What you see in these photos is the beginning of a gallery and sitting room that will be filled exclusively with literary and visual works by artists who have graced our school.
Some of you who have been to La Romita might recognize the first floor room that for many years has been crammed with some oversized furniture, books of unknown provenance, and a 70’s era cabinet filled with kitchen overflow. It was hardly an inviting space but one we left fallow with only loose plans. Last year, Scholarship Winner Yvonne Manipon offered to donate a work to La Romita as a thank you for the scholarship she received and her gift became the seed of a real idea, one that with a little nurturing and some generosity by other artists has put forth its first green leaves.
In the past weeks we disposed of the disposable, removed the removable, and made real steps towards creating a space to be dedicated to the art – in all its forms – of the actual students, teachers, residents who have been to La Romita. The bookshelf already boasts a modest collection of published works by our poet friends and teachers, and soon our archive of Memory Books will be put on display as well.
The Left Wall, however, will be dedicated to paintings and visual art by our Scholarship Winners and with it will go a chap-book containing poems from our literary Scholarship Winners. This part of the vision for the room looks to the future; like a seedling tree planted in the hopes that we will enjoy it’s shade and the perfume of its flowers, we start with a few contributions displayed on a large empty wall and imagine the future abundance. We care for the tree – but hope for rain and sun. We will also nurture our artists and hope for the support of our community.
If you want to help to make this vision become a reality, the best thing you can do is to contribute to our Scholarship Fundraising Campaign, which we have extended to the end of September. We set an ambitious goal of $15000, enough to bring 6 individuals to La Romita during our 60th Anniversary year. So far we’re only about 1/3 of the way there but have faith in your support to help us award 6 scholarships and see 6 more contributions to this room.
