The Conversation spurs local arts movement

SANDPOINT — Mary Maio set out to start a conversation. What she ended up with was a movement.

The animator, filmmaker and portrait artist has been spurring this artistic tête-à-tête along since the first gathering — now called The Conversation — happened on Valentine's Day of 2013. At first, the meetings took place under the auspices of the Sandpoint Arts Alliance. When that group disbanded, the talks were sponsored by the Sandpoint Film Society.

In both cases, the format centered on art-related film showings, followed by a group discussion. It wasn't until Maio cut to the chase and made the back-and-forth of original ideas the centerpiece that The Conversation really took off.

She credits the Panida Theater's Global Cinema Café film series with sparking the inspiration for The Conversation. After watching a movie about Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, Maio took action on her home turf, seeking to mobilize and energize local artists.

“Art has a common vocabulary that we can ignite with one another to create great work,” she said. “It's all meant to pump up and celebrate what we have here — artists with amazing gifts to share.”

Too, artists share a perspective that is unique to their line of work — a fact that prompted Maio to share a famous quote rooted in a conversation between Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

“Whenever we get together, we should talk as much as we can,” Matisse reportedly told his colleague. “When one of us dies, there will be things the other will not be able to talk about with anyone else.”

Another reason behind The Conversation was to overcome the natural isolation of living the creative life and turn it into collaboration. That direction — which has resulted in attendance of up to 50 artistically minded people at the monthly discussions — also breeds spirited communication.

Where some might see what looks like heated debate among the participants, Maio sees “a spring that's burbling up,” overflowing with fresh ideas.

“That's what artists do,” she said. “Artists have vision; we have passion. We're the pulse of the culture.

“And that's all we're doing with The Conversation,” she continued. “We're giving it a pulse with a direction.”

In recent months, the direction has taken on an arrow-like characteristic, aimed at the bull's eye of establishing Sandpoint not just as a place that values art, but an actual arts community. It's a designation that means different things to different people. And one that, it turns out, prompts strong reactions.

When The Conversation hosted arts leader Carol Deaner as its guest speaker, the turnout hit a record high.

“It was big,” Maio said. “And it got real.”

At the gathering, held in February, participants lobbied for a more solid focus on local artists creating local art. It wasn't enough to promote public art, they argued — the work should originate from the community itself.

“The artists here want to create a Sandpoint flavor,” said Maio. “We want to see more of it based on us.”

If that happens, the city could achieve its long-held dream of being known as a true haven for the arts. National media has showered the town with accolades of late, rightly pointing to its natural amenities and small town charm as positive distinctions. Many of those same publications, Maio believes, would pounce on the opportunity to show off another side of Sandpoint.

“Why isn't Sunset showcasing our artists?” she asked. “How do we show this as an arts community?”

It's a question that now gets regular attention in The Conversation, according to Maio, who said ideas are now moving into action with events such as the Sunday Celebration — an arts venue that will start in May on the stage at Farmin Park, featuring live music, poetry, visual art and more.

The thought, Maio pointed out, is to put creativity front and center and show visitors and locals alike that this is a vibrant arts town. Without a doubt, much of the heavy lifting has been done by veteran artists and art lovers over the years, but The Conversation seems to have been the medium for change, as witnessed by the stream of painters, sculptors, writers, filmmakers, fiber artists, actors, playwrights, poets, photographers, gallery owners and others who present to the group.

The creative coalition also reinvigorated the formerly moribund Sandpoint Arts Alliance, which now does business as Creations on the Cedar Street Bridge under the guidance of owner Shery Meekings. Much like the original Arts Alliance model, the business offers classes and a place to create in what is described as “an indoor, interactive family space and community art studio” available to all for a $1 donation per person, per visit.

“It's a phoenix,” Maio said. “And it's creating a safe haven for artists.”

The conversations will continue, according to Maio, but the die is cast and local artists appear to have set the agenda for their own future.

“It's taking itself by the reins, which was always my intent,” she said. “What's happening now is a movement.”

The next gathering of The Conversation is scheduled for this Thursday, April 14, from 6-8 p.m. at Ivano's Ristorante Italiano, 102 S. First Ave., in Sandpoint. The featured speaker will be Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Daarstad talking about his recently published autobiography, ‘Through the Lens of History: The Life Journey of a Cinematographer.'

Information: 208-263-1592