It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved founding director, Rosemary Tracy Woods, a devoted mother, proud grandmother, cherished friend, and irreplaceable pillar of the arts community.
Those who knew and loved Rosemary know she was nothing short of a force of nature. She defied odds at every turn, never once took no for an answer, and was unapologetic in the best possible way because her fight was always for the artists, the creators, the dreamers who needed someone bold enough to kick down the doors that stood in their way. True to her spirit, she lived by her own rallying cry: “I’m gonna paint this town red.” And that is exactly what she did.
Art for the Soul Gallery was Rosemary’s baby, and her greatest labor of love. She built it as a living, breathing space where artists could belong, contribute, and be seen. In a world that far too often shuts Black and marginalized artists out of creative spaces, Rosemary refused to accept that reality. She opened the doors wide and made visibility possible. In doing so, she made history, founding the only Black-run, women-run art gallery in Western Massachusetts, a legacy that proudly stands to this day.
She had a rare gift for seeing potential in people long before they could see it in themselves, and for so many, that belief changed the entire course of their lives and careers.
So if you’re wondering what you can do in her honor, ask yourself: What would Rosemary do? Keep fighting. Keep advocating. Keep making room for the underrepresented and underserved. Never stop shining brightly. And never, ever take s*** from anybody.
Our commitment is not simply to remember her legacy. It is to carry it forward with the same fire, the same fearlessness, and the same love for the arts.

Rest in power, Rosemary.
Best,

Sierra Myers
(Reprinted with Permission) ■