Out of the way, situated on one of three parcels on FDR Boulevard, this particular piece of paved real estate in Lexington Park, is the Lexington Park Library. Tucked inside the library is an art gallery, a free art gallery displaying a variety of artists’ shows.

That has not always been the case. Only the perseverance and driven efforts of the gallery’s soul benefactor, Candy Cummings, ensures that a constant supply of new artists’ works is displayed at the library. “I have a fear of the void,” joked Cummings. “I just cannot stand bare walls.”

Cummings

Candy Cummings is an artist, she is a crafts maker, she is an entrepreneur, she is eccentric and she is in love with art of all kinds.

Cummings was born in St. Mary’s County in 1950 and grew up under the shadow of her father, a local business icon and proprietor of Lexington Park’s first electronics store, Cummings Electronic Service.

In 1966, Cummings went to boarding school in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. where she learned to love the arts. From there, she went on to Temple University and majored in painting. Today, Cummings admits she is a multimedia painter and sculptor.

After college, Cummings enjoyed varied careers including the artist working in sales for a high-end caterer in D.C. where she met such celebrities as Kevin Costner who told her: ‘You throw a good party!’

In 1995, she was working in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands when hurricane Marilyn threatened to destroy the island, and Cummings was forced back to the United States.

One thing led to another and Cummings moved back to Lexington Park in 2000 and has been plying her trade in the arts ever since.

She wanted a place to display her works and found that gallery space was limited for artists. She did not want to join one of the few artist cooperatives and galleries, so she sought out another avenue.

With a tireless effort, a letter-writing campaign and much lobbying, Cummings was finally successful in starting a free gallery housed at the Lexington Park Library.

“The shows were slow until I was able to receive some funding and promote them,” said Cummings.

The eclectic artist stated that opportunities for one-artist shows are very limited, and, that once the word was out, she had many vying to exhibit their works in the make-shift free gallery.

The Lexington Park Library and the free art gallery are open every day: Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. New artist exhibit their works for 45 days. Currently on exhibit is photography by Winfred Robinson. Beginning Friday, Aug. 1, art from the Artful Codgers will grace the walls of the gallery.