It's been awhile since I've written. My only excursion last weekend was to the movies, and while that was a great escape, it wasn't quite unique enough to be considered a tourist stop. But my first visit to the Artists Cooperative Gallery (405 S. 11th Street) last night was a totally different story.
The gallery is run by artists and for artists. Each member takes shifts as the "gallery watcher," which means that whenever you stop by, you are greeted at the front desk by one of the artists themselves. This is an amazing opportunity to learn more about what inspired a piece or ask those nagging questions that we're usually left to puzzle over.
The artwork on display is changed out every month. And on the first Saturday of the month, the gallery throws an opening party - complete with food and drink - free and open to the public.
I have to admit that I was intimidated by the thought of going to a gallery opening. But I was encouraged by these comments from the website:
Dress Code: Anything goes. Wear whatever you want. We're very casual.
Knowledge Level: None required. Your opinion counts.
Questions: Please ask! Artists love to tell you about their work. All questions are good questions!
I was further encouraged when I called the gallery Saturday afternoon and visited with Mr. Doyle Howitt - the gallery watcher for the day. Howitt was warm and welcoming; he even gave me directions and offered to introduce me to the other artists who would be featured this month.
The gallery itself proved to be as warm and inviting as its watcher. When we arrived, the parking lot was nearly full. Inside, the white-washed brick walls formed an unassuming backdrop for a wide variety of artwork. Dozens of people moved through the room in quiet twos and threes or stopped to to sample the spinach dip and have a glass of water or wine. My traveling companion for the evening was my sister. We spent a little over an hour on our first trip around the gallery; then we went back to re-visit a few of our favorite things. Out of respect for the artists and the other visitors, I didn't take any photos, but please follow the links below to see pictures from the artists' pages.
We were both intrigued by Doyle Howitt's wood sculptures. The UFO pieces on display this month were fun to look at, though I would love to see more of the vases like the ones on his website. The textures and patterns of the wood grains are so beautiful.
We loved Dale Shenefelt's photography - especially "The St. Louis Arch." It is the perfect angle on a perfect arrangement of elements.
Susan M. Sutherland Barnes' collection of leaf bowls held our attention for a long time. We loved the different colors and patterns that she incorporated around the leaf imprints.
My sister was sorely tempted to buy two of Dar Vandevoort's paintings, although I think they would look better at my house... We also found ourselves pondering at length over Virginia Ocken's "Compassion." Done entirely in reddish hues, the figure of a man on his knees, face pressed to the earth - we were moved, but we didn't understand the title of the painting. It seemed to make more sense after we discovered a companion piece in the lobby - "Stumbling."
Neither of us would consider ourselves "artists," but we found many pieces that inspired us to look and keep on looking and then look again. It was exciting to find unexpected details - like puzzle pieces incorporated into a painting - and talk about what the artwork said to us. This adventure took me out of my comfort zone a bit, but I'm so glad that I went.
The gallery is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11-5, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m, and Sunday from noon to 6. There is no admission charge. Metered parking is available on the street, or there is a parking lot on three sides of the building. Parking in the lot was $7. on Saturday night.
The next opening party will be April 3rd, but you may also be interested in the Ikebana show on March 19th through the 21st.
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