Art Alliance marks anniversary by honoring one of its founders, looking toward the future

The Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania has been a member of the Centre County arts community since its inception in 1968. This year, as the organization celebrates its 55th anniversary, leaders and members reflect on the Art Alliance’s impact over the decades, while both honoring the vision of its founders and looking forward to the future.

According to Executive Director Marie Doll, the first Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in 1967 brought to light the local need for a visual arts organization that operates year-round. So original Arts Fest organizers, businesspeople, Penn State art faculty and other community members came together to found The Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania.

It was one woman, however, that led that initial charge: the late Deanna Blumenthal.

“(Blumenthal) was really instrumental in getting people together to start the Art Alliance and she was a wonderful artist. ... She was an abstract painter in the ‘60s and ‘70s and, now, we have a group of abstract painters within the Art Alliance that meets every Tuesday morning to paint together,” Doll said.

The Art Alliance’s upcoming 55th anniversary celebration will showcase Blumenthal’s work, as well as that of current Art Alliance members, over a limited-time exhibition open to the public for three days only.

“We’ve collected all of (Blumenthal’s) artwork from her children and grandchildren. ... (It will) show how abstract art has changed over the decades, which will be interesting to artists particularly, but also anyone interested in art. We’re going to make it a real birthday celebration, with balloons and cake,” Doll said.

“If it hadn’t been for Dee Blumenthal, we would not have become an organization. Her powerful spirit propelled us to begin and continue as a community resource. We are so grateful to her and delighted to honor her memory,” added Wendy Snetsinger, one of the Alliance’s founding members alongside Blumenthal.

Looking toward the future

Since 1968, the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania has been in the same building on Pike Street in Lemont. The small structure previously belonged to the Lemont Community Band, who purchased the building, originally a YMCA outpost behind Old Main on the Penn State campus, and moved it to its current location. The Art Alliance purchased the building for $5,500.

“There was a lot of renovation that had to be done, but (Blumenthal) was great at getting people to help and donate not only money, but things we needed for the renovation — wood and paint. She was just such a go-getter, one of those people that can make things happen,” Doll said.

The Art Alliance hosts a range of programming and exhibitions, including art classes and children’s camps, and the organization’s success as a community resource means it’s outgrown its current footprint.

“It’s going to cost more than $5,500 for a new home,” Doll laughed. “In a new building, we would have space just for exhibitions and probably three or four classrooms instead of one classroom. We really need that, to move forward. We’ve put together a focus group of Art Alliance members who have backgrounds in business and we’ve started working with an architect on a design for a new building. That will be followed by a capital campaign, for fundraising. We’ve really just started, but we’re serious about it and we have support from a lot of good people.”

Also in the Art Alliance’s future? Blumenthal’s children are working alongside Doll and Snetsinger to create a scholarship in Blumenthal’s name, with more details to come at a later date.

Blumenthal’s daughter Amy McOsker said her family is “deeply touched” by the Art Alliance honoring their mother by showcasing her work.

“Not only would she be overjoyed to see her work on display, but she would also be thrilled to know other local artists will be alongside her,” McOsker said. “Working with others mattered the most. Mom was passionate about motivating artists, businesses and the general public to support the arts.”

The Art Alliance birthday celebration takes place at the Art Alliance Gallery in Lemont on Friday from 7-9 p.m. Afterward, the exhibition highlighting Blumenthal’s work will be on display two additional days, Saturday-Sunday, with gallery hours on both days, 1-4 p.m.