Ferrer Gallery Friends
Barb
Brooke Davis, Dick and Dixie Ferrer.
~ by Lee Edgren
Ferrer Gallery, for 16 years the welcoming and intriguing space at the top of the stairs in the old Village Green building at 61 West Main, will close its doors December 13, 2015.
On display through the gallery closing is their final group show,“ New Directions,” which commemorates their connection with the gallery and their lengthy friendship with one another, while pointing at possibilities for the future.
It is a bittersweet event for the three artists— Dixie and Dick Ferrer and Barb Brooke Davis— who have made the gallery and working studios their creative home. While they have loved their interaction with customers, many who return year after year, the successful gallery has required a great deal of time and energy.
“ It’ s been a helluva ride,” Barb Brooke Davis exclaims,“ and we are still friends.” All the same, all three are ready for the change.“ We’ re all ready to slow our pace down, and speed up our production,” Dixie notes.
Two years ago the Ferrers built a studio next to their house in the woods, described by Dixie as an“ enchanted” place. Both have noticed the impact of its serenity and the uninterrupted hours on the quality of their work. They also want to spend more time with their family: six children, 13 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. Barb will move her studio to her home, also relishing the prospect of uninterrupted time to concentrate on new projects as well as more family-focused time. Barb, who had independent shops before joining forces with the Ferrers, celebrated her 35 th Nashville October this year. All three have new or continuing Nashville gallery affiliations. Although they will be working at home, their work will still be available in other venues.
Dick’ s paintings will be at The Brown County Art Gallery, Hoosier Salon Gallery in Indianapolis, and the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association( IPPA) paintouts around the state. Dixie’ s work will be found at The Brown County Art Guild, New Leaf, and Sweetea’ s Tea Shop, while Barb will be at the Brown County
20 Our Brown County • Nov./ Dec. 2015