McCoy center about to turn 1

Nearly a year ago, the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts opened its doors.

To celebrate the center's first anniversary, the center will host a visual-fine-arts exhibit, "The Art of the Spark," featuring the works of New Albany artists.

The event, slated for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at the center, will give visitors an opportunity to speak to the artists and learn about their artistic processes.

Ted DeDee, McCoy executive director, said he wanted to do something to celebrate the anniversary in a way that would reach all New Albany residents.

"We are working on the celebration as a way to really mark the first year of successful programs," DeDee said. "What a better way than to showcase professional visual artists that are living here in New Albany and throughout the other central Ohio communities. It is a really nice way to round out the season."

Hayley Savage, owner of the Hayley Gallery on Second Street, said the "Art of the Spark" event would display works currently on display in her New Albany gallery. She said all of the pieces at Sunday's event are for sale.

"The McCoy was always known as the center of the arts," she said. "This is going to actually be an exhibition and a sale."

Savage said she is going to donate a large portion of the proceeds to the McCoy center.

"It's nice to be able to donate something back," she said.

Savage said she was involved with advertising for the McCoy center before it opened last year.

"This is almost like full circle for me -- to see the art of my artists displayed there," she said.

DeDee said the entire 2009 season will continue the center's great first year.

"I think, personally, what I have enjoyed the most is seeing the expressions on people's faces and hearing their comments about how wonderful the center is and how it really exceeded their expectations," he said.

DeDee said he is excited particularly for Patrick Swift, author of "One Mountain, Many Paths." Swift is scheduled to speak in New Albany Feb. 21, a few days after the official Feb. 19 anniversary of the center's opening.

"I would say the remainder of the season, which runs now through the end of May, are going to be real crowd pleasers," he said. "I think Patrick Swift is going to be a great crowd pleaser."

DeDee said he looks to continue reaching out to the community through the arts in 2009.

"The biggest challenge has been just making sure that everyone in the community has an opportunity to enjoy one or more of the activities and that we make sure we have the opportunity to fill seats," he said. "The only disappointment is that every seat has not been filled for every activity."

He said he and other staff members are going to continue to get the word out about different events at the McCoy center.

"That is the challenge -- to spread the word about the programs and the accessibility of the programs," he said. "It comes with doing some additional innovative programs that touch the interests of the entire community."

Ted DeDee