Member Spotlight Series: connie cody

Although we consider the whole of our board of directors to be indispensable, on this Member Spotlight Monday, we're paying tribute to a particularly special contributor, whose blood, sweat, tears and energy have been motoring us forward from the very beginning: the inimitable Connie Cody!

Navigating a non-profit is relentless, exhausting work. A tremendous amount of man hours and brain power are required to keep the ship afloat, so Mary French, our ever-working CEO, needs strong partners on the team to help shoulder some of those Sisyphean-seeming tasks.

Known to us (and to many of our guests) as the guru of material dye, Connie is not only a founding member of the art center, but also one of its most dependable and resilient pillars.

Which begs the question: Where did it all begin?

"Mary and I met several years before the DART concept was born, at a neighborhood Christmas party thrown by Bonnie Perry - Bonnie Flint, then. We got to know each other a little bit there."

But it was their mutual membership at the former Cuban Social Club of Doraville that inspired a joint art venture, as other members of the club shared with Connie and Mary key concerns regarding local public art.

"We met with like-minded folks that wanted to get some ordinances changed in the city, ordinances against public art. We decided to start a non-profit and went from there."

Once the decision was made, the era of paperwork began. Mary's years of experience in project management were essential in navigating the relentless bureaucratic hurdles.

Even though COVID-19 put a hard stop on much of the process, the small team kept enthusiasm alive by meeting in parks and other open-air spaces, setting up tents and tables with crafts for passersby, until a brick-and-mortar space became available at last: our cherished former cottage on Central Avenue.  

"Mary spent a lot of time getting the non-profit status set up," Connie says, recalling how she, Mary, and other committed locals joined together to rehabilitate and refine the space, realizing its potential together.

"The first few weeks were a lot of painting and cleaning of this little old house, tossing around ideas of what it was going to be, and preparing for our first gallery show."

Of course, Connie's appreciation for the artistic didn't start with the Doraville Art Center, it emerged in early childhood - a childhood which was decidedly off the beaten path.

Growing up with very little money, Connie and her family traveled the country with the carnival, no doubt nurturing her affinity for creative personalities and solitary daydreaming.

She recalls a particular moment with family as having made a significant impact: "Sitting with my grandparents and looking at a painting hanging in their living room of bird hunting dogs - while my grandpa told us stories of his hunting dogs."

The way this simple painting brought out the storyteller in her grandfather cemented a realization about the value of art and the way people relate to it for Connie, resulting in a sense of artistic altruism that never went away.

"I have a desire to help others experience self-expression," Connie says, adding that government cuts to school arts programs spurred her toward nonprofit possibilities.

As one of our most popular instructors, it's easy to see where Connie turns that desire into actionable good. Her material dye classes are always accessible, approachable, and full of practical advice, making good upon the DART principle that art without accessibility is inadequate.

Although her personal favorite medium - material dye - is clear, she's willing to try any craft at least once. The only obstacle between Connie and absolute artistic freedom is time, a problem to which many of us can relate.

When she does have time to spare, a great deal of it is poured into the art center, leading workshops, manning booths and coordinating our many events, a commitment for which we are eternally grateful.

And the feeling, it seems, is mutual:

"DART is a very wonderful part of my life. I love Sip & Stitch every Thursday night. Putting up Dora the dinosaur, our first public art piece, was amazing. Being part of city events where we get to meet upcoming artists who don't even know they're artists yet because they're so young is fabulous. Seeing smiles on children's faces, their parents' faces, adults who come and hang their work in our gallery for people to enjoy, is fantastic. Becoming friends with Mary and others is fantastic."

For Connie, above all else, the key to an artful life is celebration. When asked what fuels her artistry, her answer is at once simple and profound: "Other people's joy. Getting to hang around with people who I now consider not just patrons, but friends, and sharing our happiness and woes and anxieties and joys is beautiful."

Art, she says, gives an outlet and means with which to relieve stress. "It provides connection and fellowship to a community. It means leaving your mark on the world, be it great or small."

Outside of DART, nature and humanity are always drawing her eye. "I love laying on blankets cloud busting under trees in the evening light. And I love to lurk and observe folks."

At the outset of your next artistic endeavor, let Connie's personal words of creative affirmation guide the way: Just have fun with it!