A RT S & LE I S UR E
Turn back the clock to 1986. Carroll Creek still meanders
through Downtown Frederick, silently recalling its cataclysmic
swelling just 10 years before, and the Carroll Creek flood control
project and park are still on the drawing board. A number of
downtown shops now stand silent as longtime retailers, some
multi-generational, retire and others struggle to compete with
two bustling malls on the outskirts of town. Frederick County’s
arts scene is small, but getting ready to burst forth.
“The Delaplaine’s exhibits communicate a wide range of artistic
expression including sculptural installations, contemporary
realism, and solo exhibits by artists from around the country,”
explains Diane Sibbison, who has been the Delaplaine’s
Exhibition Manager for more than a decade. “The gallery
space here is large enough to showcase group shows presenting
national and international artists and arts organizations. Truly,
there’s something for everyone on our schedule.”
It was into this environment that The Delaplaine Visual Arts
Education Center was born. The nonprofit arts center was
established in the 100-year-old historic Mountain City Mill
building along Carroll Creek Park, at the very nexus of the city’s
renaissance, merging history, innovative green spaces, renewed
economic growth and a thriving arts community.
Three satellite galleries are located at the Brunswick, Thurmont,and
Urbana public libraries, expanding the arts center’s reach beyond
its own four walls into other areas of the county.
Since its founding nearly 30 years ago, the Delaplaine has
provided educational opportunities and experiences in the
visual arts to the Frederick region through classes, exhibits and
programs. A cornerstone of the region’s vibrant arts community,
the Delaplaine welcomes more than 80,000 visitors per year from
the county and beyond. An on-site rental hall and gallery shop
invite event-goers and shoppers from throughout the area.
Photos courtesy of the Delaplaine Visual Art Education Center
The Delaplaine is an ideal place for both the art lover and the “art
curious.” More than 270 classes and workshops are offered each
year. Among its instructors are some of the most respected artists
in the region. Classes for all ages and skill levels include a variety
of media including ceramics, drawing, painting, photography,
wood-working and more.
The Delaplaine recently completed extensive renovations to its
jewelry studio, expanding the space to more than twice its original
size, providing dedicated workspaces for various machine and
tools, and the addition of professional jeweler’s benches. “They
are my favorite feature of the new jewelry studio,” said Gina
Copanzzi, a metalsmith artist and jewelry instructor at the
Delaplaine. “Both the novice and the advanced student can learn
jewelry-making in a professional studio setting.”
Exhibits change frequently in the Delaplaine’s seven on-site
galleries, and a reception on the first Saturday of each month
invites people to come and meet the artists. The galleries are
open every day and admission is always free.
Making the visual arts accessible to everyone is one of the
Delaplaine’s fundamental goals. The Community Ou