The ‘winds are changing’

By Catherine Amos

Published: November 13, 2008

When it comes to shopping and dining, Culpeper’s offerings to residents and visitors are diverse for a small, rural town. But despite the community’s economic development, Culpeper lacks support of what could be a strong tourist draw: its talented arts community.

But members of the Windmore Foundation of the Arts are hoping to fix that.

Windmore is the umbrella organization for Culpeper’s artists, from actors to painters to writers. With its headquarters based in a barn in Griffinsburg until recently, the organization struggled for recognition and support in the community. But for Windmore, the winds have begun to shift.

New location
Formerly located downtown, Windmore moved to Griffinsburg after a barn was donated for its meeting facility. Many have noted the generosity of the donation, but said it simply was not practical for the group. A few weeks ago, Windmore moved back downtown to the old Creamery building on Commerce Street, a central — and much more visible — location.

“We hope we’ll just generate a lot more interest from the community and provide more opportunity for local people to enjoy the arts and local artists to present what they do,” said Andrew Grigsby, vice president of Windmore’s board of directors. “That’s always been our direction; it’s just in some ways we’re rebuilding.”

The hardwood floors and exposed brick of the new location are a striking backdrop for the oil pastels and watercolors that adorn the walls, though the numerous windows that wash the room in light make for limited hanging space. But Windmore’s new headquarters will serve as more than a gallery; it will be a meeting space for the different satellite groups within the organization.

New direction
In addition to its new home, Windmore is also in search of a new executive director. The former director, Kim Jebson, stepped down in October to spend more time with her grandchildren. Culpeper resident Michelle Koerner was named the interim executive director as the board searches for Jebson’s replacement.

Koerner, an arts supporter with an extensive managerial background, is one of a handful of applicants for the part-time position, advertised on CulpeperJobs.com.

The board, which comprises many new members, is also working on a strategic planning session to revamp the organization as a whole. As a result, Windmore is reassessing its mission and place in the community.

“We’re essentially starting from scratch,” said Laurel Care Gravatte, president of the board. “New board, new purpose, new location.”

Future plans
Windmore’s groups continue to meet on their own, though Gravatte and Koerner said one goal was to increase integration among the separate groups.

The theatre group initially planned a production of “Cinderella” in the coming months, but has indefinitely postponed the show after producing the time- and energy-intensive “Something’s Afoot” earlier this fall. Koerner said they hoped to put together a smaller scale show instead of “Cinderella.”

For now, the next Windmore event will be an open house in January. The meet-and-greet will be for Windmore members, past and present, to meet the new board and showcase the new location. Other future plans include more events and classes for the community, Koerner said.

“(The board) is very educated in nonprofit and they are very interested in seeing this expand to a first class type of program for all those branches,” she said. “They just want a chrysalis to come out of it all is the ultimate goal.”

Julia Farrar, a longtime Culpeper resident and Windmore member — Farrar actually started Culpeper’s first arts group in 1960 — is optimistic about Windmore’s new direction. An avid painter, she noted Culpeper’s need for a full time gallery.

“We’re very happy to have what we have now,” Farrar said. “Of course we won’t ever be completely fulfilled until we have a gallery and that’s our hope for the future.”

Farrar currently has a collection of 10 collages showing at The Depot through the end of December, but expressed frustration at the lack of traffic at The Depot. Her works are in the back room and are accessible on weekday mornings.

In addition to restructuring the organization as a whole, Gravatte also hoped to improve Windmore’s relationship with Culpeper.

“We’re looking historically at where it’s been and where it lacks effectiveness in the community,” she said. “We’re promoting it to become more effective, more visible, more inclusive and with a greater purpose of Culpeper growth.”

Catherine Amos can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .