LAKE WORTH BEACH — The Flamingo Clay Studio is in a fight to save its life.
The non-profit artist cooperative, which also runs the Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery, provides space for hundreds of artists in Palm Beach County to create, display and sell their work.
With a focus on community and access to art events and art education to lower-income residents, the potential loss of their building will leave a void in the community, says executive director Joyce Brown.
“We have been a staple here for two decades,” says Brown, 79, an artist with a long résumé of social justice activism. “Besides offering free art lessons, services and classes to children and teens, each weekend we hold a street art festival for the community.”
“We believe that culture builds community,” she says.
When the studio’s former landlord Rachel Gwinn died suddenly in 2017, it left the building in limbo. A supporter of the arts and of the Flamingo Clay Studio and gallery, Gwinn was charging Brown $1,000 a month to cover the building’s taxes and insurance.
All that has gone by the wayside in the aftermath of Gwinn’s death. Without heirs, the property is up for sale by the estate.
“Rachel loved us and the work we did,” Brown said. “Unfortunately, she died suddenly and we were not in her will.”
Because of this, Brown says, the building is now up for sale with developers eyeing the property. She notes that most of the local antique shops and art galleries have been forced out of the city, thanks to rising rents and real estate trends.
She says the estate has received an offer of $450,000 to buy the property and the studio has countered with an offer of $400,000. The studio has received an anonymous donation of $100,000 that will be donated to the Buy the Building Fund. Their fundraising goal is $500,000, says Brown.
Toward that goal she says, “Ideally, we’d like to find large donors who can make a donation of $10,000. We have many, many small donors, but really need the big bucks.”
Brown would like to buy the building, then renovate and expand the space by adding a second floor. Last weekend, Brown hosted an art sale whose proceeds went to the Buy the Building Fund.
Community resident Patrick Livingston, founder of the nonprofit Arms of Hope, which provides food and resources to low-income residents, has known Brown for six years.
“Joyce has make an amazing impact in our community,” says Livingston, who is working to connect Brown to an attorney and mortgage broker. He believes Gwinn was looking to secure the building for the gallery and studio, but her untimely death threw it into limbo.
He has faith in the studio, gallery and in Brown. “Joyce is a fighter,” he says.
Working artists in the studio include Lake Worth Beach residents Sarita Rajpathak, a graphic designer and member of the LGBTQ community who sells skateboard art and pottery under the brand name, RajasaurusRex; Liz Capozzi; and multimedia muralist, design artist and ceramicist JoAnn Nava.
Capozzi, a novice, is learning ceramics from Brown.
“Joyce uses her gifts to help others,” Capozzi says. “She’s always thinking of ways to help artists who might not be able to be artists.”
Rajpathak fell in love with pottery and ceramics after taking an adult education class at a local high school with her mom.
“It recharged my creative batteries,” she says.
Once she found Joyce and the Flamingo Clay Studio she never looked back.
“Joyce provides an outlet for kids, teens and adults who need a safe, affordable space to create,” she says. “She is always supportive and provides a safe haven for LGBTQ youth and all people to come and learn.”
Nava, a professional artist with a 40-year art career, including 15 years as the resident artist for Twist Nightclub in Miami, has fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a ceramicist.
“The Flamingo Clay studio has been life-changing for so many people — especially kids,” says Nava, who has been coming there for the past eight years.
“Joyce is a talented artist and ceramicist and always working to benefit the community,” she says. “She spins a lot of plates, so to speak, and is a champion for the underdog.”
Nava says she’s watched other neighborhoods, once home to artists, disappear to make way for gentrification.
“There’s always a sacrifice to be made when developers come in,” she says. “It’s sad to lose these gems.”
Like Livingston, she hopes Brown’s offer will be accepted, noting that there’s no one to inherit the property.
“It’s truly a magical, rare place,” Nava says.
The Flamingo Clay Studio is located at 15 South J St., Lake Worth Beach. For more information and to help support the Flamingo Clay Studio and the Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery, visit flamingoclaystudio.com and click on the Community Foundation button; 100 percent of your donation will go to the purchase of the building.
Fundraising activities are ongoing. This Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., the studio will be holding a “Paint Your Own Mug” workshop. For $40, you can underglaze the pre-made mug and it will be fired for you. For more information, call 561-284-6807.