Building Community Through Creativity: 60 Years of Blue Line Arts

MaryTess Mayall: [00:00:00] Many times it's their first time working with clay or collage or watercolor or acrylic painting. And so many times we have had teachers come in and point out, you know, this student is like one of my challenging ones. And they're like, oh, I don't know how they're gonna do and this tour. And then by the end of it, they're like.

This child is the most engaged in the arts now. Like something clicks to then see the arts as a possible career path.

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion are simple to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our communities stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters to the people they serve, to their [00:01:00] supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

Through podcasting, we hope to amplify their voices, inspire connection, and give them one more tool to impact the hearts of donors, partners, and neighbors alike. This work is made possible through the generous support of our incredible partners. CAPTRUST offering fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations, Western Health Advantage, a local not-for-profit health plan that believes healthcare is more than coverage.

It's about caring core executive leadership and comprehensive support services. They work in it so you can work on it. Five Star Bank, a local trusted advisor to community nonprofits for over 25 years. This episode, I'm sitting down with Mary Tess, mail, executive director of Blue Line Arts. We talk a lot about impact in the nonprofit world, but [00:02:00] what does it look like when that impact is creativity, connection, and community all rolled into one.

For nearly 60 years, blue Line Arts has been doing exactly that in Roseville, creating a space where artists, students and the community don't just experience art, they become a part of it. What started as a small group of volunteers in a storefront has grown into a regional hub for exhibitions, education, public art, and real relationship building between artists and collectors.

And what I love about this conversation is how layered it is. 'cause this isn't just about a gallery. It's about access, exposure and the moments that can change the trajectory of a young person's life. We get into everything from murals and digital art to underserved student programs and the evolving role of AI in the creative world.

And at the core of it all is a simple but powerful idea. When people are exposed to art, something [00:03:00] shifts. This is a story about legacy. Yes. But more importantly, it's about what happens when a community chooses to invest in creativity. Mary Tess Mail, welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. 

MaryTess Mayall: Thank you, Jeff.

I'm happy to be here. 

Jeff Holden: It's not often we get organizations that are 20 or 30 years in existence. Certainly not arts organizations, but we've got you with 60 years. And 2026 is the 60th anniversary year. Tell us a little bit about that. 

MaryTess Mayall: It is, it's amazing. I was completely blown away when I learned about it as well, and I'm born and raised in, in Roseville and it's, it's really inspiring it.

The organization started in 1966 and it was a group of volunteers and art enthusiasts that came together and they really wanted to bring. Arts and culture to Roseville, and at that time it was just a little trained town, you know? 

Jeff Holden: Oh, agreed. [00:04:00] 

MaryTess Mayall: So they found an empty storefront, this old Bank of America building in Old Town Roseville.

They had their first show and the interest was there and it just keep kept growing and growing. And our organization had a couple of names over the years in different locations, and we've been in our. Space in downtown Roseville on Vernon Street since 2008, and the organization at the time raised a capital campaign to build out the bottom floor of the parking structure.

Okay. That we are under as a contemporary art gallery. And it's still just an amazing space that we are so grateful to have. 

Jeff Holden: Well, it is a beautiful gallery. I've been there. It is an amazing gallery. I've been to the, uh, to the facility and it's, it's beautiful. And what's, I think impressive is the foresight that somebody had.

You know, back 20 some years ago to go, this is gonna be a great spot. We see what's happened in downtown Roseville. It's really taken off, and especially now with the [00:05:00] construction and the residential and all that's happening. 

MaryTess Mayall: Absolutely. We're so grateful. We had some amazing leaders over the course of the organization's history, Dolly and David Fitment, who are big philanthropists.

And well known in the Roseville area. Certainly 

Jeff Holden: fit in farm. 

MaryTess Mayall: Exactly. Yeah. That is the same family. They were both involved in the organization from the very beginning. I believe David was a president at the time and so was Dolly at some point. And then June Oneish was the first female mayor of the city of Roseville, and she's one of our founding mothers along with Marvis Smith.

And they really put so much time and dedication and. Foresight into what this organization could provide. Not only the community, but also artists and students of all, all ages. So we've continued to evolve 

Jeff Holden: and you've seen it over the course of the last 10 years, even change dramatically. 'cause that area is growing so, so rapidly between Roseville and Lincoln [00:06:00] and Rockland and everything that's happening there.

