Graphic by Leah Han ’27/The Choate News
By Drew Wolfson ’27
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Wallingford Public Access Association Television (WPAA-TV) Community Media Center is thrilled to announce the grand opening of the Nelson “Carty” Ford Memorial Gallery.
The much-anticipated gallery, set to open on April 30 and located just off campus on South Orchard Street, pays tribute to local artist Nelson Ford, a dedicated member of the organization for many years. Ford, who passed away just before his 90th birthday last year, was a beloved member of the WPAA-TV community. He first worked as a graphic designer and then as a video producer for the organization before landing a seat on the board in 2015.
The gallery is an immersive space that stretches throughout the building, and WPAA-TV is excited to see how it is received by the community. “It’s not like just big rooms with stuff in them. It’s in the candidate room. It’s in the hallways. It’s in the foyer; the pieces of art are throughout the building,” the Executive Director of WPAA-TV, Ms. Susan Adele Huizenga, said. She hopes that this intimate setup for displaying Mr. Ford’s work will draw attention to his many contributions to WPAA-TV as a talented artist, a dedicated community advocate, and an inspiration to others.
The gallery mostly features activist art: pieces of art which aim to convey a call to action, incorporating social justice themes into their message. “Engaging in the art of the community and what advocacy they can bring to the community is also a key part of the construction,” Ms. Huizenga said. The gallery carries on Ford’s legacy through its incorporation of justice and activism; one display even raises money for housing and food-insecure Wallingford community members.
The gallery displays art of all mediums as well. Among the pieces in the exhibit are works by photographer Charles Buzinsky, sculptor Ann Lehman, and cartoonist Kevin Markowski.
When Mr. Ford joined the board, WPAA-TV recognized him as the organization’s artist emeritus. In 2017, he stepped down from his position, passing the role to his son-in-law, Herb Jackson.
Mr. Ford was a staunch advocate for the arts, which is exactly what inspired the organization to curate a gallery in his name. To honor Mr. Ford, WPAA-TV gathered all his loaned pieces to include in the exhibition.
The gallery was not supposed to be created so quickly, as WPAA-TV had planned it to be a future endeavor. However, after Mr. Ford’s passing, it felt appropriate to bring the gallery to life sooner rather than later. Ms. Huizenga believes that this is precisely what Mr. Ford would have wanted. “I feel it’s an honor to connect to the work that Nelson was trying to do in his life, to bring awareness to the need for the community to broaden their vision,” she said.
The Nelson “Carty” Ford Memorial Gallery pays tribute to a man who inspired many people throughout Wallingford. His commitment to helping young artists thrive is reflected in WPAA-TV’s values. Through his legacy and under the hashtag “SocialActionArt,” the memorial hopes to motivate and inspire young artists in Wallingford and beyond.
