Five women are at the heart of operations at the Bay School Community Arts Center, 279 Main Street, Mathews. They are Pam Doss, executive director; Grace Small, operations manager; Jennifer Schroeder, gallery coordinator; Virginia Coyle, gallery assistant, and Davida Hall, outreach coordinator. Teamwork, Doss said, has been the key to success. “We are a small, tight-knit staff, and we constantly work together to provide every better experiences for Mathews residents and visitors.”

Established in 1997 by Wendy Wells, the school has been in its current site since 2001 and, according to Doss, “welcomes artists at all stages of their creative journey to learn, create, and exhibit their artwork. The Art Speaks Gallery exhibits the work of local and regional artists in all media, and incorporates work made in our children’s programs into monthly shows. An after-school art program, summer camps, single session art classes, and family art workshops are offered for young artists. Adults can...