I would imagine that the interest in some of the. The arts in the community has grown significantly as well, because a lot of those people coming in from major markets, whether it be Bay Area or other cities from outside of California, and they want what they had. 

MaryTess Mayall: Exactly. It's, it's so fascinating to me.

I mean, even during the pandemic, we unfortunately had to shut our doors for a period of time. Yeah. But then we're able to open them as a retail and. We had so many different people stumble upon our little gallery and we would always ask them like, how did you find out about us? And, you know, they would, they would be so excited to have found us because they looked for art near me.

They just moved to the area and they're looking for some type of. Cultural touchpoint of what they are used to having in big city environments. Mm-hmm. And have found us and have become involved either as a volunteer or a member or an artist displaying their work. So we're grateful for that [00:07:00] little Google search 

Jeff Holden: point.

It's always helpful to be in an area that's growing too, because you get to grow with them. Absolutely. As opposed to areas that maybe are just, you know, flat, stagnant, built out. Where it becomes a little bit more of a struggle. You're still a discovery for a lot of people. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes, and and it still, you know, blows my mind and other people who are close to the organization, how people are still discovering us, like you mentioned.

And they'll ask, oh, when did you guys open? And we're like, you know, kindly, oh, 60 years ago, 

Jeff Holden: six years ago. Been around for a while. 

MaryTess Mayall: We're like, oh, if we had a jar for every time someone says that, but we just say, thank you so much for finding us right now, can you let your friend or family member know and, and come back and, and, yeah.

Have other people visit too. 

Jeff Holden: People have a, an assumption sometimes of a gallery as a place for artists to display their works and sell them in consignment or some sort of process that's in relationship to the gallery. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes, 

Jeff Holden: and that's true, [00:08:00] but, or I should say that's true and 

MaryTess Mayall: yes, 

Jeff Holden: because it's so much more and what you guys do, what Blue Line Arts does for the region is significantly different than just a gallery for.

Artists to display their work and be sold and get some recognition. It's so many things that you're engaged with this, which I really want to talk about. So, so tell us, get us started along with some of the programs that you have. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes, absolutely. You know, we, we did start as an organization that is displaying and selling work, but you're right, there are so many other layers to it.

So we are very proud to set ourselves apart a little bit and really focus on. Relationship building between the art collectors and the artists. So whenever a new art sale happens in the gallery, we are asking that collector. Would you like to share your contact information with the artists so that they can add you to their email list or just send you a thank you note?

Too and, and have them start a relationship and hopefully a [00:09:00] patronage going forward instead of just being that middleman and cutting everyone off. Mm-hmm. And then, yeah, there, there are so many layers to our programming too. So you may just see the gallery when you first walk in, but we have afterschool programming partnerships with local schools.

We bring schools in for field trips. Most of them are completely free for underserved. Schools and we have a residency program that we run twice a year. And we also partner with local businesses and organizations to turn over their art displays quarterly to give more artists opportunities to display and sell arts.

Jeff Holden: So actually display of your artists. In those businesses, lobbies, et cetera. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, I love that. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. Bring the art into the communities. Yes. And then there's the public art component too, working with not only the city of Roseville, but other institutions like Sacramento State and Placer One development too.

And we really just want to expand the reach of what public [00:10:00] art and exposure to the arts and arts education can do for improving the quality of life. 

Jeff Holden: Did I also see something with murals? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. Yes. Um, tell 

Jeff Holden: us a little about that. 

MaryTess Mayall: Sure. Um, yes, uh, public art is, I think. A relatively new program for the organization's history.

We started the Roseville Mural project in 2019, and it really came out of a big need that the area had for public art projects in general. Mm-hmm. There had been no public art projects in over a decade before we started that program. Wow. We have an amazing partnership with the Downtown Roseville Partnership, the local business improvement district.

To help property owners select a mural artist to create a mural on their property. So not only is it helping a property owner improve their facade, it's giving mural artists and sometimes even artists who are looking to develop their resume or CV to [00:11:00] have larger opportunities to develop their career while driving.

Tourism to the area. So people who come down to downtown Roseville for a bite to eat or a coffee, they can appreciate some, some culture on the walls too. 

Jeff Holden: Sure. Just a short walk. You can see 4, 5, 6 different walls. And I would imagine as an artist who maybe has been working in some semblance of studio art, to be able to say, I just did, you know, 65 feet by 120.

It's my work. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: I mean that you're not gonna miss that. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. And we have so many fun stories of working with different mural artists and, and them sharing with us. This opportunity is so exciting. This is my largest mural yet. And we love hearing that because mural artists, I mean, they can just keep going larger and larger and larger.

And the more projects they have on. Their, their resume, the more poised they are to be selected for future projects 

Jeff Holden: right. 

MaryTess Mayall: Outside of just little old [00:12:00] Roseville. 

Jeff Holden: That's so, so neat to see that stuff. In terms of the programs, are there any programs that you see more demand on the gallery for? 

MaryTess Mayall: I mean, apart from public art being a big demand?

Mm-hmm. For us, what we've been really excited to discover is that there's a big demand for digital design. Right now. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, of course. Yes. 

MaryTess Mayall: Um, we have been offering classes with our teaching artists, mostly for the youngers, like starting age nine up to 18 through some of our public, sorry, our afterschool programs.

Mm-hmm. And summer camps. We have iPads and apple pens. So they're learning how to use apps like procreate to design their own characters and design their own stories. And we've really seen that evolve into a demand. So applying technology to the creative practice as relatively new and exciting. 

Jeff Holden: And I would be remiss at this point if I didn't ask about ai.

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Teach, uh, or is there [00:13:00] a program in AI for art? 

MaryTess Mayall: Uh, we are not offering a program on AI specifically right now, Uhhuh. But it is a conversation that we have oftentimes with artists that are asking us, you know, how, how they are either using it as a tool or not. We have some artists that work in digital art.

Who are now including in the label of their art, you know, digital media or digital photography, non-AI generated, right? Like adding that little disclaimer in there. And if they don't add that disclaimer, then we're reaching out to them and asking, oh, confirming it. How did you make this? Because chances are we will have a visitor who comes in and asks 

Jeff Holden: mm-hmm.

That and no judgment on it, just. I'm curious 'cause it is such a big topic of conversation today. 

MaryTess Mayall: Absolutely. And it's so new. There's so many different ways to use it. We're not saying that you can or can't, 

Jeff Holden: right. 

MaryTess Mayall: It's just another tool to 

Jeff Holden: Totally agreed. 

MaryTess Mayall: Use 

Jeff Holden: in in everything. Yes. And the better you are, more adept you are at using it to, [00:14:00] I think either humanize or personalize your story, whatever it is you're trying to get out, whether it be through art or written word, whatever.

That's the value. Mm-hmm. You know, that's where we we're starting to see what they're really good at. That boy, I wish I could, you know, because they're using the tool properly. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And not, and having 

MaryTess Mayall: that dialogue 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

MaryTess Mayall: In, in an open format 

Jeff Holden: way. No. Well, but you, there's many artists right now that are excited about what it's allowing them to do that they couldn't do before.

MaryTess Mayall: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Or certainly minimize some of the time commitment that it takes to do certain things that are still their original thought process, but. The tedium, let's say, of whatever it is that it takes to get done for virtually what would be apparently the same outcome could really be beneficial. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yeah. So there's a whole spectrum of different opinions on it.

Yes. And and it's very interesting. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, and I'll bet you significantly so in the art world, 'cause there certainly isn't the literary world, which is, is art. 

MaryTess Mayall: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And in the, uh, in the performing arts 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Of what's [00:15:00] real, what's not 

MaryTess Mayall: mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: On the communities that you engage with. In the region, the other organizations.

Nonprofits, are there any that you can say Yeah, we, we, we work with them and we work with them. We work with them. What does that look like? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. We love collaborating with different nonprofits. We have a long history of working with the Kingsley Art Club. Mm-hmm. Um, they're housed at the Crocker Art Museum.

We have a Crocker Kingsley show that we host in the gallery every two years. 

Jeff Holden: Don't you bring the Crocker out? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes, and, and it's amazing the Crocker, their curatorial staff comes out to that show, selects their six favorite pieces to take to the Crocker and have on display at the museum following the show.

Oh, 

Jeff Holden: how fun. 

MaryTess Mayall: So that's a huge career boost and, and builder recognition for the different artists that are displaying their work in the gallery. We also partner with the Creative Arts League of Sacramento. We host a show with them called by hand. An international craft competition. 

Jeff Holden: [00:16:00] Okay. 

MaryTess Mayall: And that, that's a wonderful partnership.

We just had that show recently, so it'll come back another two years. Um, and, uh, oh, 

Jeff Holden: so these are, these are not annual, but they're every other 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. Those two partners are every other. Okay. But we do have an annual partnership with the Placer Artist Tour. So they have their studios tour every November over two weekends.

So we host their taste of the tour preview show. The gallery and it's a wonderful, like mutually beneficial relationship because so many of the artists on the tour are also members of Blue Line Arts. And if they aren't already, then we love welcoming them into the organization and seeing how we can support them with different opportunities.

Jeff Holden: And you mentioned the schools where you have the schools. Yes. Children come through to be exposed to the arts, which many I'm sure have never. Seen or experienced anything like that? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. Unfortunately that's still the case. Even with some funding that is now guaranteed at different public. Mm-hmm. Art schools for the arts, making sure that visual arts are a part of their [00:17:00] curriculum.

Mm-hmm. Is still a challenge that we're trying to fill with our tour. We talk and create field trip programs. Yeah. That is for K through 12 students. So they come in for a 45 minute guided tour with our teaching artists. So we're asking them interactive questions about the work they're seeing, and then they have their chance to become the artist and create a project inspired by what they just saw in the gallery.

And many times it's their first time working with clay or. Collage or watercolor or acrylic painting, and we're giving them a kit with those materials to then take home. Oh, how neat. Afterwards too. So it's like, okay, hopefully this is just the beginning of your journey. And so many times we have had teachers come in and point out, you know, this student is like one of my challenging ones.

And they're like, oh, I don't know how they're gonna do in this tour. And then by the end of it, they're like, this child is the most engaged. In the arts now, like something clicks for students mm-hmm. That aren't, say [00:18:00] academically inclined to then see the arts as a possible career path. I, I just love that about the program.

Jeff Holden: I can imagine. And we don't know where that next artist, thriving artist, budding artist, whatever it may be, the possibilities 

MaryTess Mayall: are endless. 

Jeff Holden: They're there. Yes. And they're there by the exposure that may trigger it as, as that teacher saw. 

MaryTess Mayall: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: We had. Allison Cagley and 

MaryTess Mayall: yes, 

Jeff Holden: she's 

MaryTess Mayall: amazing 

Jeff Holden: who did a, a wonderful job of explaining the value she's trying to create in the schools and.

Yeah, the proposition's been passed. It's just the awareness and the acceptance and the time Yes. Of everybody to understand that the money is there. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You just have to use it properly. 

MaryTess Mayall: Exactly. And, and it's not one size fits all too. Right. So each school has a different, um, need or requirement, and we really just try to keep tabs on the different schools to make sure that they are spending those funds and offering different solutions for them.

Jeff Holden: When we [00:19:00] look at a gallery from the outside in as a naive observer, the assumption would be that you sell the art, you get a piece of the commission for the art, and everybody is happy and makes money. That's probably not the case. Tell us how the organization is funded. 

MaryTess Mayall: Sure. It is funded partially yes by some art.

Sales. I'm really proud of how diversified the revenue streams are for the organization and that's really been built over the legacy and time. How it has evolved. About 30% of our revenue comes from our amazing sponsors during our fundraisers, of which we hold two per year. One is called Lottery for the Arts, and the other is our gallery Gala Benefit Art Auction.

And then we have our contributed income, which looks like our donations, our grants, and our memberships. We have. A whole variety of different membership levels. The artist levels by far our most popular. That's like 75% of all [00:20:00] of our members good because they received so many amazing benefits. And then we have 20% of our revenue from gallery related.

So that's your art sales? Mm-hmm. And then 20% program related, whether that's service provider partnerships, public art projects, and our fee-based programming, such as our summer camps, winter camps, and spring break camps. But we offer scholarships for all of our programs as well. 

Jeff Holden: Well, it's really neat too that you have that ability to have the diversification.

It's so critical today because of the way funding's coming through 

MaryTess Mayall: it is 

Jeff Holden: that if you don't have it, you may be struggling. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. And I didn't recognize how important that was until the pandemic hit. Right. And we had to rely on different revenue streams than what we had previously 

Jeff Holden: tell. We'll be back shortly to continue the conversation with Mary Mail of Blue Line Arts.

After we hear from the people who so graciously make this program possible. 

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Western Health advantages more than a health plan. It's a partner in your purpose. Explore your options today@westernhealth.com. Western Health Advantage, healthcare with Heart designed for those who give back. Tell me in terms of impact. When you [00:24:00] look at the gallery itself, you could probably say, okay, well this artist went on to whatever, greater Heights and performing whatever they're doing, wherever they're showing their works and selling for big value.

