As the article in Saturday’s Northfield News indicated, the dream of a community arts facility lives on. Many of the people who were mobilized behind the Artspace effort continue to meet, discuss, plan and implement.

The discussions between Mathern, Machacek, Currier and Smith largely focused on the 10,000 square feet of potential studio space, where the elemental forces of life: fire, water, earth and air would be used for some of the basic materials of creativity: glass, stone, metal, clay, wood, fiber and ink.

Machacek imagined spaces outfitted with the tools to create, Currier saw a facility controlled by its users, Mathern envisioned the creative professionals sharing their processes and products with the public, and Smith recognized the economic vitality that such a place would bring to Northfield.

It is reminiscent of other historic movements where efforts were made to enhance and extend the opportunities for creative professionals, allowing them to explore new ideas and enrich their lives.