A Creative Coterie

Henri Matisse said: “Creativity takes courage.” But in practical terms, creativity also requires a place to work and, perhaps even more important, a community that offers encouragement, motivation and friendly critiques.

As Central Florida’s oldest artist collective, McRae Art Studios has provided both space and support for local creators since 1986. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the collective’s 22 members—who call themselves “McCrayons”—are reflecting on the venture’s decades-long impact.

“From the beginning, it was about building an environment where artists can do their best work,” says mixed-media painter and assemblage sculptor John Whipple, whose parents, George and Marty Whipple, both artists, founded the group. (George died in 2007, while Marty, the matriarch at age 92, is still very much alive.)

It’s an endeavor that began almost accidentally. At a local gallery opening, artists lamented the lack of affordable workspace and, seeking a solution, decided to visit a warehouse on McRae Avenue in the Lake Ivanhoe District of Orlando.

Seeing potential in the unfinished space, the Whipples—who had been inspired by a visit to the famous Torpedo Factory Art Center in Virginia—took out a loan to lease the space and built a warren of small studios with the hands-on help from other artists who were interested in subletting nooks of their own.

The modest spaces were filled quickly. After a few years, however, McRae (despite the move, the name stuck) left the warehouse and its leaky roof for several other locations before finally taking up residence on Railroad Avenue in Winter Park. The group had by then expanded to 45 member artists, but that size proved difficult to manage and was intentionally scaled back.

 “Even though we generally create art in solitary settings, artists need the company of other artists,” says painter Stephen Bach, one of the longest-tenured members at McRae. “We were lucky to have a setting that allowed us to create while having a supportive social network around us.”

In 2016—following a 17-year stint—McRae lost its lease on Railroad Avenue when the owner decided to sell the building and capitalize on soaring property values in Winter Park. Art-lovers mourned the situation since the group had become so synonymous with the “City of Heritage and Culture.”

But sympathy doesn’t pay the bills. With just a 90-day window to relocate—and faced with the possibility of having to disband if no solution could be found—the collective luckily found an “angel” and, shortly thereafter, was able to regroup at its current home in the Arlington Arts Building in the Parramore neighborhood near Downtown Orlando.

The 10,000-square-foot building, which was bought and renovated by retired psychotherapist and arts advocate Bickley Wilson, was meant to pair McRae with ArtReach Orlando—a nonprofit that she founded in 2012 to offer art therapy and other services to underserved children.

With cozy custom-designed studios and central air conditioning—an unaccustomed luxury—the former auto-body shop seemed to be just what the doctor ordered for members. The reimagined structure also showcases dramatic open space, high ceilings, exposed steel elements and expansive glass roll-up doors flanking the east and west sides.

“There’s a spirit of collaboration among us and an expectation that we’ll find a way to give back, whether it’s serving on a committee or being one of the officers,” says painter Robert Ross, who joined McRae in 2012 and has served in roles from president to communications director. “It’s like a family. We have a willing responsibility to each other.” 

And, he insists, to the greater community. McRae hosts open houses, educational classes and public exhibitions with partners such as Orlando Museum of Art. Through its Annual 8-by-10 Sales, the group makes original artwork accessible and affordable for local collectors, with small pieces by members going for as little as $100.

“Part of our job as artists is to bring people into conversation. It’s exciting to engage the community and to spark their interest—whether they take a workshop or visit or start their own art collections,” says John Whipple, whose wife, Lynn, is also a painter and mixed-media artist in the collective.

During its yearlong anniversary celebration, McRae is featuring an exhibition of self-portraits by members called The Faces of McRae. The milestone will also be toasted at the group’s annual holiday party—dubbed Celebrating 40 Years—in December.

Looking ahead, abstract painter Mimi Hwang, current president, is working to establish the collective as its own nonprofit instead of the informal confederation that it has been historically.

This would enable it to expand exhibitions, educational programs, artist opportunities and community partnerships while making it possible to receive tax-deductible donations and pursue grant funding.

“For 40 years, McRae Art Studios has been a welcoming space where every artist has a voice, and every voice has the power to inspire,” says Hwang. “Nonprofit status represents an important step for the future, toward creating a lasting cultural resource.”

There are several husband-and-wife artistic teams at McRae. In addition to the Whipples there’s Bach and his wife, Susan, a potter, who says that “there’s something very special about being in a place where other people are creating and producing art.” The Whipples, in fact, had their marriage ceremony at McRae.

Victor Bokas, a mixed-media artist and graphic designer, seconds the statement about the nurturing atmosphere. In fact, he found it difficult to do without during a hiatus. “Working out of my house for years, I really missed my artist friends,” he says. “The energy is amazing, I can’t wait to get to there and start working each day.”