But that's probably very, very, very small percentage of the people that come through. How do you gauge the impact, the value that the organization brings to the community? 

MaryTess Mayall: That's a really important question, and it's, it's so interesting because the arts can be impactful in so many different ways. So our organization definitely looks at the quantitative metrics of, mm-hmm.

Of, you know, gallery attendance and program revenue. To gauge success over time, but it's really the qualitative data. So we do conduct surveys where we really try to assess how successful either our gallery shows are our programming, how many artists are having their work on display for the very first time.

Mm-hmm. In our gallery, [00:25:00] how many of those artists are selling their work to a stranger for the very first time? How many students are experiencing art for the first time, or how many teachers are now inspired to infuse creativity and arts integration into their lesson plans in schools afterwards? So yeah, there's so many different avenues that we.

Keep a hold of and assess how impactful they are and how we're able to continue to support the different audiences that we serve. 

Jeff Holden: Well, the infusion in school to change the way a child perceives as a result of the teacher experiencing something at the gallery is huge. I really like that because that's sustain.

And that teacher will not, if it's successful in the classroom, that's going to continue as a result of some exposure that happened through the program. 

MaryTess Mayall: Absolutely. We, we do experience teachers who come to the field trips that are apprehensive, like, oh, is my class going to behave? [00:26:00] Is this going to be as impactful or instructional?

We have. Lesson plans that are informed by California art standards that we provide the teachers. And we're really trying to give them a window into what they can infuse into their classroom. Mm-hmm. Going forward. And a lot of times we're just giving them a little bit of confidence and a couple of ideas that they can then take to those students that are maybe challenging in different areas.

And if art is what helps things click for them, that can assist the teacher too. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, I love that. Especially 'cause we know our teachers are so challenged. 

MaryTess Mayall: Oh my gosh, 

Jeff Holden: there's so many things going on in that classroom at any given point in time. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And more so today than it was I think at any time in the past.

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. So that's why we really want our field trips to be an amazing experience for them. We make most of our, uh, field trips are completely free for them, and we also reimbursed the cost for the bus transportation because we learned that that was a big sticking point. [00:27:00] For teachers to participate. 

Jeff Holden: Just getting in there.

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And I would imagine at some point there's the ability for people to even underwrite that or grant it. Yes. To say, here's a 

MaryTess Mayall: mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: A block fund for. Field trips? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes, we're very grateful. We've received grant funding from California Arts Council, Placer Community Foundation, and the City of Roseville Reach Grant as well.

Jeff Holden: Oh, wonderful. 

MaryTess Mayall: Um, over the years, 

Jeff Holden: what's the total budget you work with? 

MaryTess Mayall: Right now we have a budget of 630,000. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

MaryTess Mayall: In the year. 

Jeff Holden: That's a sizable chunk of dough. 

MaryTess Mayall: It is. It is sizable, but with so many D, we want it to be more different programs. Oh, we always want it to be more, of course, because that's how we can sustainably grow.

Jeff Holden: Yes, 

MaryTess Mayall: too. But you know, we have a whole bunch of funding that we give back to not only the artists commissions on, you know, the sales of their work, the public art commissions. We work with teaching artists. We work with live musicians during our receptions, photographers, videographers. [00:28:00] You know, really trying to sustain the creative economy.

Jeff Holden: That's a great segue to a vision, and you've been there for 10 years. You're from Roseville, I would say you have a pretty good grasp on what's happening both in the community and with the gallery. If a donor comes in of means and and says, boy, Mary Tess, I love what you're doing. I love the look, I like the feel of the gallery.

What would you do if I gave you a blank check and said, here, now what? 

MaryTess Mayall: That would be a dream come true 

Jeff Holden: besides pick me up off the floor first. Then 

MaryTess Mayall: of course, of course. That would be an amazing moment. And instead of just say adding more programming, I believe what I would do is just go deeper in what we currently have to offer.

That would look like more stipends for the artists that are, say, producing public art projects. [00:29:00] Solo exhibitions, residency program could be completely expanded. Mm-hmm. Then the second one would be a focus on the students that we're serving. So being able to maximize the number of school trips that we're able to provide throughout the school year, the bus transportation, and maybe even stipends for each teacher that's coming in to help them with their arts integration.

