Upcoming events:
Intro to Pottery class - April 16 & 30
Art in the Park - April 17 - 19
'Nueve de Mayo' Spring Fundraiser - May 9
Youth Summer Art Camp - June 2 - 5
How McIntosh Art Association Began
In 1998, Linda Tucker and her husband moved to Darien to enjoy retirement from teaching and to seek out the natural beauty that inspires most artists. In her search for painting buddies, Linda was introduced to Patty Skipper and Dorothy Googe. Marsha Rogers joined them a short time later, forming the founding group. They began to get together in each other’s homes to do, as Linda put it, “A little sharin’ and eatin’ and paintin’ and laughin’”.
Darien had its share of artists, and it wasn’t long before other local artists joined the pack, so they decided to call their group the McIntosh Visual Art Association.
Now that it was an official club, they opened it up to public membership, elected officers and held meetings at the library. On September 20, 2002, the organization was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation and McIntosh Art Association, Inc. was born. As membership grew, the artists still had to rely on the arts organizations of neighboring counties as their showplace and had no place to call home.
When the old jailhouse was vacated in 2002 by a state mandate, it had much to offer the visionaries. Built in 1888, the two-story structure had served McIntosh County for over a century, giving it intriguing historical relevance. Besides its storied past, it had high visibility on the main route through Darien, and it was spacious enough for gallery and studio space. The intact cell bars, bunks and locking mechanisms were an interesting curiosity, perfect for housing historical photographs and relics to attract visitors. However, it was a mess!
The industrious group leased the building from the Industrial Development Authority and got to work. A grant from the IDA allowed for the replacement of plumbing, electrical, and heat and air. They scrubbed, mopped, remodeled, painted, and chipped off as much of the mid-century tabby from the exterior façade as they could to expose the original brick surface. They swapped out chain-link fencing for grass and shrubs. The project took about a year.
On January 6, 2007, the Old Jail Art Center was officially dedicated as a vibrant community hub, offering art classes, showcasing local history, and providing a welcoming space for artists, crafters, and authors to exhibit and sell their work. Linda Tucker and Patty Skipper continued to make the success of McIntosh Art Association their life-long mission. We are grateful for their leadership and the efforts of the many supporters who worked tirelessly to build and nurture the organization in those early days and since.
Meet our Directors
Executive Director, Linda Humphries
Born in Atlanta, I grew up immersed in art and spent many quiet hours drawing, painting, writing and making things. With a supportive family, materials were always abundant! When I saw Star Wars at age 12, I was mesmerized. I hadn't yet heard the term "computer graphics", but I knew I wanted to 'draw in light'. I became single-minded with that goal, but education opportunities were lacking for such a specialized field. After graduating from LaGrange College with a BA in Art (concentrating in photography, illustration and design), I enrolled at the Art Institute of Atlanta where a new computer art program was offered. I was fortunate enough to intern my way into the graphic artist position at a video production company, where I indeed got to 'draw in light' on a Paintbox system. For the next thirteen years I built a fulfilling career working with a variety of graphic and animation systems creating art for corporate videos, pay-per-view projects, TV commercials, news graphics and b-roll. I enjoyed being around creative people. Then the dot-com bubble burst, tech companies collapsed, and 9/11 happened. I moved on to my next job--motherhood.
After those blissful 'stay-at-home' years, I took jobs in retail and teaching preschool. Working with the children was more fulfilling than I could have imagined!
Following a dream, our family moved to Darien in 2013 and built a house on the marsh. Artistic inspiration is everywhere here! Becoming director of McIntosh Art Association in 2014 was a natural fit for me. It is funny how all of my jobs seem to have culminated in the multi-faceted tasks needed to run the organization. Though now the art is on canvas or posters, the sales are more impactful, and the kids are a little older, I have found fortune and fulfillment in an organization that keeps me around creative and inspiring people every day!
Board President: Jeff Lynn
Vice President: Bill Lewis
Treasurer: Diane Burch
Secretary: Elizabeth Hinton
Membership: Michele White
Sergeant-at-arms: Eunice Moore
At-large: George Garvin
At-large: Laura Huffmaster
At-large: Star Moss
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