Joyce Perrin is sitting at the dining room table of her massive Old West End Victorian home on a sunny afternoon, reminiscing over a collection of Any Wednesday photographs — Perrin’s open party that brings together creatives for conversation, jamming and drinking that has been continuing since 1964. Originally taking place every Wednesday, in the last few years it has been scaled back to just the first one of the month, but the enthusiasm for the concept is not dying down. Actually, quite the opposite — Perrin has plans to buy the house next door and turn it into a recording studio and an art gallery. We caught up with the woman who has seemingly been everywhere and done everything, yet still radiates the excited energy of someone heading to her first music festival.
How did you start Any Wednesday?
I lived for ten years in Mexico, in my first marriage, and I learned to play guitar. I learned to play the blues. Four of my friends had been to Mexico and had bought guitars. We were sitting around here on a Wednesday night and I have eight kids, so it’s pretty hard to get babysitters to handle so many kids. So I didn’t go out a whole lot, but my friends came here, fortunately.
You’ve traveled far and wide, but you’re rooted in Toledo. What has kept you here?
What has really kept me in the Old West End is the people, the energy. I’ve lived in a lot of places and this is by far the most artistic place, and I’m including New York City, Mexico City and Athens, Greece. We have more creative people in Toledo. We are the only town, I believe, and I underline, I believe, in the United States that has an art show for just doctors. What keeps me here is the creativity. And, interestingly enough, I lived for a time in Coco Beach, and was friends with the chief engineer of McDonnell Douglas, and he asked me the same question you just asked and I explained how creative Toledo is, how inspiring it is, the town’s ability to get energized. And, he said, it probably has a lot to do with the negative ions coming off Lake Erie. The Japanese really utilize the ions in energizing their workers. There are ion creators, negative and positive. Positive ions suck your energy — like cell phones and televisions, those kind of things — but fresh water, like Lake Erie, [replenishes energy].
What makes the Old West End a special neighborhood?
It’s eclectic: all races, religions, colors and creeds. That’s always exciting, to find out people’s different customs, beliefs and philosophies. I think Toledo people are very supportive. For example, there is not jealousy and pettiness between artists; they support each other’s shows, support each other with ideas. There’s a reason that museum sits there and I think sometimes we take it for granted. There it is — one of the loveliest museums in the world.
How does the art and music scene today compare with other eras?
I would say, right now, there is a war between electronics and humans. There is a certain amount of the population that has gone ahead, gone gung-ho and creative, have utilized and learned all about it. Maybe it’s the slowness verses the hyper-energy. There is a breakdown in communication. If you talk computer to my generation, it’s difficult; it creates gaps, for sure. I think other times were softer — everything now is cutting edge. But, it’s very exciting.
