A Grand Celebration

I strolled off of the late summer streets into a place that is quickly becoming my home away from home. The early evening sun shone through the windows bringing a golden glow that perfectly illuminated the vibes of this beautiful space. I could feel the buzz of excitement around me as I entered the gallery. This night was special. Artist, art lovers, and chamber of commerce members almost seemed to dance around the gallery enjoying each other's company and celebrating this exciting time for Create. To my left, the sound of music rose through the air. Nestled among the paintings, a musician sat playing an acoustic set. I took note of his name for future listening. Victor Andrada.

As I passed through, weaving in and out of the displays and friendly faces. I did my usual sweep looking for new pieces. There's always something new and delightfully unexpected popping up around the gallery. Then I spent some time talking with new friends and acquaintances I've made since I've started hanging around this gallery. As I listened to my new friends talk, I noticed a common theme in what was said. The overall message is Create is not your average gallery. It's a community and a family of artists and art lovers. It's a place where not only can you buy a work of art but you can get an authentic unfiltered experience. Whether you're buying a piece of art, sampling a cup of hot tea while enjoying the views and conversation, or taking a class from professional artists you can just feel that this place is special. Afterward, I made my way to the desserts table, where, like all of the artwork made here, many of the treats were made by the artists. Yet another representation of how our artists pour themselves into this place. I tried a delicious little green pistachio treat that I am desperately seeking the recipe for but I digress. The main event started, a red ribbon symbolizing a new chapter for Create stretched between two chamber members as Caprice held the biggest scissor that I have ever seen. The staircase behind her was filled with most of the local artists that keep this place running. As I peered through the lens of my camera to capture this moment, I looked at everyone's smiling faces and felt that feeling of community and saw a group of creatives coming together to move their mountains. The scissor snapped. The red ribbon fell. And cheers erupted around the gallery. I left saying my goodbyes and congratulations and of course, grabbing a cup of tea. Before stepping back onto the pavement, I turned around once more to look at the celebration behind me and felt truly fortunate and grateful to be a part of the Create Art and Tea community.