And then third, I think, would really just be underwriting the compensation for the people that are doing the work. Uh. Sustainability to me looks like making sure what we are doing is able to continue to grow over time. That would also include updating some of the policies in the area to help sustain the arts as well.

Jeff Holden: I know that every executive director, CEO, president of a nonprofit organization carries that with them all the time. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You're always thinking. Okay, and, and you're, you're always challenged too, because. [00:30:00] While you may get either annual or two or three or some cases, four or five year funding, there's still that question always of, okay, I gotta get, I gotta get, I gotta get, and what's the next step gonna be?

So, absolutely it, it's there. Mm-hmm. And certainly in your case where art is everywhere, you can't not see it. Mm-hmm. When you go out. So I'm sure it reflects back onto the gallery or a program or something that you're working on. So this next, we're gonna do something a little bit different. It, it is called Beyond the Mission, and I'm gonna ask you some questions for people to get a feel for what you are, like.

What's Mary Tess do when she's not, you know? 

MaryTess Mayall: Okay. 

Jeff Holden: The gallery manager and executive director of of Blue Line Arts. Mm-hmm. Alright, so then these will be fast, just, just quick questions, okay? Okay. Coffee or tea? 

MaryTess Mayall: Ooh, both. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. That works. 

MaryTess Mayall: Caffeine, 

Jeff Holden: early Bird or Night Owl? Ooh, 

MaryTess Mayall: early bird. 

Jeff Holden: One word your team would use to describe you.[00:31:00] 

MaryTess Mayall: Oh,

kind. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Podcast, music or silence on a long drive. There's a right answer here. No, I'm kidding. That one. 

MaryTess Mayall: Audiobook. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Go to Comfort Food. 

MaryTess Mayall: Mac and Cheese. 

Jeff Holden: Favorite hobby 

MaryTess Mayall: Painting. 

Jeff Holden: Dog or cat? 

MaryTess Mayall: Dogs. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Best piece of advice you've ever received. 

MaryTess Mayall: Oh, just try to do your best. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. Anything that you would like to leave with our listeners?

Before we close, 

MaryTess Mayall: I would really love to just invite whoever is listening to Visit Blue Line Arts. You know, there's always something new to see. We change shows every six weeks. We feature everything from ceramics to photography, painting, drawing. [00:32:00] And we really love giving a platform to artists of every stage in their career.

So students will have shows, emerging artists, established artists. So I hope that whoever's listening is interested in just showing up. We have, uh, receptions every third Saturday of the month too. That's a great opportunity to meet the actual artists who created the work that you see on the gallery walls.

Mm-hmm. I actually have a, an amazing story. We had a reception recently where the artist was there and we had a couple wander in after they enjoyed a dinner downtown and they fell in love with a work of art and they came over and they said, oh, we really love that piece, but it's a little out of our price range.

And I was like, oh, I'm so sorry to to hear that. It is a lovely piece. The artist is actually here right now. I'd love to introduce you. I was able to bring the artist over and they were thrilled to meet someone who was interested [00:33:00] in their work, and the couple felt like they were meeting a celebrity. We all got to talking about the artist and their inspiration and behind the scenes, and they fell in love with it even more and purchased it.

So that was just an amazing moment where we were able to completely foster that relationship. And now the artist is keeping in touch with a new collector. And the collector has an amazing story of how they have that work of art in in their home. And I feel like that's really just what it's all about, is building community and making those connections.

Jeff Holden: And I couldn't agree with you more because when you see that piece of art that speaks to you, so to speak, it's visceral and there's something about it that is engaging, whether it makes you laugh or makes you sad, or makes you cry, or makes you. Remember? Yes. Something that was really important to you and that, I mean, that's just a tiny range of emotions that, you know, I, I can say I've experienced from art.

Mm-hmm. [00:34:00] And the ability to bring that to the community through a resource that's a place with the person that originated. Because when you connect, there's a connection with the individual that created it too. And I think that's what you were just describing with that couple that. Stays. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You know, it tends to stick because there's something that brought you two together.

You know, the artist and the, and the person experiencing it, and who gets the benefit of now purchasing it and owning it and enjoying it in their home or wherever they have it, that they get to see it every day. Mm-hmm. I'm gonna ask you to the kids, is there any particular. Story with the kids that you might have seen where something stuck?

MaryTess Mayall: Yes, we we're. We're really trying to target smaller, underserved schools, and there's a school called Sheridan Elementary that's out in kind of the outskirts of Placer County. Mm-hmm. And their whole school is like 50 to 60 students. 

