Century 21 Redwood: Connecting with the Community One Artist at a Time

What truly makes a company unique is how it expresses its values and culture. Century 21 Redwood stands out because of its connection to the community in Washington, DC. On Friday, May 11, 2012, I had the privilege of witnessing this first hand at their Dupont Circle office. Approximately once a month, the company hosts an "Art Exhibit" open house. The Century 21 Redwood office is located in a beautiful brick house at 1701 Q Street in Northwest DC. A short walk from the Dupont Circle metro, the house immediately grabbed my attention. As I walked in, an eclectic crowd that truly reflected the community in Dupont Circle greeted me.

Wes Mosser was the official host for the night. He was open, friendly and had a great personality that truly reflected the culture of Century 21 Redwood. Wes filled me in on the powerful connection to the community the company has. They are an active member of the Urban Neighborhood Alliance, whose mandate is to bring the community and businesses together. As part of this collaboration, Century 21 Redwood became involved in the 17th Street Festival. The festival is dedicated to the arts and is currently in its third year of existence. Through the festival, Century 21 Redwood met the residents and artists that where making an impact on the community. The Century 21 Redwood team was so impressed, that they wanted to continue their strong relationships with the artists throughout the year. The idea to showcase artists in their offices was born from this desire.

The Dupont Circle office is the perfect central location to draw in all the members of the community. It is a beautiful home with hardwood floors and a modern decor. On the first floor, there was photography by local artist Dana Rene. I was impressed by the gorgeous landscapes she had taken of the many monuments in Washington, DC. Her use of light and diverse angles gave the monuments a completely different look than I had ever seen. Throughout the house, there was decorative clay work by Al Pellenger. Also on display was art by Kreg David Kelley--a modern artists whose work is reminiscent of Pablo Picasso. As I went upstairs and continued to explore the house, I found many delightful surprises. One of those surprises was the work by Natalia Andreyeva. Her interpretation of the construction of the different metro lines juxtaposed against historic events was both original and thought provoking.

I was very impressed with the entire experience. The people I spoke with were truly engaged. There was a great sense of openness and creativity that was both inspiring and welcoming. The artists were more than happy to have a venue where they could share their art. The space was more than gorgeous and complimented the artwork very well. This is one of those rare finds that make living in Washington, DC so fantastic. Century 21 Redwood does a great job of connecting to their community and giving back to the residents of Dupont Circle.