Mat is excited to see the birth of this internship program, as rarely do colleges and universities include business classes in a Fine Arts curriculum.“ Students need to have the skills to present and sell their work in a professional manner. I hope this internship with give these young artists the confidence and ability to pursue their creative passions and succeed as artists,” says Mat.
His students will have the opportunity to not only sell their artwork in a gorgeous downtown gallery, but also gain inventory preparation, art marketing, display, customer interaction and sales experience from the guidance and expertise of Pottery Place Plus members.
For those who have not yet discovered it, one of the treasures to be found in Spokane is Pottery Place Plus, an artist cooperative that features fine arts and crafts made by local artists from our area. In 2018, they will celebrate their 40 th year of continuous operation, making them the oldest art cooperative in the Pacific Northwest.
The Pottery Place Plus mission includes sharing its wealth of sales and marketing expertise with the next generation of artists. To commemorate their 40 th Anniversary the cooperative is launching the Young-Fell Memorial Internship Program, named in memory of two coop members, Denny Young and Chuck Fell, to honor their contributions to the cooperative and their lifelong commitments to the arts.
Denny Young, a longtime co-op member, is remembered as an enthusiastic potter who enjoyed sharing and teaching the techniques behind his art. A master of Raku and Stoneware pottery, Denny’ s work reflects a style uniquely his, which has a loyal following.
Chuck Fell, a master precision woodworker, specialized in making one-of-akind boxes for jewelry and keepsakes. His attention to detail and decorative touches made his boxes true works of art. Chuck found his artistic home when he joined Pottery Place Plus. His family has donated his woodshop tools to Pride Prep / Innovation High School, enabling students to take woodworking classes.
Photo by Craig Goodwin
The Young-Fell Memorial Internship Program is being funded by a generous grant from the Fell family and by proceeds from the Retrospective Show and Sale of works by Denny Young and Chuck Fell. The show opened November 1, 2017 and continues through January 2018. All proceeds are being used to fund the internship program, making it sustainable and self-perpetuating.
Pottery Place Plus members want to share their over 400 years of combined experience in successfully marketing artwork. Outstanding art students from Gonzaga, Whitworth and Eastern Washington Universities, and Spokane Falls Community College, are invited to participate in the program. Interns are given a unique opportunity to sell their artwork at the gallery, while benefitting from personalized mentoring provided by co-op members.
Says program organizer, Ann Contois,“ Emerging artists struggle to have their work shown in quality venues. They often lack funds and experience to effectively market their art.
48 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE