Originally from Rhode Island and living on the west coast of Florida for 14 years, John and Sharon Dumont have recently moved to Clifton, Tennessee. They have embarked on a great adventure of managing the Commodore Inn at Clifton, a family owned and operated Bed & Breakfast along the Tennessee River.

They both share a passion for the arts, and are both quite accomplished in their mediums. John's artistic endeavor is photography.

He has won numerous awards in the area of photography as a member of the Photographic Society of Rhode Island and the North Port Art Center in Florida. He served as the gallery photographer for the North Port Art Center. His photographic work has been exhibited in several galleries and shows. John currently serves on the Board of the Clifton RiverArts Council

Sharon serves as The Commodore's resident artist. Over the years, she has studied most mediums, from oil to pastel. Her favorite medium is soft pastel. She has participated in many Pastel Workshops held by nationally known artists including: Vianna Szabo, Albert Handell, Karen Margulis, Stan Sperlak, Tony Allain & Aline Orman. She also has a love for photography and hand built pottery.

Sharon has had her art shown in many locations and is a member of numerous arts organizations which include :

Organizations / Memberships:

Pastel Society of America, Associate membership

Left Coast Pastel Painters Society

International Association of Pastel Societies ( IAPS )

Clifton RiverArts Council - Board Member

Visual Art Center, Punta Gorda FL

Past member of the Pastel Society of Tampa Bay

PSRI - Photographic Society of RI

Galleries:

• SDG GALLERY, Clifton, TN
• Main Hall of the Commodore Inn Clifton, Clifton TN
• Uptown Gallery Main Street, Sarasota FL - juried show
• North Port Art Center Gallery, North Port, FL - multiple award winner in Pastel, Photography and Pottery
  
• Nellie's Note Cards & Wilson's Whimsies, Venice, FL

Solo shows:

North Port City Hall
North Port Public Library
Art on the Green

Currently John and Sharon's work is on display in the main hall of the Commodore Inn Clifton and SDG Gallery, Clifton, TN.

They have a studio on the grounds of the Commodore Inn.

Michael & Kathy Dumont - Proprietors

When Rhode Islanders Michael & Kathy Dumont purchased their remote, 400 acre getaway in middle Tennessee, they intended to retire there in a few decades. Little did they know they would spawn a restoration and re-invigorating re-birth of a sleepy, neglected town only a few years later.

Michael has always had a passion for preserving historical buildings and homes. Starting with his renovations of lofts in Boston, to the restoration of a 1756 Sea Captain's home in Rhode Island, Michael honed his gift of “hearing the space”. “A vision comes to me, and I see the space as she was meant to be,” says Dumont.

It was natural he would restore the mid-1800's, dilapidated farmhouse on their farm in Tennessee. Then, buying and restoring the all-but-forgotten 1939 hotel in the middle of town seemed like a piece of cake. Think again.

“We'd never been in the hotel or restaurant business - besides eating at a lot of nice restaurants,” jokes Kathy.
The Dumonts tackled this business first as a restoration project - and then were met with the challenge of running it, when the operator who originally made the deal got a job in another state. Their backgrounds in real estate and finance seem like an odd match to the hospitality business, but “Kathy has always loved to entertain - and makes everyone feel welcome and at ease. She knows how to throw a great dinner party,” says Michael. So they dove in.

Restoration went well… The narrow-planked oak flooring was stripped of its 70s era multi-colored shag carpeting and re-finished, along with restoration of the original period tile floors and tubs in several bathrooms. Art deco door hinges and doorknobs were salvaged. The warm, brick walls were exposed, and you can imagine those brick-layers working in 1939, with good, old fashioned sweat and pride. The huge, broken windows were replaced, and when you open them now, you can still smell the grass and trees of this small Southern town.