Homewood Studios: One part of a supportive, thriving North Minneapolis arts scene
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Since 2000, Homewood Studios, an artists’ workspace and gallery/meeting space in north Minneapolis, has served local artists and their neighbors in the belief that the visible presence of working artists contributes to the vitality, self-image, and coherence of community.After a tour of the beautifully restored old building at the corner of Plymouth Avenue North, we sat down with George Roberts and Beverly Roberts, longtime residents of the Homewood neighborhood, to talk about the history and mission of Homewood Studios.At right: George and Beverly Roberts outside of Homewood Studios at 2400 Plymouth Avenue N. (Photos by Shaina Brassard)Shaina Brassard: How did you come to own Homewood Studios?Beverly Roberts: This was boarded and vacant for more than 10 years. It was on our path of places that we go back and forth from. We tried for a while to get nonprofits to take a look at it; they weren’t interested but they said, “If you can get site control, then the community can do something.” George was still teaching, but ready to retire and had been talking about getting a studio of his own. So he and Shirley Jones, also an artist and teacher, began to talk about buying this building and turning it into studios and a gallery.Left: George Roberts at work in his studio, Downstairs Press.We watched for the price to go down and purchased it in March of 1998. We got grant money through NRRC (Northside Residents Redevelopment Council) and the city for the roof and the windows. Continue Reading
