Four days earlier, I landed in Cleveland from the Washington DC area to help Tom Balbo, the non-profit organization's visionary, founder, and executive director, prepare for the event.1 I had seen the building in early summer 2007, right after Balbo had gained access. The cavernous, raw space was in need of intensive cleaning but showed great potential. He had already planned how the large, mostly undivided space would be allocated, with areas for papermaking, letterpress printing, and binding studios; a gallery; offices; and even a small museum. Sixteen months later, the space had clearly begun its metamorphosis into a realization of that vision. Most notable was the presence of a long and elegant white wall, L-shaped at one end and with a little open room at the other. The wall divided the huge space without enclosing any areas and provided a tempting surface for artwork, projected images, and signage. In addition, the floor and walls had been power washed, new glass brick enlivened the walls and brought in more light, and equipment had been moved into place, particularly in the papermaking and letterpress areas. Balbo acknowledges one personal trait that his friends and colleagues know well. He refers to himself as "the hunter and gatherer of equipment and workspace." He confessed, "It was crazy to start so big but we did."2 I was one of a half dozen colleagues, friends, and fellow artists who travelled from outside the Cleveland area to help Balbo: Bill Drendel came over Guests arriving for the Morgan's grand opening in October 2008. Photo: Deborah Howe. All photos courtesy of the Morgan Conservatory. Charles E. Morgan arriving at the grand opening, ready to be escorted into the facility that bears his name. Left to right: Tony Trausch, Tom Balbo, Morgan, Kevin Kelley. Photo: Bill Drendel. summer 2009 - 29 from Chicago; Amanda Degener and Bridget O'Malley arrived from Minneapolis; Fran Kovacs drove up from Columbus; Lisa Heller came from Philadelphia; and Deborah Howe flew in from Hanover, New Hampshire. Many of them serve on the Morgan Conservatory's board of directors or board of advisors, but they were there primarily out of their friendship to Balbo and their conviction of how important this organization could become. Along with Balbo and many of his Cleveland-area friends and fellow artists, we worked long hours in the few days leading up to the event, cleaning the space, preparing the papermaking studio for demonstrations, and hanging artwork. By the time we were done, the space had completed its transformation into an attractive, inviting environment, filled with items educational, enjoyable, and edible. As a fledgling non-profit organization in a large urban area, it was important to bring people out to experience the space in a seldom-visited part of the city and to understand better the promise it would hold for the Cleveland arts community and beyond. The Morgan Conservatory is named for philanthropist Charles E. Morgan, a dedicated supporter of the organization. On the night of the grand opening, Morgan arrived in his wheelchair, escorted by a bag piper, in true celebratory fashion. Remarks by Balbo and members of his board paid tribute to Morgan and this realization of his dream. Morgan knows about papermaking primarily through his friendship with Balbo; his interest in helping establish a worldclass facility for papermaking and the book arts reflects both this friendship and his civic pride. In working with Morgan to found the Conservatory, Tom Balbo talks about one key initial inspiration: "So much of the push came from the feeling I get at workshops held at PBI: that spirit and commitment, and the hundreds of friends I have made, with their wide range of talents. I guess I just did not want those PBI sessions to end."3 He reflects further on his doubts and hopes for the organization: "There were so many days of wondering in this huge building whether I had made the right decision. Why the Morgan? I still am not sure until I open the doors and show people around. They light up with enthusiasm and say, ‘What a wonderful thing this is and how great for this town, Cleveland.' I saw and felt the energy at our Grand Opening: people from all walks of life, gathered in a big old building in the heart of a city that has had its share of leaving. It held me speechless."4 Balbo envisions the organization as both preserving the art of handmade paper and educating others about it. He also wants to create a model environmentally responsible facility. A professional production paper mill will eventually be the centerpiece, supplemented by a fully equipped studio for making artistic works from handmade paper, printmaking presses, Vandercook presses and many cases of lead type, and a hand bindery. The Conservatory has a website that outlines many of its plans and programs, including internships, the opportunity for artists to come work in the facility, two rotating two-year assistantships, and workshops for the public. Every paper and book arts facility in the United States has its own emphasis and specialties, based on the strengths and interests of its founders, staff, board, and patrons. The Morgan Conservatory will, undoubtedly, develop its own, starting with the initial vision but supplemented and influenced by those who support it, participate in its programs, and help it become a destination for those eager to tap the papermaking current running richly through it. ___________ notes 1. An interview with Tom Balbo by Bill Drendel appeared in the Winter 2001 issue of Hand Papermaking. Their conversation focused on Balbo's work as a paper artist and ceramist. 2. Tom Balbo, e-mail message to the author, December 9, 2008. 3. Ibid. PBI stands for Paper and Book Intensive, a concentrated series of professional book arts workshops, held every year at an isolated location, with presentations, lectures, and open studios supplementing the formal classes.