Dear Artists of The Gallery@57,
On October 25, 2021, we celebrated our second anniversary. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, our little shop—with the help of many of you—is still open and doing well. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, a federal loan, program sponsorships from East Cambridge Savings Bank, JMalden Center, and Donna Denoncourt’s Boston Light Financial, as well as support from the City of Malden, and the Malden Chamber of Commerce. With the support of Kristina Valmera of Closet Connection Resale, the Malden Business Connection and members of our community who choose to shop @57, we made it. Thank you!
This past year we were very active. We now represent more than fifty artists of many kinds. From fine artists to jewelry artisans, potters, and writers, we seek out artists who reflect the beautiful diversity of Malden and our local area.
The Gallery@57 is a wonderful shop, both brick-and-mortar and online, yet we are much more than that. It is our mission to bring art to our community. Over the past year we did this in many ways:
· The Gallery@57 partnered with Malden Community Garden and Sowing Opportunities to celebrate our first Earth Day event. Artists demonstrated their crafts using recycled materials. Children planted seedlings to take home and grow, and made drums out of recycled household items.
· The Gallery@57 worked with ArtsMedford to create a series of four events featuring our artists for their signature Arts After Dark program.
· For Mother’s Day and Fathers Day, children worked with one of our @57 artists to make special gifts for their parents and other loved ones. And at Thanksgiving they made sweet turkey gift bags.
· More than thirty @57 artists joined the Malden Summer and Winter Festivals, bringing their beautiful arts and crafts to the public. In addition, passersby could regularly see artists on the sidewalk outside The Gallery@57 creating their own art, in our Artists@Work series.
· We joined the Malden Chamber for Halloween Happenings, where one of our artists created a fabulous painting that covered our window, so that children and their families could photograph themselves in their costumes as a memory of this special time.
· The Gallery@57’s shop window is a great place to view beautiful artwork created by different artists. The window display changes regularly and is always an original art installation. Our most recent winter window became a community project, as community members joined the artist in writing holiday greetings in their own languages for all to enjoy.
· The Gallery@57 welcomed Sowing Opportunities into our artful community. This nonprofit organization donates all proceeds from the sale of handmade Guatemalan treasures to supporting agricultural efforts in a small village in Guatemala.
· When the Malden Public Schools were looking for a candle maker, the City reached out to The Gallery@57. Our candle maker (yes, we even have a candle maker!) was happy to work with a special needs program of young adult students, to teach them not only how to make candles and other crafts but also how to sell their products.
· And when Soul City Yoga’s studio black board art needed an update, it was beautifully painted by an @57 artist.
We also offered our first two art classes and a series of musical events at our shop. Look for more art classes and cultural events like this in the new year. The Gallery@57 is looking forward to continue bringing art and culture to our community.
We would not be here without all of you, and for that we are grateful.
Happy New Year!
The Artists of
The Gallery@57