Seventeen years ago, on June 28th 1997, Upstairs Art Gallery at 306 Center Street, in Healdsburg held its grand opening reception. At the time it was the only gallery in Sonoma County to be run by artists, a business model that has fortuitously caught on all the way from Petaluma in the South County and throughout the many artist-rich communities in our region.
On Saturday, June 28th, 2014, the gallery will be holding an afternoon cake party from 1-4pm to celebrate its success. You are invited to join special guests, who include more than 60 former 'gallery owners', talented county artists who have contributed their time and talents to this business over the years.
A gallery founder, artist Louise Johnson from Cloverdale, is the special guest of honor on the 28th, as she is retiring after 17 years. Louise paints in both watercolor and oils, and served on the Gallery Board of Directors for many years. "My time at the gallery has been a very joyful experience, and I will miss showing customers around the gallery and talking about different kinds of art." says Louise. "The gallery began life as a place for members of Santa Rosa Art Guild to show their work and has just grown from there. Seventeen is clearly a theme, there were 17 original members and many of them are still active in the local art scene today."
Upstairs Art Gallery has added to the richness of thecommunity and economy. Over 200 monthly art receptions have been held there, countless works of art sold, and the gallery regularly participates in Healdsburg Second Saturday Art Walk.
Carolyn Wilson, Gallery Manager adds :"Over the years we have developed special relationships with people, and visitors really like the fact that when they come into our gallery, they are talking with one of the artists. Our job as artists is to bring beauty into the world and share it with others. Over 17 years that adds up to a lot of beauty!"
Click here for the Gallery's website.
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