Massage therapy at new G'tn art gallery

by LAUREN FRITSKY

Those who frequent Red Mountain Yoga in Germantown to unwind during the week can now visit its neighbor for an equally calming experience.

Orion's Light Massage and Art Studio offers exactly what the name suggests. Yes, an art gallery and a massage office rolled into one, right next to a yoga studio. What more could a relaxation-deprived person ask for?

Licensed massage therapist and Germantown resident Judith Pritchard will operate Orion's. The front of the building will feature artwork by local artists, while a second room at the back will serve as a massage space.

Pritchard, 29, originally wanted to open just a massage office. A trip to Portland, Oregon, to attend a seminar on cancer massage sparked her interest in incorporating art.

"I had a friend out there who had lots of artist friends," said Pritchard. "I remembered how much I like being around artists and their creativity."

However, it was really the space next to Red Mountain that set her fledgling idea into motion.

"When I first saw it, I said, 'It's way too much space for a massage office,'" said Pritchard, who began renting the space in September. "The other places I looked at were much smaller. At first I said, 'No way, it's too big.' I went back and forth and then I took the plunge."

Pritchard, who grew up in South Jersey, attended the Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts as a music major and was always surrounded by performers of some kind. She worked as a medical secretary at the University of Pennsylvania before traveling to New Mexico to study massage therapy. Her interest in massage, particularly for cancer patients, was inspired by her mother, who passed away a year and a half ago after living with the disease for many years.

Pennsylvania has no licensing program or requirements for massage therapy; in fact, Pritchard is one of the only certified therapists in the state. New Mexico is one of the few states that require an extensive amount of training -- 750 hours.

"New Mexico is saturated with massage therapy," said Pritchard, who's been practicing for five years. "It would have been hard to get a job. I got in at the right time. The East Coast was just picking up massage."

At Orion's, Pritchard will focus on energetic massage -- Swedish, deep tissue and Reiki, a technique in which the practitioner places their hands on different parts of the client's body to stimulate circulation and allow subtle energy to flow through. Pritchard will attend the Scheres Institute in New Mexico to receive her cancer therapy certification, which requires 500 hours of training. The program is only one of its kind in the country.

Pritchard said that massage is often beneficial to cancer patients because it stimulates blood circulation. The techniques used are much lighter and are restricted even further if the cancer has affected the client's lymph nodes.

According to Pritchard, residents of the Southwestern and Western United States are more open to massage.

"It was a shock coming back from New Mexico," she said. "I was like, 'Why is everybody running?  Why is everyone moving so quickly?' Massage helps you learn to slow down."

As for her art gallery, Pritchard said she would like to invite local and up-and-coming artists to showcase their work.

"I don't necessarily want to bring in big names," said Pritchard. "I want to invite people who may not have done shows before and allow them to get exposure and experience. I want to help artists make a living."

The number of artists showcased each month will depend on the number of pieces each wants to display. Pritchard said she's open to many different kinds of art and does not want to charge the artists a large commission.

Pritchard hopes her business will help Germantown to continue growing.

"The area really seems to be coming up," she said. "I don't like the process of gentrification. I wanted to open a business that will help the neighborhood continue to move without marginalizing people."

Pritchard said the hardest part of opening her own business has been learning new business skills, such as marketing and advertising.

"It's been an adjustment," she said. "I feel like I've been learning a lot."

She received much help from her boyfriend John, a carpenter who built the massage room and also reframed the basement. She said other crucial people, like her designer, lawyer and accountant, "materialized out of nowhere.

It's been amazing the people that I've needed just popped up," she said. "It went down a chain. There was someone who knew someone who knew someone else. I do consider myself lucky."

As if going through the daunting process of opening her own business weren't enough, Pritchard makes a two-hour train commute to attend class at the New School University in Manhattan once a week. She is working towards a bachelor's degree in liberal arts/creative writing.

Tentative hours for Orion's are Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Orion's Light Massage and Art Studio is located at 6122 Greene St. in Germantown. For information, contact Pritchard at 215-438-4770.