Open an art gallery

Well hubby and I have decided to move to Canada as soon as we can. All we really need to wait for is his father’s passing. I know, that sounds morbid, but my father-in-law is 84 and in failing health so we live with/care for him in the house my hubby was born and raised in – which will be left to my hubby. After his father passes we’re putting the house up for sale. My hubby is a teacher here in the U.S.(college level) and I’m multi-talented (accounting, admin assistant, transcriptionist – general and medical, and medical biller) so securing employment shouldn’t be difficult.

We’re going to look for commercial property with living quarters above so I can realize my dream of opening an art gallery/coffee house!!

I’d like to open an art gallery/coffee house and feature mixed media, assemblage, collage and altered art, by new and emerging artists – and of course artwork that I’ve created. I’d like my gallery to be in the shopping district of a small town – just outside of a large city – and I’d like to live above my gallery.

I’d like a brightly colored gallery that would be eye-catching to the passer-by. It would be ideal to have enough space in front allowing for a few “ice cream parlor” styled tables and chairs, or at least some benches, an area for local musicians to play their instruments, or for artists to set up a painting area. I would make these monthly or weekly events if they generated enough interest. It would also be interesting to host some events that weren’t mainstream, like tarot card or astology readings, an armoatherapy booth, or book readings.

My gallery would have many special art shows and include open mic nights for poetry and prose readings, single instument musical events (violin, guitar, flute, dulcimer, zitar, steel drums, etc.), and other “artsy” type of events. My goal would be to get those in the community interested in the arts and to participate in events.

My first community project would be an “Artwork on the Gallery Wall” day, where I would invite the community to join in and create their own artwork on the side wall of my building. The spaces for each “piece” would be divided by the number of participants, with work overlapping to create a collage effect. Each person can choose to paint (provided by me) what they’d like (no text except for the artists name in letters up to 3in. high, and nothing offensive, please). If successful I would consider making it a yearly event, painting one side one year, the other side the next, so the artwork would be visible for 2 years.

Gee so many ideas are flowing! I can’t wait to get started.