RSSThe art gallery owner
Mindy Clark has followed her dream and opened a downtown art gallery; it's not a hoity-toity place, but rather an inclusive center that caters to kids and pros alikeYakima Herald-Republic
E-mail
Print
Comments
Annual 2009 -- Working
More 'Local'
- No foul play found in death of man in river
- David Garcia appointed to Yakima school board
- Thunderstorm starts small ‘smokes’ in Naches Ranger District
- Indian Creek Road mudslide cleared away
- Victim and suspect in Sunnyside homicide identified
- Two adults, two kids hospitalized after accident
- Authorities continuing investigation into body found in river
Top Read
- Red Cross' new Valley interim executive director now on the job
- Yakima's Christmas parade warms hearts on a frigid night
- Photo: Quilters for a cause
- Yakima County rates poorly on uninsured children
- County budget: $51.9M ... and cutting
- Zais was right -- police chief has plenty to do here
- Co-op preschools experience an early-learning dilemma
Top Emailed
- Woman dies after rollover on I-82
- FBI studies Gulf cleanup job offers on Yakima Reservation
- Puckett schedules return to Union Gap for Old Town Days
- Ruling limits wildlife officers
- Camp Fire goes out after nearly 100 years
- Zais asks deputy police chief to retire
- Developer confirms Kohl's is coming to Valley Mall
Top Commented
- Teacher found innocent in sex case
- East Valley teen describes sex with teacher
- 07/28/10 Letters to the Editor
- Late-night phone call at issue in teacher-sex case
- Mother of crash victims: 'I need my husband and son here'
- Candidate can't convince baristas to quit
- Teacher on trial says she was trying to help teens
Stomach pains, barely making the bills, calming the kids while satisfying a customer.
This is the cost of pursuing passion.
Mindy Clark had a steady job with benefits. She taught kids at Davis High School, her alma mater, to think about art, to integrate it into the rest of their studies.
But it wasn’t enough. She wanted to make learning about art accessible to the public. She had left Davis for the chance to teach at-risk kids, but that didn’t turn out to be the right choice, either.
That’s where the stomach pains started.
Clark, 35, sacrificed her retirement fund to open Red Gallery and Studios at 30 N. Third St. The gallery has been open since April 2007, and Clark thrives on the fact that she is pursuing her dream of creating a community arts center.
“I want everyone to have a venue for their art — even a child. I don’t think it should be out of reach,” Clark said in an interview at the gallery.
Children throng into the place for after-school art classes, and more than 20 emerging or less-established artists have joined the gallery cooperative.
The artists pay a small monthly fee to show their art at the gallery and use studio space. In return, they help staff the gallery during public hours and assist with other tasks of running the place.
Regardless, art doesn’t come easily to Yakima, and dreams don’t pay the bills. Clark needs every dollar to pay the rent and other bills; she’s close enough to the edge that she can’t afford to pay her own co-op fee to show in the gallery.
Doesn’t matter. Clark says she hopes to see the venture flourish. If need be, she will move into a smaller space, perhaps seek nonprofit status.
Her husband, Jeff Clark, who owns his own business, has supported her along the way. He takes care of much of the housework, among other duties.
The busy mix of gallery owner, mother and wife is obvious. Clark’s two young children spend time at the gallery, and she sometimes has to take care of them while waiting on customers. These customers are gracious about it and seem to understand, she says.
Clark has been drawing since an early age and was surrounded by artistic relatives while growing up. Her grandparents took her to see sheep being sheared in order to understand where the wool came from.
That foundation has carried forward to her current instruction. She wants students to realize that art fits into the rest of life, too — it’s not just a half-hour class tacked onto the end of the day.
This is the reward of following passion, regardless of the stomach pains.
“I feel so good. It’s really good for my soul,” Clark said.
Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the
Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but
refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g.,
you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The
Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason.
Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or
stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and
other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to
suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a
comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the
"report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.
Registered User?
