West Alabama Chronicles…an introduction.

I’m living in York, Alabama for the next four months interning at a non-profit contemporary art center.  My goals are to learn about the process and how best to structure, promote, and gain support for the institution, and share that with you, dear readers of artkamp.  If the following doesn’t yet seem relevant, well, that’s because I’ve only been here for two days and haven’t learned much yet.  I also want to share the entirety of my experience for those who may be interested in pursuing rural studios, internships, non-profits, residencies, etc.   The Directors of the Coleman Center are Shana Berger and Nathan Purath, and they are the only two people technically employed by the Coleman Center.  They’re awesome.  Because I’m lazy, I’m going to be  referring to them as S&N, and the center as CC.

Basically, today I’m going to give a brief introduction to the simple life that is York, Alabama.  (Don’t know where it is?  Google it.) I won’t bore you with population (small.  very small.) or anything of that nature, mostly because I don’t know and don’t have internet at my apartment as I’m writing this.  As far as commerce, there is a Piggly Wiggly (lovingly referred to by Shana and Nathan as “the pig”), a small post office, a few small businesses (hair stylist, gift shop, and antique store), a bunch of empty and dilapidated houses and storefronts, Regions Bank, the York Drug, and the Bank of York.  And of course, us.  The lovely Coleman Center, the “reason for everything strange that happens in York.”

It’s a short drive to Livingston, where there is a bakery, a Mexican restaurant locals refer to as “Mexico”, and a couple of grocery stores.  There is nothing organic and nothing in the way of vitamins or tea.  (No, really, I’m going to be okay).  And…the coolest antique store (imagine my joy upon finding out that it is owned by the Chair of the Board of the Coleman Center, a lovely lady who shares my enthusiasm for all things retro!).  On a side note, she gave the CC some of the COOLEST furniture (Danish modern!) I have ever seen, and hooked me up with a website for finding auctions of that kind of stuff.  Sweet.

Thus far, I have exploded a television, had a set of blinds fall on me and cut the hell out of my hand, and had a large television loaned to me by S&N rejected by the chair it was sitting on and crash on the floor at four in the morning.  There is also a ladybug infestation and I’ve not the slightest inkling where they are coming from, but they seem to be in the windows and AC/heating unit in the window.  Sounds bad?  Not to worry.  I’m actually having a good time, and Nathan has been briefing me on the workings of a non-profit, which I will soon be sharing once I have a better grasp on things.