What are the joys of owning an Art Gallery?
I feel that the joy comes from knowing you have created a home for artists to gather and show their work. And secondly, to offer customers a place that shows a wide selection of different mediums. Often times, traditional galleries can feel intimidating to the average person. It was always my goal to create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere where people could be inspired. It was devastating when the economy took a hit around the end of 2007 / 2008 and the reign of the Davenport Arts District came to a sudden halt. Many of the galleries, including The Artist Tree, had to close. However, there are some things that get under your skin and for me it was the gallery business. As fate would have it, a few years later I met up with a group of creative women who are affectionately called“ The Moongals”( Denise Steen, Shanda Woodward, Melinda Melvin, Linda Malcolm and later Sigrid Morgan / Neil and Kat Hill). They decided to take the leap with me and another gallery was born: Manic Moon and More... later renamed New Moon Art Gallery. Working with these wonderfully creative women has been a great honor and an experience that I will hold dear to my heart for the rest of my life. There has been plenty of joy- and how can that not be true when you are surrounded by art? I don’ t regret a day of it.
Explain some of the Challenges.
There are always challenges in running any business, and galleries are no exception. This is why the original founders recently decided to turn the New Moon Art Gallery into an artist owned co-op. That way we could get our lives back and share some of the responsibilities, of which there are many.
But in the long run, it is artists like Leslie who make the efforts all worth it. The last time she brought in some new pieces, I was in less than a joyous mood. However, the very moment I put her new piece up on the wall, it readily provided me with an immediate experience that made me realize why I am so addicted to being surrounded by art on a daily basis and that...... THAT is the magic of art!
Can you share a favorite piece of Leslie’ s work?
I own two pieces of Leslie’ s work and hope to collect more in the future. My preference would be her raku pieces as I love the raw luminesce quality of that finish, but I am also currently drawn to her porcelain mermaid, who seems to be calling me to take her home. So if there are any drawbacks to being involved in a gallery, the need for a larger home comes to mind.
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