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Above foreground at right, Robert Fionda spends some time talking to a woman at last Friday's open house at the Starkweather Art Center's second floor.

(Observer photo by Debi Martone)

SAC displays 10-year
restoration project

by DEBI MARTONE
Observer Special Writer

      Artist Robert Fionda nibbled hors d'oeuvres and sipped punch as many who attended the Grand Opening celebration of the Starkweather Arts Center's second floor on the evening of Friday, Nov. 13.
       He walked around the newly refurbished upstairs gallery, perusing the works of nationally recognized artists on display that were hand-chosen by Tara Klein, the art center's director. He also enjoyed the piano music that Shawn Earle, a former Romeo High School student, was playing. He sat on wooden benches that were hand-made and hand-painted by fellow artist, Jim Stegner, and he visited with the various other artists and supporters that also attended the event.
       What set Fionda aside from many of the other people who were present that evening is that he was also there as a former two-term board member who knew firsthand of the vision of Helen Starkweather, who bequeathed her former home to the Village of Romeo to be used as a place to foster art in the community.
       He knew of the condition of the building prior to and during its entire renovation, and the tenacity it required from the art center's directors and boards to bring the 10-year upstairs restoration project, which seemed unending at times, to fruition.
       He remembered seeing an elderly, hunchbacked Starkweather in person at her home when he himself fostered art in the community as he taught his talents to high school students in Romeo, just as she did. He also knew that Starkweather's wishes had come full circle with the opening of the second floor gallery and educational area that evening.
       The center's approximate 1,500 square foot upstairs hosts three rooms, including an office and utility room. Shellacked, knotty pine floorboards have replaced what was once a dilapidated floor. The roof no longer leaks every time it rains and museum quality lighting has been installed in the open ceiling that reveals new framing and ductwork.
       The northern wall in the large main room has been restored to its original brick and new drywall has been hung on the outer walls, creating an upscale gallery that is befitting of such an historic place to encompass all aspects of visual arts.
       "What you see here is nothing of what it was 10 years ago," Fionda said. "This upstairs . . . I walk through it now and look at the floor and think, `oh my gosh.' The old floor was so twisted and bent you could hardly walk on it."
       Funding for the second floor restoration project included the efforts of volunteers, Brick and Mortar grants from the state of Michigan and sponsorship monies.
       "There were a lot of starts and stops over money issues," Fionda said. "But this upstairs has stayed true to form and the plans for it have never changed."
       Fionda said funding also came in a roundabout manner from Starkweather herself.
       "When the building was first acquired by the Starkweather society, there were numerous gifts inside that Mrs. Starkweather had acquired from her students through the years," Fionda said. "DuMouchelles came in and auctioned off some of those items and that money was put into accounts that helped to get us to this point today."
       Long-awaited art classes for adults and children, including art appreciation, will be held year round on the second floor. The additional gallery space will also be used during the art center's shows.
       Currently, a show appropriately entitled, "Ten Years Later," is on display in the first and second floor galleries, celebrating the grand opening of the upstairs and honoring the anniversary of the first show held at Starkweather.
       "All of these things are coming to pass that were the wishes of Mrs. Starkweather," Fionda said. "It was a long hard road. This is now a place that will be here for years to come. There is 20 years of people who helped accomplish this project. I am so proud to be a part of it, but I am just a part."