Jeff Holden: Oh my gosh. 

MaryTess Mayall: So we brought their whole school in. It was over three days to [00:35:00] come in and come in for the tour talk and create session.

And it was during one of our artists in residence. She was teaching them how she creates natural pigment and it, it was just like such an amazing program. And after those three sessions, the principal gave us a call and said, the students and the teachers are still talking about how amazing it was. Most of them had never been to an art gallery before or a museum.

And they said, you know, we keep talking about art and there's a really old mural on our school campus that's really faded. I want you to come out and, and look at it and, you know, see if we might be able to do a, a mural project. So I was able to go out there with Adriana Griffin, our program's manager, and we had this amazing conversation about, you know, what they were looking for.

We were able to collaborate on securing funding for this mural. So we were able to bring in a mural artist 

Jeff Holden: Oh, that's so 

MaryTess Mayall: cool. To the children. [00:36:00] And then their parents were involved in painting and the teachers, and it was just such a culturally responsive project that we were able to deliver out of a real need and a gap that they had.

Mm-hmm. Um, from the school. And it was just so memorable. 

Jeff Holden: I can imagine the pride for not only the children, teachers, anybody engaged on campus, but for the parents 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: In the neighborhood to say, we all did this. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: And 

MaryTess Mayall: every time they go out to that schoolyard or courtyard, they're like, that was me.

Right. I was a part of that. It, it builds a sense of belonging and pride in, in the school. 

Jeff Holden: That's, I think, one of the beauties of what the mural art does in a community. It brings people together. And they get to see it and relate to it in a different way because sometimes they don't see it, they don't see our, they maybe see a blank wall, and that has, you know, no meaning to anybody.

But when they see something on it that brings it to life, it changes the dynamic so much more. Like it or hate it, you know? Love it Or not, doesn't [00:37:00] matter. 

Scott Thomas: Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: It's conversation starting. 

Scott Thomas: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And it brings people together in so many different ways. If somebody's interested in supporting your work, what's the best way to learn more about the gallery?

Where should they go? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. We have a website, BlueLine arts.org, where we have a list of our different program offerings, our upcoming events. We would love to have, you know them, join as a member to help support the organization, and I welcome any, you know, conversations with possible volunteers, community members, board members.

Jeff Holden: Before I close, I forgot to ask you a question. 

MaryTess Mayall: Oh, 

Jeff Holden: blue Line Arts. I know it started Blue Line Gallery. Because that was kind of limiting. You opened it to arts, which is, I, I think brilliant. But where's the blue line part come from? How did, how did that name originate? 

MaryTess Mayall: Yeah. So, um, that name actually originated with, um, a board member at the time who came up with a concept.

Um, he was like looking down at the [00:38:00] gallery from. I think it was like an airplane or something and, and decided that that would be an interesting name for Jim Inger. He's amazing. And you know, over time I feel like the, the name Blue Line Arts also has a great like, starter quality to it. Like the blue line drawings of an, say architectural plans.

That's what I 

Jeff Holden: thought. 

MaryTess Mayall: You know, it can be the initial stepping stone to the next step in someone's career or experience with the arts. 

Jeff Holden: I love it. I love everything about it. I, I am so. Appreciative of the fact that people take the time to do this because so many of us don't. And it's just too busy. Yeah.

MaryTess Mayall: We're all living busy lives. Right. But hopefully, you know, we can step outside of that and experience something new. And we are always free for any visitors to come in and experience. And we also list all of the work for sale on our website too. 

Jeff Holden: Well in curating the [00:39:00] creative for people who aren't as much.

Or maybe not as expressive, whatever it may be. It is just good that somebody does that, because otherwise those expressions don't get seen, heard, experienced in any way, shape or form. Mm-hmm. And that's what you guys are doing. And for that, we thank you and, and we appreciate the way that you engage Blue Line Arts in the community with your team, with these original founders who had the foresight to say, let's do this.

In what was a dusty little suburb, you know, known for its railways. 

MaryTess Mayall: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You know, back in the day, in the sixties when, you know, rosero was just barely starting to develop. So for, for all of that and for what you do on a regular day-to-day basis, congratulations and especially so 60 years later. 

MaryTess Mayall: Thank you.

It's an amazing legacy that we're grateful to be able to celebrate. 

Scott Thomas: Thank you. 

MaryTess Mayall: Thank you. 

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