The Root of So Much Wonder

If you’re reading this article then, chances are that you’ve probably heard of WonderRoot; You’ve undoubtedly heard the great things that people say about them, and who knows, you may have even paid the location a visit or two. However if you’re anything like me, despite all of this, you may still be a bit confused about what the hell it is that they actually do in that little house on Memorial Drive.

The Purge crew (being the curious so-and-so’s that we are) visited with some questions to find out; as it turns out, when it comes to the Arts community, there isn’t much that they don’t do!

Occupying an unassuming business-front on Memorial Drive in Reynoldstown, WonderRoot is easy to overlook. Make no mistake though, the building hosts real and true wonders. Founded in 2004 by Chris Appleton, Witt Wisebram, and Alex West, it has become one of Atlanta’s most valuable (and under-appreciated) resources for the Arts.

Executive Director Chris Appleton sat down with us to answer our questions and give us his view on how WonderRoot’s role in the community was originally envisioned and what is has become. With the passion of an inventor, he described his brain child as “both an incubator and a tool” for Atlanta’s creatives, something of a novel concept for a comparatively small-scale arts city like Atlanta. The real deal is this: a negligible membership fee (and I do mean negligible, $10/month or $60/year) buys anyone interested unlimited use of WonderRoot’s facilities (when available), access to their daily classes and the loving support of their helpful volunteer staff.

While $10 a month (or $5 a month if you pay for a whole year) seems like it couldn’t possibly buy you anything worth a damn, take it from the Purge staff, this is the deal of a lifetime. With a fully functional recording studio, digital design studio, ceramics studio, dark room, and more all equipped with the most modern tools of the trade, a membership here is tantamount to attending a full-scale art school, with the major difference that I can see being about $30,000 a year.

While WonderRoot isn’t exactly an accredited learning center, that doesn’t mean that they can’t teach you many of the things that you need to know to begin your own production. Pair that with providing you the tools necessary to make your vision a reality, and it becomes something that makes the trivial membership fee seem like you’ve somehow ripped them off by signing up.

But wait, there’s more!

The money you spend to receive these benefits is also used by the establishment for the purposes of promoting Art in all forms all around Atlanta, from the smallest scale indie Art show to city-wide artistic endeavors. They also promote and host concerts, book and poetry readings, comedy acts and print and distribute the Loose Change literary magazine. All of this is funded entirely by the small membership fees. Talk about making every dollar count!

After learning all of this new information about WonderRoot, we were understandably blown away. After taking a moment to put our jaws back in place, we decided to dig deeper, because obviously, there was something very special about the people making this happen.

We asked Chris what it was that inspired him and his comrades to devote themselves to such a selfless project in the name of Art. As it turns out, it isn’t exactly as selfless as it sounds (although it’s pretty close). You see, Chris and Alex (Witt left the pair a few years back to pursue his own music career, and we wish him the best) decided that the best way to create opportunities for area artists was to create a ‘root’ system on which their ideas could grow; A place to provide a literal support network for their metaphorical flowers. As artists themselves, one can see how the creation was almost a selfish act. Although, I admit, that’s a bit of a stretch.

On a personal level, Chris is inspired on a daily basis by the volunteers and artists who take advantage of WonderRoot’s facilities. Those that self-start and attempt creation with a ‘can do’ attitude provide him with an ever-renewed motivation to do what he does. (On a personal note, I sure hope he thinks of Purge that way, seeing as how we aren’t getting paid.)

Chris and Alex, acting in almost director and producer roles respectively, feel as though they’ve achieved a lot so far, citing development of youth programs and the launching of Loose Change amongst other accomplishments. They are, however, far from satisfied. They have laid out what Chris called a ‘5 areas for 5 years plan’ to help guide the path of WonderRoot in the future.

The major points include: creating better artists by providing them with materials and assistance in their endeavors, creating positive community change though example, developing youth artistic voices (WonderRoot focuses heavily on youth related activities and community service), aiding in the opening of new Art centers throughout the city (either as satellites of WR or as independent centers), and becoming an even stronger advocate of the Arts in our beloved city(if that is possible).

For Chris, WonderRoot is a full-time job; He is the first to tell you that the center is far bigger than any individual. According to him, the most important people at WR are the volunteers. Without them, he says, WonderRoot could have achieved no success. Still, in this writer’s opinion, their business savvy leadership has a great deal to do with turning Atlanta from a small pond-which a big fish might outgrow-into a great lake of opportunity suitable for projects of all sizes.

Chris and the gang are focusing on the future, half-jokingly claiming to be on the way to a ‘vast media conglomerate’. While these may seem like lofty aspirations to some, you’d be foolish to doubt them after seeing what they’ve already accomplished from scratch.

The next time you have the creative itch, even if you doubt your abilities, take your idea to 982 Memorial Drive. I can guarantee you that they are waiting for you to come in and share your hidden talents. They have no agenda as to the types of projects they support or the type of people they work with. All they ask if that you work hard, believe in yourself and ask them for help when you need it.

After all, that’s what they’re here for.

(More exclusive memberships are available at different pay scales. For more information, please contact info@wonderroot.org or visit them online at www.wonderroot.org)

Photo Credit: Tim Song