Next week, art students and teachers will be roaming the halls of the newly reopened Spruill Center for the Arts studios in Dunwoody. Representing the culmination of years of work, the revamped studio spaces have added 8,300 square feet of workshop space to the facility, bringing the total square footage of the education center to 19,888 square feet.
This coming semester, Spruill will be offering their most robust lineup of classes to date. New and returning instructors will lead 267 classes. The new building will host two new ceramic studios, two drawing/painting/mixed media rooms, a new mosaics and stained glass room, a new blacksmithing studio, woodturning studio, and a community room for special events.
“There’s never been a better time to be a part of the magic of Spruill,” said Alan Mothner, CEO, Spruill Center for the Arts. On a recent chilly morning, Mothner took me on a personalized tour of the facility, sharing his excitement and anticipation before classes start in the new spaces as soon as this weekend.
“I think the importance of what Spruill offers and what art centers in general offer is a place that people can come to be creative,” said Mothner. Those who utilize the facilities at Spruill Center for the Arts are able to try new techniques, methods, and use new tools and materials that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive or difficult to accommodate in a home studio.
“People can come here to learn, but more importantly they can foster social connections,” explained Mothner. “Places like this are important. The reason that places like this exist – it gives the people who are searching for it a place to come and coalesce with other people. That’s what I think is the most important part. Obviously the learning is important, the instruction is important, and the continuing education and learning new skills, but really it’s the social connections and the ability to be with others and achieve the results that you’re looking for.”
Mothner first came on board as the CEO at Spruill back in 2020 following a stint as freelance nonprofit consultant. From 1996 to 2010, Mothner was an editorial photographer working with the Associated Press. After that, he took a role as the Executive Director at the Dunwoody Nature Center which he held until 2019.
When Bob Kinsey stepped down as the CEO at Spruill, Mothner knew this was his next career move. “It was Dunwoody, which I am passionate about, it was the arts which I am passionate about, and it’s a nonprofit which I am passionate about. It has been great – it has definitely been an interesting four years.”
Mothner said that a year from now he hopes to see a continuation of the legacy of art that Spruill has embraced since it was founded in 1975, only bigger.
“I would love to see the continuation of all of the activity that we are currently doing and just being able to reach and impact more people,” said Mothner. “We have been so struggling for space for years. The additional space gives us room to breathe and stretch our wings a little bit.” As excited as he is to see the space nearing completion from a construction standpoint, he’s even more excited to see it come to life with students and instructors.
This new studio expansion follows a groundbreaking in April of 2023, and will cost approximately $3.4 million when all is said and done. $1M of the cost was contributed by the city of Dunwoody, while the other $2.4M was generated by a mix of fundraising and capitalization of the center’s activities and workshops. A grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts was utilized in expanding their kiln room.
“We want to see the whole space properly activated. Between us, the library, and the theatre, we should really be a true cultural arts center. We want to be a community center based on the arts, and that’s really where we hope to get to.”
Mothner told me that they are also currently hiring for two new positions; a studio manager who will oversee the studio spaces as well as an admin receptionist who can be a point of contact for those who are looking to utilize the facility.
At Spruill Center for the Arts, you can take classes that include subjects such as hand-building, wheel throwing, figure drawing, mosaics, jewelry, painting, pastels, and more. “If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at something creative, we welcome you with open arms,” said Mothner. “Come and see what we’re all about!”