A Vision for the Future | Seeing with Fresh Eyes

Many know the history behind the Cultural Centre as what use to be the Dirks-Blem Funeral Home in town, the amazing story of one man seeing the vision Mark and Rosemary dreamed of and the benefit it would be to the surrounding communities. If you donâ€t know the story, you can check it out here. What you may not know is the challenge it has been to transform the space so that people can see it for what it is now, a center for arts and community wellness, instead of what it was, the local funeral parlor.

Being a website designer, Iâ€ve had the glorious opportunity to work with Mark and Rosemary on the website rebuild for the Cultural Centre. Which also meant having my camera, extra memory cards and battery pack at the ready so when there is a new exhibit, class, meeting or event going on, I can swing over and get some shots.

Needless to say, this process has truly given me a set of fresh eyes.

My previous job was as a designer at the local floral shop, delivering countless floral arrangements to what was then a funeral home, in memory of many loved ones passed on. Even for a creative visionary like myself, it was hard at times to see people ever being able to look past the décor of what the Cultural Centre once was.

However, something happens to you when you spend random moments there.

There is a peace in that building that is hard to express without experiencing it firsthand. You quickly find yourself wanting to take your shoes off and stay awhile. One could sit for hours to hear the unique stories behind the different art pieces, and youâ€ll never leave there feeling anything less than loved by the great Rosemary herself.

At times, beautiful pottery sits upon white pillars made of wood, then quickly transforms into a watercolor loverâ€s paradise. If I had to compare the experience to something it would be a time when I visited The Georgia Oâ€Keeffe museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico. An admirer of her work for many years, I remember walking in, being so up close and personal with her work that you could see all the blunders and mistakes she had made. Seeing beautiful artwork in all its glory in the middle of nowhere makes you feel…. something.

Thatâ€s exactly what I feel like walking into the Cultural Center. In no time, incredibly beautiful old magazines from the early 1900â€s are being placed in front of me for viewing. Original sculptures beautifully displayed, paintings and photography suspended from wire strands, the people, stories and community are what make this The Cultural Centre.

Always changing, and yet never losing its purpose. A building filled with the imprint of many, making a lasting impression on the lives of all.  May you stay long and visit often.