Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Uncertainty, displacement and questions of affordability have dogged the Lowertown artist community for most of the last decade, primarily the result of an explosion of new residential development. Artists Barbara Evan, Tom McGregor and CeCeile Hartleib each were negatively affected yet have found a new home to continue to practice their craft.
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice —“I want people to understand the history of this place and respect the people that came before,” she said. “When I came here the first thing I did was learn about what this neighborhood is, what it was, what it turned into, and who was responsible for it. It was very important for me to give props to the elders who came before me, who did all this groundwork, so that I can do what I want to do here in this space.”
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—St. Paul native Rachel Wacker is a figure artist who exhibits under the name Dolan Cyr. After receiving a bachelor of arts in studio art from the University of Notre Dame in 1999 she wasted no time establishing a studio practice and has spent the last 18 years developing an extensive resume as both a curator and community art facilitator. She has lived in Lowertown for the last seven years, first in the 262 Building and today in the Northern Warehouse Artist Cooperative.
Following an involuntary exodus from the JAX building, after it was purchased for market rate rentals as part of the ongoing gentrification of Lowertown, artists from the community poster-tagged the building in the dead of night. Tom Dunn sent these photos to lowertown.info. Tom Dunn Photography specializes in commercial, business and fine art photography. The readers of Woodbury Magazine voted TDP Best Photographer. Located at 308 Prince St., Studio 242 in the Northern Warehouse, Tom Dunn Photography is part of the vibrant Lowertown Arts District of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
THE JAX, 39, of Lowertown Saint Paul passed away on April 30, 2016 after being fatally purchased for redevelopment. With great sadness, the St. Paul art community mourns the passing of a beloved art space that played an integral role in the Lowertown art scene for 39 years. Located at 253 E 4th Street in the historic warehouse that once housed Michaud Wholesale Grocers and The Jane Garrott Candy Company, The Jax provided affordable studios to artists and micro-businesses from 1977 until her passing.
ROBERTA AVIDOR writes, “I’m an illustrator who’s lived in Lowertown for almost three years now. One of my specialties is creating illustrated maps, one of which is the Downtown and City of Saint Paul map for the Saint Paul Almanac. Working on that map and being involved with the Almanac was one of the factors that made it desirable to make the move from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. My husband, Ken, and I appreciate all the interesting events and people around here and strive to capture that vitality in our artwork.”
A short documentary film by Dave Bellmont of Kinostadt Films chronicling the redevelopment of the Arts district in Lowertown, Saint Paul, Minnesota. The sale of a key art studio building causes the sudden displacement of more than eighty career artists. After calling the JAX building their home for almost forty years, the community mourns the loss and wonders about the artists’ place in the changing neighborhood. (13 minute version)
Rachel Wacker (a.k.a. Dolan Cyr) graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame in 1999 with a B. A. in studio art and a concentration in philosophy and literature. Rachel now resides in the Lowertown Arts District where she is a full time artist, community art event designer, and emerging curator. She is an active member of the Saint Paul Art Collective, a coordinator for the Lowertown First Fridays Committee and the resident curator for 262 Studios’ public galleries.
Photos of the JAX Wake from Lowertown photographer Glen Jones.
I found my place in Lowertown a dozen years ago. I found a place where my art and ideas and expressions were supported and appreciated, and this allowed me to feel known and understood in a way I have never been before. Even those closest to me got to know me better through my art, because I’m not the best at words and therefore painting is my best form of communication. I found a place where people take the time to ask curious questions, and who really listen, even if they don’t fully agree with everything I’m saying. Open-mindedness, that’s the word. Inclusiveness. Support.
Two weeks ago I participated in my 33rd consecutive and final St Paul Art Crawl in Jax studio 306. Now, all of the artists have vacated the premises. It will be gutted and turned into upscale lofts as will the 262 Building across the street. I’m grateful for the 16 years I got to spend in that studio, the artist community I was able to be part of and the conversations I had with the homeless of Lowertown. My life is richer for it. Oh how I loved standing in the big north windows looking into the alley, but the view has changed.
All because our view included the JAX – all of your faces – your art – your hearts – your inspiration – your courage and spirit! Just by existing in the space around us and holding tight and fast to a passion for art and for humanity, you have made this community thrive for all – all of the artists here and for all of the people who visit and love what we create. Seeing the JAX artists go is devastating to me. Seeing this view change is heartbreaking and it puts a cloud over the future.
Photography has always been important to Vaughan, particularly the potential for a good image to lift the human spirit. Landscapes and flowers are particularly good for uplifting the psyche and calming the soul in this way… think of it as ‘umami for the eyes’.
Postcard advertising the JAX Wake, and the program handed out at the wake.
