Greensburg Art Club
A short history...
In 1929 a small, dedicated group of Greensburg
artists began meeting in each other's homes to paint still-life paintings and
to discuss and critique the art works they created. They called themselves the
Kinderhook Group, and they flourished under the tutelage of Alex Fletcher, a
well known local professional artist. The Kinderhook Group grew in membership
and scope, and was incorporated as the Greensburg Art Club in 1952, a
non-profit educational organization. The purpose of the Greensburg Art Club, to
promote knowledge and understanding of the fine arts, was fulfilled through
instruction and encouragement to artists, students at all levels of experience, and all other persons with fine art interests.
In 1955 the organization bought the historic,
two room public school on Todd School Road, east of Greensburg. In honor of its
first mentor, the Art Club named the school the Alex Fletcher Memorial Art
Center.
During the next few decades many art classes,
workshops, and art programs were developed and taught at the Art Center, while
at the same time ties were extended into the community. An art curriculum for
the Westmoreland County Community College began at the Center, then was transferred to the College when their facility had
room for the classes. For many years the Greensburg Art Club exhibited their
popular Member's Annual Show at the Westmoreland Museum of (American) Art,
drawing large crowds of viewers. The tremendously successful Art and Heritage
Festival, which draws tens of thousands of visitors each July at Twin Lakes
Park, began as a small art festival in the
backyard of the Art Center.
Today the Greensburg Art Club members
enthusiastically continue to operate the Art Center (sometimes referred to as
the Greensburg Art Center) under its original charter. Classes, open studios
for figure drawing and still-life painting, all-media open studio time for
individual work, informative programs and workshops, and art exhibitions are
scheduled regularly throughout the year. Members and friends of the Art Club
donate many hundreds of volunteer hours each year to the multitude of tasks
required to keep the Center active and running smoothly. Funds to operate the Center
come from memberships, commissions from exhibitions, donations from supporters,
and from the sale of note cards reproduced from members' works.
The decades long relationship of the Greensburg Art Club
with former member, the late William B. Rowe Jr., resulted in his memorial gift
to the GAC for the creation of the recently completed Rowe Gallery annex to the
Alex Fletcher Art Center [located one block past the Pleasant Unity Exit ramp
from the Rt 30 E bypass from Greensburg), Since its
inception 80 years ago in the Kinderhook section of town, Greensburg Club has
always been a vital part of the Westmoreland County art scene. In 1955,26 years after its humble beginnings, the organization was
able to purchase the old Hempfield Township Todd
School which became the Alex Fletcher Memorial Art Center which housed member
meetings, classes, workshops, and art events. As years passed, the old one-room
brick schoolhouse was no longer able to accommodate the growing permanent
collection .or meet the needs for an ongoing exhibition space for its members.
With this dream finally realized through Mr. Rowe’s generosity, artist members
will be guaranteed year round exposure. Supplemental exhibits will also be
planned to broaden the scope of artists through juried shows and special guest
and group events. Additionally, the lower level of the annex creates an
expanded area for ceramic and sculpture classes, allowing the original
structure to serve as a 2D studio and meeting room. The inaugural exhibit will
focus on art from the genesis of the club with such historical names as Alex
Fletcher, Martha Morgan, and Sunny Pollins. Past and
present members, along with teachers from the club’s growing years through
today, and other GAC associates will be featured along with the newest young
faces representing the future of the club. It is the hope that the Greensburg
Art Club with increasingly serve the needs of the artist community and,
likewise, those who form our audience and support our efforts.
For
information on exhibits and purchasing art works,
please call the Art Center at 724.837.6791 or email
the Greensburg Art Center.
For
changes/additions/corrections to Greensburg Art Club Web Pages
email the web administrator at admin@greensburgartclub.org