A big night for a young artist
By Debbie Lowe

The ins and outs of art Local artist Abigail Germond discusses her work with Canal Association member Annadell Lamb. Germond met visitors at her first professional opening held at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation last Friday. Comet photo by Debbie Lowe

The expected path of an artist, from early childhood to their first formal gallery exhibit opening, usually contain stages like art classes in public school, discovery, intense training with a mentor and finally the big day when the work is hung in a gallery with other artists' works.

A large gathering on opening night, with dozens of people visiting to meet the artist and remark on the work, is the accepted measure of success.

But it doesn't always happen that way.

Nineteen-year-old Abigail Germond has never been to public schools, never been in an art class for a semester and has never had the advantages of being supported by a large system of professionals who paved the way for her to make it to a gallery opening.

This determined young artist, with tons of drive, never considered the lack of those things as barriers. In fact, Germond doesn't seem to have barriers in life.

Germond's whimsical fashion drawings could have been inspired in part by her mother, who used to dress her and two of her six sisters in similar outfits with coordinating colors as youngsters. She said she worked with the girls to teach them to be aware of and enjoy what they were wearing.

"I wanted her to strive for the best," explained her mother Joanne Germond.

The elder Germond said she acquired her own fashion sense from her mother when she was growing up on Long Island, New York. She said her mother always chose her outfits to coincide with the situation at hand.

But Long Island was along time ago. When she attended Purdue in the 1970s, she married Kirk Germond. They moved their growing family to Carroll County in 1990. All of their children were or are home schooled.

"Delphi is a great place to raise our children," said the mother of eight.

The younger Germond took a series of drawing classes at the Delphi Public Library and four at the Renaissance Academy in Lafayette. Her art was shown for the first time last year at DPL in the Gerber-Globe Valve Room.

Germond said this year's exhibit is a mature version of past efforts.

"My bodies are more proportional," she said of the slim figures modeling her dress creations. "As I get older, the form and movement in my pieces change."

"This is just the way I see things - with whimsy," Germond added. "As an artist, I know where I am going when I sit down at the drawing table usually."

Germond said she had no formal training for her art.

"It was just something I started doing. It is just something picked up myself," she said. "It's part of who I am. I like sharing it with other people and seeing their reactions to my work."

And her mother concurs.

"One day, I looked down and she was sketching a figure and recognized that she had talent," she said.

Germond is a Leadership Carroll County graduate and is the youngest member of the board of directors for the Canal Association. Some of her fellow members attended the Friday night opening at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation.

Canal Association board member and Delphi resident Marlene Charlesworth said she attended the event to support Germond.

Former Delphi resident Annadell Lamb and board member said she attended to "congratulate Abby on her work."

"I know she's been working very hard on this project. And she is a wonderful addition to our Canal Association board."

Germond credits much of her success to her family.

"They have given me total support every step of the way," she explained.

The young artist is exploring options for the future, which include advanced art training at an accredited school. Her work will hang at TAF, in the Northwest Gallery, until Nov. 22.