Shamrocks and Shenanigans for ALL

"Leap" acrylic painting by Karen Swanson,
"Green Fields"oil painting by Megan Perkins, and
"Celtic Love III" assemblage cross by Shanda Woodward

It's Saint Patrick's Day and Garland Avenue in Spokane is getting on its Irish!

Later tonight is a Pub Crawl, that from reservations made already looks to be successful, but earlier is Little Dog Art Gallery's last art reception. The gallery show Gaelic on Garland (et cetera) is up until end of business Tuesday, March 21st. But tonight is cause for celebration, setting aside the commercial aspects of selling art, and celebrating the creativity of the artists who have shown their work here.

Looking at Karen's painting of an Irish dancer, I think of how rigidly such dancers hold their bodies from the waist up, their arms straight at their sides, hands immobile, while their legs and feet are constantly in motion with intricate stepping and leaps.

It makes me reflect on how owning and managing an art gallery is similar to Irish dancing. The public persona is cool, professional, calmly answering visitors' endless questions, providing insight in to the various artists' approaches and back stories. But the other component of the gallery dance is the blurring footwork that goes on: seeking and meeting new artists, getting their information and photos, coming up with show themes, contacting prospective and proven art buyers and collectors, making sure communication with everyone is clear, designing and hanging the artwork, shuffling business forms and reports, bookkeeping, making sure everyone receives their commission checks, endlessly coming up with publicity ideas, printing, mailing, collaborating with other galleries and art organizations, THEN all the social media to maintain with regularity.

Dance, dance, step, leap, don't fall on your face (too often), point your toe, leap, hop, even distribution of weight!

Yes, indeed! Running an art gallery keeps one on their toes, Irish or otherwise!

Eire Go Brach!

Reflecting on Past, Looking Ahead to Future

I've been actively engaged in building a reputation for LITTLE DOG Art Gallery as a fine art sales gallery in Spokane, Washington since May 14, 2016. I mean ACTIVELY engaged. It's a small display space, a mere 200 sq ft, with a huge front window, at 903-1/2 W Garland Avenue, next to Rocket Bakery on one side and Groove Merchants on the other.

The art exhibits change on a monthly basis, which keeps it fresh and interesting for frequent return of gallery visitors. I encourage folks to return to see new work, work of new artists, new themes and subject matter.

One of our most discussed, interactive shows was "Origins of Fear" an open call to artists show in October curated by Megan Holden. Much to my extreme delight, the subject was taken to heart and some very provocative, thought-inducing paintings, photographs, viewer interaction pieces, mixed media, 3D art, kinetic art and drawings were submitted for juror selection. Holden selected an incredible body of artwork and the show went up. Gallery visitors really looked at the work presented, and some of the images were unsettling to see or imagine, but there seemed to be a tacit understanding, or in some cases, recognition of a portrayed fear. With that show we had the viewers vote on their choice as to which work of art moved them the most. Fascinating!

Wait 'Til They Go to Sleep by Joseph Tomlinson

Room 208 aka Mother Please by Tom Norton

Loss of Family Home to Wildfire, Digital Collage by Julie and Kristen Gautier-Downes

It was with that particular show I knew my goal of presenting artwork that people could view and come away with better appreciation, challenged to think about what they saw, or inspired or encouraged to incorporate art in their daily existence, was on the right course.

Since then, we've had other shows with softer themes, featuring art by out-of-the-region artists as well as work of Spokane artists. It's provided access to art work people haven't access to in other venues in Spokane. It's been nice to have something exclusive to LITTLE DOG Art Gallery.

Looking ahead to continued growth and community interaction!