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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