Oct, 19, 2007 PEOPLE
New Bellingham Art Tank aims to get the creative juices flowing
ZOE FRALEY
Photo by Margaret Fraser
Lea Kelley gets ready for her open studio at her newly remodeled Bellingham Art Tank earlier this month
The melodic patter of rain on her studio roof gives Lea Kelley a rush of pride. Not long ago that steady assault of rain drops would have been caught in an assortment of pots and pans on her floor. “The roof leaked like crazy,” she says. “Now it’s pouring down rain and I’m perfectly happy.”
The leaky roof was just one of many challenges for Kelley, a Bellingham artist who turned a dilapidated, garbage-filled cab garage into a collective art studio, what she calls the Bellingham Art Tank. “It was a big ugly garage that was full of trash,” she says of the space before she got her hands on it. “There was so much junk in here.”
But more than junk, the space had potential. “It was filled up to the brim,” she says. “I saw the skylights, and the garbage just disappeared. I thought, oh I can do this.”
Though she was looking for a studio, she wanted the space to be something more. Whether it’s artists, musicians or writers, Kelley created the Art Tank as a place for them to network, share tips and show their work. “It’s not a business; it’s not a club; it’s more of a networking tool for artists who don’t get exposure,” she says. “There are people who have no place to paint, and that’s why they can paint here. You don’t have to be a member of the tank to get benefits. All you have to do is stop by.”
The space is immaculate now, after less than three months of cleaning that felt like a year. She picked up furniture at RE Store, hung her paintings and had an open gallery in the space, which looks more like a chic loft than a garage. No matter how nice it looks, though, Kelley likes the tank’s humble roots. “Because of the way I found it, people don’t have to worry about making a mess,” she jokes.
She put an ad on the Web site Craig’s List to let people know about the Art Tank, and she says she’s gotten an overwhelming response.
On Saturday, Kelley is hosting her first meeting at the Art Tank. She hopes it’s the first of many chances for creative-minded folks to share ideas. Though her work is on the walls, she’ll gladly take it down to have shows for other artists who haven’t had the chance to display their work publicly.
She calls the tank idea “Bellhemian,” and she hopes it will be a positive experience for everyone who decides to stop in. “Inspiration is a good thing,” she says. “When I was 21, if someone had something like this for me, I’d have a lot more paintings done.”
Reach Zoe Fraley atzoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or call 756-2803.
Copyright ©2007 The Bellingham Herald
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