OUR HISTORY
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Norwood Art Association was started in 1978 by Arlene Mollo Black and Inez Reardon.
The association was launched duirng an evening adult education class taught by artist Arlene Mollo Black and her student, Inez Reardon who worked for the Transcript newspapers editing and writing feature articles.
Mrs. Mollo contacted her art teacher friends, Helen Gregory and Margo Mancinello, and they helped. To get the association started they gave free demonstrations for meetings at the Norwood Library. Mrs. Reardon wrote an article about the forming of the NAA in the Transcript and 56 Norwood Artists immediately responded and became members. Mollo and Reardon studied the Canton by-laws and used them as a basis for the NAA by-laws. In 1978 Mrs. Reardon did the legal work necessary to incorporate the Association.
So, it is Norwood Art Association, Inc.
The new art association needed funds and as Rachel Leavitt finished her term as president of the Women’s Community Committee, she began talking about having an art show in Norwood. She said why not inaugurate the Association with an Art Show. She secured permission from the Selectmen for a show and her committee donated money to pay for the program booklet and also the art stands which were built by Carl Himmelbach, the Dirctor of the Morrill Library. Mr. Himmelbach also gave permission to hold meetings at the library and offered to hold the exhibit in the library in case of rain. He was most helpful in helping to form the NAA and even handled the registration of the first exhibit.
The town and the Selectmen continue to be most supportive.
The Norwood Art Association, Inc. is a nonprofit organization, whose membership includes professional and non professional artists. It was founded in 1978 by Inez Reardon and Arlene Mello for the purpose of educating and enriching all interested in the fine arts. Membership is open to all and annual dues are twenty dollars. A newsletter is published each month during the membership year which runs from September through May.
The Norwood Art Association hosts a demonstration on the third Thursday of each month, September through May, given by professional artists and held at the Norwood Library-Simoni Room. Workshops and classes are offered throughout the membership year and are conducted by professional, local artists in various media.
The Norwood Art Association provides members the opportunity to meet and learn about fine art and enjoy the camaraderie of other art enthusiasts in a neighborhood setting
