WOAC welcomes new leadership, celebrates success

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WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Arts Council unanimously elected Patricia Mitrano as its new chairwoman during its Nov. 17 meeting.

Mitrano said she felt the time was right in her life to accept the leadership position following the departure of Carol Lemon, who nominated Mitrano as her successor. And while Mitrano knows that the title comes with more work, the chairwoman said she is eager to give back to the organization that means so much to her.

“I’ve been involved for quite a few years and love the council,” Mitrano told the West Orange Chronicle in a Dec. 2 phone interview. “I’m happy to take on this added role.”

It has only been a few weeks since Mitrano ascended to the position, but she already has plans for what she wants to accomplish. She said one of her biggest goals is to promote the WOAC center, which celebrated its first anniversary in October. To do so, she said she wants to reach out to local media and contribute to online event listings so people will know all that goes on at the center. This past year alone it hosted six well-attended art shows in addition several popup exhibits, she said.

The WOAC center is indeed a great space for artists to gain exposure for their work, Mitrano said, but it is more than a place for professionals. She said the center offers workshops in which amateurs can learn everything from intermediate drawing to the business of selling one’s art. And she wishes more people would take advantage of these classes, pointing out that she has seen many people who never picked up a paintbrush since high school really enjoy themselves.

Even the chairwoman herself can attest to the restorative power of making art. Though she has a professional background in advertising design, Mitrano said she benefits from participating in the center’s workshops.

“It awakens and recharges my creativity,” Mitrano said. “My project at the moment may not be a masterpiece, but the next thing I do, I’ll have that part of my brain a little bit more active. And it can help me solve a problem at work or at home or whatever. It’s so important to use the creative side of your brain. I think it helps in all aspects of your life.”

Aside from raising awareness for all that the WOAC center has to offer, Mitrano said she also intends to build relationships with outside entities. The council is already exploring opportunities with the West Orange School District and other organizations within the Valley Arts District, she said. And she wants to find even more partnerships moving forward — even with those who have never thought they could benefit from art.

Additionally, Mitrano said she would like to continue hosting sales such as the ongoing Holiday Boutique and Small Works Show, which will next be held during the weekends of Dec. 10 to Dec. 11, and Dec. 17 to Dec. 18. Future sales would depend on opportunity and what the board of trustees feels would be best for the council though, she said.

The artists participating in this year’s Holiday Boutique certainly hope more sales are held. Gayle Mahoney said it is often difficult for artists to find sales opportunities, so events like the boutique are a boon. Mahoney told the Chronicle she sold five original paintings and three archival watercolor prints last weekend.

But the boutique is not just about selling artwork. Mahoney said the event acts as an advertisement for the WOAC center itself, pointing out that she talked to many first-time visitors about the various programs offered there. Plus, she said it is even a chance for the artists themselves to bond with one another.

“I spoke to one young artist who’s in high school for quite a while about her work and what her career goals are, and I shared some ideas about classes and places to show our work with other artists,” Mahoney said in a Dec. 5 phone interview. “It’s a really wonderful community-building and networking experience.”

Fellow boutique artist Deneise Smith added that the event is an excellent opportunity for shoppers as well. Smith, who sold four of her photographs during the day she participated, said there is no need to pay top dollar at commercial stores when there are such great gifts at the boutique.

“If people are looking for something unique to give for the holidays, (the boutique) is the perfect place,” Smith told the Chronicle in a Dec. 5 phone interview. “There’s such a variety and all the pieces are unique and the work reflects the talent that is in the area.”

With the continued success of the boutique, Mahoney and Smith also agreed that Mitrano is an excellent person to take the helm of the WOAC, calling her “warm” and “approachable” with a good background in marketing will come in handy. But the new chairwoman stressed she will not be leading alone since the council’s board of trustees will be there to support her. On top of that, she said Lemon has been an invaluable source of guidance.

And Lemon is not going anywhere. The former chairwoman said she only stepped down from the role because she was being spread too thin between the WOAC, her marketing career and her efforts to build her own fine art business. She still plans to stay involved with the council, telling the Chronicle she wants to continue working on its website as well as its new customer relations management system that will launch next month. She said she also wants to serve on an advisory group to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

Looking back on her time as chairwoman, Lemon said she is proud of what she was able to accomplish. From establishing the WOAC center as a destination for programming upon its launch to implementing an artists directory to advocating for member needs, she said she feels she made a difference on the council. She also hopes to still have an impact with the CRM system she worked on, which she said will allow the WOAC to better engage with its roughly 100 members while also keeping track of what they are doing.

Though she will not have as many responsibilities as she once did, Lemon promised that she will help her successor in any way that she can. After all, she said, the council will always be important to her.

“I not only want to see it succeed, I need to see it succeed,” Lemon said in a Dec. 1 phone interview. “There’s so much potential. We’re doing more than people even realize how much we’re doing. But I think 2017 is going to be the year people are going to see how hard we’re working, and I think the results are going to speak for themselves.”