By Dorit Slotow

C.C. Lowell is one of the largest and oldest art supply stores in Worcester ~ a central hub for many local artists. And the store’s general manager, April Kennedy, has worked for the company since 2006.

“C.C. Lowell practically raised me,” Kennedy said, as she prepares to leave C.C. Lowell to pursue her own art career. As general manager, Kennedy’s day-to-day activities can be anything from assisting customers on the floor to planning events.

As with anything in life, Kennedy has her favorite things about working for C.C. Lowell: “I love people and I love art, so I enjoy hearing what everyone is creating and helping them solve their art dilemmas. I also love bringing artists together in the name of art, which is what I enjoy most about organizing events and workshops. It’s fun to see people get excited about the same things I do.”

She continued, “Our mural project, finished late last summer, was a super-fun project, too. I actually got to get messy and help paint the mural, rather than just selling the paint. The best part is definitely using the products themselves.”

Along with working in the store, Kennedy has also had the privilege of hosting local art events. “We host the Worcester Art Museum Spring Open House at the store every year to promote museum classes. In the past few months, we have started hosting weekend workshops and product demos. We’ve shown everything from hand-casting with alginates to paper craft. Some demos are free to the public, and some have a reasonable fee to cover instruction and cost of materials,” she said

When it comes to artists, Kennedy has always had her favorites. “My favorite childhood artist was Andy Goldsworthy; I am still baffled by the way he manipulates nature. The idea of not using materials is intriguing. I have also always loved Gustav Klimt. His palette and the way he portrays the female body is so dreamy and sensual. I’d love to be able to convey the kind of emotion he does in my paintings. My favorite local artist is Rose Lebeau. Her shadow boxes take 3D art to a whole new level. I love the eclectic, and rather eerie, vintage feeling.”

Kennedy said the experience she has gained at C.C. Lowell has been a major educational opportunity for her. Not only has she gained knowledge and experience, but she has also grown as a person.

“Working here has inspired and challenged my art. I have produced so many styles of work in the last few years and finally whittled it down to my style, simply because every material and every inspiration is at my fingertips.”

For more information, visit cclowell.com.