CHAUNCEY, Ohio — Tend Space is a new and independently run art center that focuses on local art and small-scale DIY work. The art center in Chauncey held its inaugural exhibition on Sept. 5.
Len Loomis runs the space out of the historic former Chauncey Library building, at 40 Converse St. Loomis hopes the space will become more collaborative as it develops.
Loomis also co-runs art galleries and teaches in the foundations department through the School of Art and Design at Ohio University.
The inaugural exhibition’s theme was “tending space,” which was a direct tie-in to the name of the space itself.
“It’s really local artists working in Athens County who are thinking about the ways we relate and connect to the spaces around us,” Loomis said.
The exhibition featured a variety of different media including paper, sculptures, animation and more. Artists featured in the exhibition included Aneek Mustafa Anwar, Gene Deubler, Lilah Mae Gagne, Erin McKenna, Caroline Murphy and Moss Nash.
“I was really trying to bring together, not only work that focuses on different relationships to this place, but people who live varied kinds of lives and in different little bubbles within this community,” Loomis said.
At the Sept. 5 exhibition, Caroline Murphy displayed a digitally hand-drawn animation called “How could I possibly thank you?” The piece directly speaks to Murphy’s experience growing up in West Virginia. She also displayed digitally illustrated postcards called “Appalachians for a Free Palestine,” which were offered to visitors in exchange for donations to the United Nations Children’s Fund’s “Children in Gaza Crisis Appeal” effort.
“It was an amazing experience,” Murphy said in an email.
Aside from art shows at school, Murphy had not entered work in an art exhibition before, she added. “I was really nervous to have friends and strangers potentially see not only the work I made, but also to see me.”
Murphy described the experience as fulfilling. She plans to be involved with Tend Space in the future.
The first exhibition is just the beginning of Loomis’ goals for Tend Space. The first Friday of each month, Loomis plans to host an event. Ideas range from an exhibition to different interactive workshops.
This Friday, Oct. 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Loomis will hold a salon, a guided discussion to get community feedback about Tend Space. The event is open to the public and free to attend.
“I’m really curious to hear and get a lot of feedback from community members who are interested in engaging with a space like this,” Loomis said.
In addition to the engagement with the public, Loomis also works with OU students. Tend Space works with Oh You! design agency, which is a collective of advanced graphic design students at OU.
In addition, Loomis hopes to give students an opportunity to display their works at Tend Space.
“It’s nice to have an auxiliary space that is an opportunity for our students to show work if they so choose,” they said.
Tend Space has an open call for January–May 2026 exhibitions, where individuals can show their work, curate shows or teach workshops. Open call applications close Oct. 26.
Loomis is also open to volunteers. Anyone interested can reach out on Instagram or Substack.
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