some had business experience and some were full-time artists but what we all had in common was a notion of what it would take to make a successful gallery. It was like putting together a collage – all the individual pieces are great and have potential but only if they can be made to relate to each other in the finished piece. That first meeting was both wonderful and frustrating, and we all left knowing that forming a gallery by committee was not going to be easy.
Eventually the group dwindled to eight people who were willing to make the time for the hard work ahead. Betty Harrington, Mary Dondero, John Irwin, Pat Warwick, Eileen Mayhew, Linda Megathlin, Eileen Collins and Linda DiFrenna took a collective deep breath and jumped in with both feet to begin making the gallery a reality. Free-for-all brainstorming evolved into efficient, structured meetings (well, as structured as you can get with a bunch of artists) which actually resolved important issues. We made lists and assigned jobs, had many meetings, and lots of heated arguments. Naming the gallery took up a whole meeting until we somehow agreed on the name, Imago.
Perhaps the easiest part of getting Imago into operation was working on the space itself. The walls were repaired and painted and the floor was scrubbed and polished. We added hanging panels to exhibit more paintings and put in additional lighting so each piece would be wholly visible to the viewer. Transforming an industrial space into an art gallery gave us a tremendous sense of pride. On October 3, 2003, we opened Imago to the public for the first time – and we’ve been running non-stop ever since.
Imago presents a new show about every six weeks with artwork submitted by gallery members and guest artists whose work has been juried by committee. Maintaining an interesting, balanced show of high quality works of art has been a constant goal and there is an active, ongoing search for innovative guest artists. It’s always fun to see who’ll show up for the opening celebrations. One of our artists, Eileen Mayhew, recently sold a painting to a collector who was flying it home – to India!
Another of our long-term goals was to promote the arts within the Warren community. Talented high school students are invited to have their own show at Imago once a year and artist members are always open to working as resources for local teachers. Imago is accessible to the community and lots of people who might never have gone to an art gallery drop in to chat.
Imago’s membership has expanded in the last four years. The artists still include founders Linda DiFrenna, Mary Dondero, Eileen Collins, Betty Harrington, Eileen Mayhew and Linda Megathlin. The newer members are Rose Esson, Norm Petersen, Charlie Francis, Lenny Rumpler, Julienne Saslaw, Mara Berkley, Jerald Walker and John Udvardy. We continue working to fulfill all aspects of our initial vision and making Imago a gallery that people want to visit.
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