Family art affair centers on 89-year-old matriarch

A Mahtomedi family will host its fourth annual family art sale this weekend in St. Louis Park. Headed and inspired by 89-year-old Marion "Grandma" Gray, the event will include artwork of all sorts -- jewelry, pottery, paintings, sculptures, photography and even '60s background music -- created by four generations of the family.

"We're mainly doing this as a way to show our mother what a profound influence she's had on all of us," said Dan Gray, Marion Gray's son and a former Mahtomedi high school art teacher. "We also want to share with everyone else what she's done for the family."

Gray's wife came up with the idea for a family art show back in 2008.

"We all thought it would be a good idea," he said. "The entire family has always done such creative things, so we figured we'd make an event to show off our work and honor mom."

The first few sales were successful, Gray said. After three consecutive years, the family was unable to find a venue last year. Now, however, they've locked down a spot on Aquila Avenue S. in St. Louis Park for their fourth sale.

The event will feature "something for everyone," Gray said, with artwork from nineteen artists in the family from across four generations -- the youngest artist being Gray's 5-year-old great-nephew, and the eldest being Marion Gray herself.

Artistic pioneer

Nearing her 10th decade, she's still working professionally. She'll be contributing many of her pieces -- pottery, sculptures and lamps -- to the art sale.

"Growing up, we always made art at home. Always," Gray said. "Mom always identified that most of your best ideas come out of mistakes.

"So if I was working on stuff, and something didn't look right, rather than throw it away and say, 'Hey, that's not how I want it,' I'd sit back and say, 'What does it want to do?'"

The attitude of seeing mistakes as creative advantages instead of reasons to start over "really made a difference in my confidence to approaching artwork," Gray said. "It's something I've passed on to my family, too."

Gray said his mother's enthusiasm about the arts has stayed consistent her entire life. "Even to this day, if she has an idea for a project she's working on, she can't sleep at night," he said.

"Art is just the only thing I've ever loved doing," she said. "It's what I've done my whole life."

"The show should be a blast," Gray said. "I really hope people enjoy seeing what our family creates."

Gray's Art Sale will run from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at 2751 Aquila Av. S. in St. Louis Park.