SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — What began as a shared dream between two local artists is now a reality: Effingham County has a permanent home for its creative community.
In the heart of downtown Springfield, the doors have officially opened to the new Effingham Artists space at 123 S. Laurel St. The public was invited to tour the location and learn about the hub for creativity during the June 6 First Friday event.
The celebration marked more than just an opening. It symbolized vision, collaboration and the belief that art belongs everywhere — not just in big cities.
“This has been my longtime dream for my adult life, and it is happening now,” said Lindsey Gerow, co-founder of Effingham Artists Studio. “We started as an art association, which is really a place for artists to network, have peer-to-peer support and offer opportunities for exhibiting.”
Gerow isn’t doing it alone. Her business partner, Adrian Webber, has been a driving force in bringing the project to life. The two met just over a year ago, when Webber put out a call for artists for a show she was hosting.
“Lindsey and I, before we met, had a very similar vision for what the county needed,” Webber said. “When we met — on Mother's Day last year — we just hit it off.”
Webber, who owns a family-run real estate brokerage, offered Gerow a workspace to run classes and shows. From there, the momentum grew.
“Then an opportunity came about for us to have a brick-and-mortar for Effingham Artists,” Webber said. “That gave her the opportunity to do this full time.”
With a background in both real estate and fine arts, Webber said the project is a blending of her two passions.
“This is where my two loves collide,” she said. “Luckily, my broker is my dad, and he’s very supportive of my love for art. He allows us to use the space for art activities as well.”
The result is a vibrant two-part hub: a public-facing gallery and studio, and a classroom space just across the hall, where community members can participate in painting, clay work, homeschooling art activities and other crafts.
“Honestly, I can see us needing to expand very quickly,” Webber said. “We’re already starting to come out of our seams, and we haven’t even fully opened yet. It’s very exciting.”
The response from the community has affirmed their efforts. When they issued the first call for artists, they received so many inquiries they had to turn people away. On opening night, a steady stream of guests came through the doors, meeting with the artists, purchasing artwork and touring the space.
One of the highlights for Gerow is the pottery studio.
“This is what dreams are made of,” she said. “I’ve never owned a new pottery wheel — and I’ve bought six. I can’t wait to have them in full use.”
Her plans include a sit-and-spin class every other Saturday, where people can just come out and play with clay.
“If you end up leaving with something, awesome. If not, that’s OK too,” she said.
In addition to pottery, the center offers several classes covering a wide variety of arts and crafts — including canvas painting, mosaics, life drawing, pet portraits, pastels and printmaking. Classes for homeschooled children are also available. With partnerships across the county, the opportunities continue to grow.
“My heart is in community education,” Gerow said. “I've started offering community classes, and here I'll be teaching classes. Then our members can teach classes as well. My hope is that this space is always full of life, even when I can't be here.”
