Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Schultz.
Annie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Rick Sheridan and I met in 2017 in a grief support group after we both lost our spouses in 2016. Over the next year, our relationship developed and we are now domestic partners. Rick owns a building in downtown Roanoke and when he asked me to move in with him, I told him I needed studio space. I’m an artist currently painting with oils and Rick is a professional photographer. The corner storefront in this beautiful historic building was vacant at the time so I started renting that space for my studio. Since the space was larger than I needed for a studio, I started inviting other artists to show their work by offering open calls for artists. That open call was so successful that we decided to continue that model and have open calls with a different theme each month. During one of our shows that focused on photography, Rick and several of his photography friends decided to open a photo dark room for processing black and white film. We now have the only public darkroom in the Roanoke area. On January 16, 2025, we officially became a non-profit organization. Both of us have non-profit backgrounds and we wanted to use our space to serve our community by providing a safe and welcoming space to nurture artists’ development while connecting our community through accessible, meaningful art experiences.
We love what we do and it has been an inspiring yet challenging experience. We look forward to the future.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course there are always challenges in creating a new organization. After successfully completing our 501(c)3 application and all of the associated paperwork and permits we needed, one challenge was finding board members who understood our mission and were willing to give the tine and commitment to help us grow and thrive. We are fortunate to have found the combination of skills, interests and backgrounds in our very supportive board members that will do just that.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an artist and a photographer, Rick and I appreciate having the opportunity to make and display our own art in my studio while giving others the rest of the space for the themed shows. In addition to making our own art, we create the calls, develop the themes, curate the entries, hang the shows, host opening receptions, and maintain the gallery during open hours (Wednesday-Saturday, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm or special hour by appointment or for special events. We are now very fortunate to have volunteers who work with us to staff the gallery and help with the receptions.
Among other activities in addition to the open call shows, we offer workshops in a variety of art-related topics. We also offer free art experiences for special groups such as women in a residential program to help them re-enter the community after incarceration, or substance abuse disorder. We also offer a program called “Caring for Caregivers” which provides a relaxing, no stress opportunity to escape from the stress and chaos that is often present in the caregiving environment.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Meeting Rick in the grief support group at the local coffee shop.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.arton1st.org
- Instagram: #arton1stroanoke
- Facebook: @arton1stroanoke
