I drifted into Kenosha in September 2005 like a ship with no mast. Only a week earlier I was beneath my umbrella on Jackson Square in New Orleans, preparing for the fall sales season. After a typically slow and hot summer, autumn always brought welcome weather and customers. Then there was a natural disaster and I wound up here, in the town I grew up in. I could not foresee continuing as an artist after my momentum had been so thoroughly broken. After all, where was the art here?

When I left Kenosha, in 1996, the city didn’t have much of a reputation for art. It was still shaking its reputation as a factory town. To my knowledge, there was no public square to sell art and no tourists to walk it if there had been. There were a few struggling galleries and a couple annual art markets referred to in jest as “starving artist fairs.” Now returning, I wasn’t about to delude myself that my career would transition seamlessly from the Big Easy to K-town. Concerned people, who didn’t want to see me stop, kept telling me about the gallery on Sheridan Road. But really, at the time, I had no paints, paintings, or motivation.

When I finally had a chance to return to New Orleans months later, I was able to recover my paintings, paints, brushes and blank canvases, which were stored in the French Quarter, where the water never reached. Thrilled, I brought it all back to Wisconsin, and painted scenes of the flood that displaced me. Then I got up the nerve to bring the work to that gallery on Sheridan — Lemon Street Gallery.

Shortly after I submitted my work I was contacted by Melanie Hovey, executive director. She not only informed me of my acceptance to the gallery, but even set up interviews with the Kenosha News and WGTD, where I was able to discuss my work and my family’s transition. As a new member, I was astounded at the frequent e-mails Melanie provided, telling of every opportunity for an artist in Wisconsin. It was like hiring an agent, and I received many good leads. I was also grateful for the large studio space LSG offered, since it was frequently distracting to work at home with kids bursting into my studio every five minutes. So I credit Lemon Street with saving my job from demise.

Lemon Street Gallery & Art-space has several founding members, and many talented people have taken on positions of responsibility over the last decade, but Melanie Hovey has remained a constant. Truly the heart of the organization, she established LSG as a non-profit visual art cooperative, and acquired multiple venues wherein the artists could display. Lemon Street Gallery provides work for Common Grounds, Jockey, WGTD, and Minute Man Press, while still managing to fill its own space.

Through Melanie’s leadership, Lemon Street has been deeply involved in beautifying its neighborhood park. The Kenosha Union Park Project has seen through the installation of awesome mosaic planters and more places to sit. Anytime Lemon Street has been put to task, to create a large installation, or just show up with work, the gallery comes through. Anytime there is a local event where vendors are present, be it Harbor Market or Taste of Wisconsin, Lemon Street is there, exposing people to great art and giving members a chance to sell their wares.

Lemon Street also put me in front of a classroom again. I’d had a couple years teaching art at an inner city alternative school, but I often got stuck paying for supplies and spent time breaking up fights and throwing people out. I vowed never to teach again, until LSG offered me the chance to teach night classes for grown-ups, who would bring their own supplies. Then, through Lemon Street, I was recruited to teach a painting class at Paideia Academy, and I learned middle school kids were not evil after all.

For me, an unexpected benefit of being with Lemon Street for the past four years has been a growth in understanding how we can nurture art in our society. Where once I painted strictly to earn money, I now had opportunities to really teach, design murals for the city, donate work to charity, and serve on committees that increase art awareness. All of these endeavors were linked either directly to Lemon Street or by connections I made through the organization.

Beside the opportunities LSG has presented me with over the years, I must say it is the people I’ve met that make my experience with the gallery gratifying. There is an art scene in this city, and I‘m proud to be part of it. Even though I paid my dues, I owe Lemon Street my gratitude, for being supportive in every way. Really, we all should thank Lemon Street for actively bringing art to the people.

However, Lemon Street Gallery & Art-space would like to thank you. Did you know this coming Saturday, November 14th, is Lemon Street’s 10-year anniversary? All day long the gallery will be celebrating, and you are invited to join in. There will be food, there will be beverages, there will be important dignitaries saying congratulations, and there will be music; The Cello Girls, Bill Robins, Macyn Taylor, and the Lonely Ninjas. This is not a fundraiser. Yes there will be a raffle, and the art is for sale. But the reason for this event is to simply celebrate 10 years, and recognize that keeping art alive in Kenosha has not been the work of one person, organization, or benefactor, but our community. So we should toast ourselves. See you Saturday.