I Wonder Where THAT leads?

Isn't it a pretty walkway? I'd give photo credit if I knew who the photographer was, but I don't. Sorry.

I'm sitting in the gallery, on hand to welcome any stragglers stopping in before the doors close for good. That would be at 5 pm Tuesday. Yup! Day after tomorrow. Amazing, right? Get over here while you still can!

So, as I sit here I'm looking at walkways. Pretty. Has rather a metaphor sort of feel. Paths. Roads taken or not. Forward movement.

The gallery cactus just left, carried off on its new adventure, a new home with a dude named Clint. I snipped little bits from cactus that I'll plant and have little baby cacti. Why? Where will I put them?

It's spring, I can't help myself. Things are growing. Paths are beckoning.

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!

What are you going to do?

"What are you going to do when the gallery closes?"

This is probably the most asked question by friends, acquaintances, and total strangers, when they find out I'm closing Little Dog Art Gallery.

I have a whole list of ideas, projects, bucket list items from which to choose. I'm planning to maintain the Little Dog Art Gallery blog and website. The website is set up for online sales.

A year ago, the gallery was just such an idea, quickly jumped into primarily because a desirable space came available. I had a business plan, a whole city of talented artists from which to create shows and displays. I ran out of operating capital before I ran out of ideas.

Those ideas are still churning around in my head. I've made a small impact in this community, so I hope to follow through with that momentum, perhaps promoting standalone displays of artists' work in alternative venues or locations, for varying duration.

I feel the urgency to do something while the reputation the gallery has gained is still of significance in the community.  Everything moves so quickly these days. Work it or lose it.

Ideas are like bulbs,
you plant them, nurture them and see what blossoms

I don't know yet what the new day brings.
I see the promise and potential of a new daybreak.