Ocean Ridge resident Matt Gracey shows a rendering of his latest transformational idea, Art House of Delray. The community art center, which opened in September, benefits artists and art enthusiasts. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Delray Beach has a new arts center, and it’s all thanks to Matt Gracey’s messy dining room table.
A couple of years ago, Gracey’s good friend, architect and artist Bob Currie, helped inspire him to start painting. And since then Gracey’s dining table has been covered in paints, palette knives and brushes.
In search of an art studio space for his paints and paintings, Gracey, 58, discovered something even better — that the building that had been Delray Art Center in the 1970s and ’80s was up for sale.
Gracey fell in love with the space, and especially loved the idea of returning the building, which had been transformed into a swinging bachelor’s pad by a previous owner, back to a community art center in Delray Beach.
“The community needs a true nonprofit community art center,” Gracey said. “I also am really excited to bring this building back to its artistic past since during my childhood it was the Delray Art Center.”
Gracey purchased the building, at 255 N. Federal Highway, and invited artist Michelle Ferry to create a new arts program.
Art House of Delray, which opened in September, offers art classes in all media for children, teens and adults, artist studio rentals, art gallery exhibitions and Friday night art nights that feature artists doing live paintings. There’s also a kitchen and a large room for catering events.
Art House of Delray’s first exhibition (30(5)61), runs through Dec. 16 and showcases artwork from artists in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
— Lucy Lazarony
10 Questions
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A. I was born in West Palm because there were no hospitals closer. I grew up in Delray, went to Plumosa [Elementary], Delray Beach Junior High, then Atlantic High, before graduating from St. Andrew’s.
What influenced me the most about growing up in a sleepy Southern coastal town was the independence I had from an early age.
In about the second grade, I was turned loose on my bike and just had to be home for dinner, so I was outside constantly if I was not in school, and was able to meet many different types of hometown people.
Q. What professions have you worked in?
A. I have worked in the insurance business, the real-estate industry as a residential agent for a brief stint, then a commercial broker, before becoming a real-estate investor and developer. For a dozen years with a business partner, I owned the Delray Beach Yacht Club and ran the 150-seat fine French cuisine dining room as well as the 50-slip marina. We developed a 12-unit condominium overlooking the marina as well.
Q. What life accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. I am most proud of my work with the redevelopment of Delray.
I was one of the founding members of the Community Redevelopment Agency. Those days we were battling high crime in the downtown because it was so deserted at night. The biggest zoning issues were what to do about all of the used furniture stores and secondhand shops on the Avenue.
After years of committee work and lots of time and money, the downtown started becoming what it is today. When I walk now downtown, I am just amazed that out of the efforts of dedicated volunteers, we were able to start the spark that is now burning so brightly.
I suggested the nighttime festival of art and jazz. We hired a friend from a Boca art gallery to spearhead the Avenue’s few art galleries having openings that night and put a few jazz trios on the street. We knew we were on to something when an estimated 5,000 people showed up that first night despite a really heavy downpour.
I’m also really proud that I was one of three along with Kathi Sumrall Davis and Marshall Dewitt on the first committee of the historical society to try to get the school board to move out of old Delray Elementary and allow us to create what became Old School Square.
The school board was very receptive to finding another location out of the downtown and just needed help locating the right parcel.
Once that was done, they were very open to our suggestions of turning the property over to the city under the visionary leadership of Frances Bourque.
I also was very involved for over a decade with the Morikami and played a key role in the design and creation of the big new museum building and was the chairman of the first master plan committee that steered the development of the gardens and new entrance.
Another proud accomplishment came when I founded the Delray Beach Tennis Patrons right after our new tennis center was built.
Our mission was to use tennis as a way to get the community’s underserved kids involved in the tennis center and in position to gain college scholarships. The first summer we ran the program, over 450 kids showed up for lessons.
Q. What has inspired you to become involved in the arts?
A. I always believed I had no artistic ability, then found a love of photography, then fell into oil painting when my friend Bob Currie allowed me to help him on one of his masterpieces.
That was two years ago, and I have been hooked on painting ever since.
I love using oils as a beginner because I can just keep layering until I stumble every now and then into something that actually is pleasing.
I constantly remember that Monet sometimes put on 50 layers, so I just use patience to find a layer that works.
I also tell myself the old saying that even a blind pig sometimes finds the truffles. Another inspiring saying for me as a painter is from Picasso, who said that it only took him four years to learn to paint like Rafael but a lifetime to paint like a child.
Q. Why is this project important to you?
A. The community needs a true nonprofit community art center where everyone feels comfortable and we can combine all ages and abilities into an appreciation for the fun and inspiration of art. I also am really excited to bring this building back to its artistic past since during my childhood it was the Delray Art Center. The building is an inspiration in itself as one of the coolest buildings in Delray, so it is a perfect setting for this project.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person interested in the arts?
A. Just let yourself loose into your art. There are no wrongs or rights in art, so you can freely express yourself as loudly, deeply or quietly as you want.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in Ocean Ridge?
A. Ocean Ridge reminds me so much of old Delray. It is much quieter than Delray now, and I love living close to the beach as I walk in the sand almost every morning, as well as surf as much as I can.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in Ocean Ridge?
A. I love walking over “Bob’s Bridge” (Currie and his firm did the design work on the Ocean Avenue bridge) into Boynton where, within a three-block area, I can choose from multiple restaurants.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. I listen to Eva Cassidy, Miles Davis and Stan Getz to really lose myself when painting.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. There is nothing as powerful as persistence.
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