Homewood church opens new studio space
Plans include a music venue, coffee house
St. Paul Community Church in Homewood has long been a place for worship, but now the church’s building also has incorporated spaces for making art.
About a year ago, the Rev. Frank Rogers, St. Paul’s pastor, was looking to make better use of the three-story building that houses the sanctuary along with offices, meeting space and classrooms, some of which were empty. He alsowanted to do something good for the community.
It was about that time Rogers heard that Union Street Gallery in Chicago Heights had a waiting list for artist space.
Discussions began with Union Street Gallery officials, whotoured the church and saw the same potential that Rogers did.
In November, the church welcomed its first artist into space at the church that has been renovated into artists studios. Four more artists have since followed.
Rogers hopes to eventually accommodate up to 15 artists and there also are plans to create a music venue and coffee house in the church basement, which has its own entrance.
“There could be a lot going on in the church which is a great thing, I believe,” Rogers said.
Rogers said the church cannot charge rent, but the artists make a donation for use of the space.
“It helps the church out a little bit, but it also uses up the empty space that we think can really be used for the good of the community,” he said.
KristinMurphy, ofFrankfort, was the first artist to move into a studio in November. She had been looking for space for awhile, a place where she can explore her art, “get messy,” and be in a space where there are no distractions.
She said her studio is a place where she can “just focus on exploration and have fun with painting.”
“It is great the support that I am seeing for the arts in Homewood as well as here inthechurch,” she said.
Photographer Leann Buss, of Crete, moved into her church studio at the beginning of summer.
“I love it,” she said. “It is so much better than working from home. It is a very peaceful space. It is a really good way to unite the artist community with the church and to create outreach.”
St. Paul Community Church will host an Artists’ OpenHouse from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 30 at the church, 18200 Dixie Highway. The resident artists will be introduced, their studios will be open for viewing and their artwork will be available for purchase.
JoiningMurphy andBuss will be fellow resident artists Chris Tozer, Gary Price and PamMcDonald.
Rob Earnshaw is a freelancer for the Daily Southtown.