A co-op gallery being an artist owned and run gallery. There are many pros and cons to the situation. You are guaranteed exhibition space and usually one solo show a year, you get an in with the local art scene (especially good if you’re new to the area), and it gives you some constant artistic motivation. The cons being that you have to pay monthly dues, sit several hours at the gallery, and local critics don’t take the co-op galleries seriously enough to write reviews of the work hung there. They know you’re paying for the space and that you weren’t curated to be there (although many co-ops do curate their member’s entry).

I decided to cruise by the only co-op in Melbourne and found an interesting spot. It’s not edgy or super hip, but for here I think it would work really well. They’re centered in the little historic downtown which becomes a tourist trap in the fall and winter. At the very least, it would get me some much needed exposure.

I chatted with one of the members and then emailed the director to introduce myself and my work. They’re unfortunately at capacity membership-wise, but she was interested in my work and my ability to do design work (their site is in serious need of some help). Hopefully I can get something going here. They’d like me to drop off some paintings and materials for them to review which cannot be a bad sign at all.

At the moment, I’m really short available artwork (thanks to the sales and another exhibition opening up in Lansing in September) so, I’m not exactly ready to hang my work anywhere yet anyhow. I need to get painting!

This is a good step though, hopefully more can shake lose in the coming weeks and months.