Upstairs and left down the stairs

Artists of saint andrews center

August 7th - September 19th, 2026

Opening Reception, 6-8pm

Upstairs and Left Down the Stairs takes its title from one of the first wayfinding signs visitors encounter entering through the back door of St. Andrew's Center: “Snack Machine to the Left up the steps. Coke machine (.75) Upstairs and Left down the stairs.” Like the building itself, the directions are practical, and yet also confusing and poetic.

Housed in the former 1907 Methodist Episcopal church in Highland Park, St. Andrew's Center has evolved into a maze of studios, rehearsal spaces, classrooms, meeting spaces, and shared rooms where artists, local groups, small businesses, and community members coexist. St. Andrew’s hallways are filled with artifacts collected over the years from tenants who have passed through. In this way, the physical building embodies the character and spirit of its occupants. The building continues to grow through its use, rather than design, following the necessities of those who use the space.

Much of what the Center has become is the result of Terry Davis's stewardship, allowing the building to grow according to the needs of the people who pass through it. People end up in the space because Terry sees a need and St. Andrew’s has a room. A tenant for more than ten years, Terry originally entered the building to use the church's kitchen to feed the homeless and kids of the Highland Park neighborhood. His service to the community was noticed, and he was voted head of the board of Mercy Junction, the organization that predates St. Andrew’s. Now the Director, Terry manages upkeep of the building, plans special events, and aims to incorporate the artists in the building into children’s art programs. His enthusiasm and commitment to artists is the scaffolding that allows the Saint Andrew’s Center to continue its evolution.

This exhibition brings together artists with studios at St. Andrew’s alongside other tenants whose lives intersect within the building, celebrating and documenting a place that continues to make room for people to practice, exchange ideas, get their feet under themselves, lean on a community, and simply belong in ways that resist easy definitions. 

Participating Artists -
Clay Aldridge, Tabitha Arnold, J Baker, Charles Blackstock, Terry Davis, Charles Blacktock, Briah Gober, Jessi Hamilton, Jules Jackson, Kayla Leach, Robert Moss, Asriel R, Emily Rice, Russell Robinson, Will Sutton, Gayle Tucker, and Angie Vasquez.

Supported by -