The buzz

I'm enjoying being the buzz at school over my/our new gallery venture. People I don't even know wander up and introduce themselves and want to know how it's going. Kinda fun. It was the "art guard" today at school.

And I'm networking in a very modern sense. Today I added a blog/contact from a picture post board I belong to: flicker. Now I'm thinking that I just need to go to a google search and find all the blogs I can from little independant artist/galleries and network them all together. It just sounds like something that will have dividends over the long haul. I can't help but think that a group of folks with a common interest such as being artists with their own galleries would have much in common. Here's hoping anyhow.

Parking solved

There are a number of things to "solve" when opening a business. One that I've been working on is solving the problem of parking. The city wants 4 to 6 spots for the size of the place and the expected traffic generated. There's an entrance off the highway in the front and an alley access in the back. I find the street access to be problematic, too possible for an accident to happen that I would be responsible for, and since I don't like causing accidents I've been looking for an alternative.

I found it.

The business behind/beside ours (it's a triangle shaped area) has a large weed infested lot behind it. Yesterday I approached the owner and asked him, "If I pave this area and take out that unsightly bush and that overgrown tree, can we use it in common and will you sign a use agreement to that effect"? He replied with a resounding yes.

Problem solved. Now I don't need to spend thousands redoing sidewalks and affording traffic control to do so. All I have to pay for is site prep and paving of some kind. And I think my neighbor who runs the concrete outfit in town needs somewhere to dump the excess concrete from deliveries in this area. Can you say "free concrete parking lot"? I can.

Putting things in place. ......... got my new web enabled cell phone today; put together a photo printing outfit for $3 yesterday; solved the parking problem; closing in on November 1st. Keep your fingers crossed.

Moving ahead

Well, things move forward a bit. Got the application for the change in highway access. Paperwork is swapping places and gaining signatures. Folks I know are all getting excited about what they might do in my building. :) Our building I guess. We're starting to think up things we might wish to do in there.

One thing is ongoing computer classes for creative people. Mostly because I get completely sick of hearing my artist friends use the old "computer-illiterate" phrase. I despise ignorance in all its forms and this is one we can do something about.j

We've got folks that will teach bookmaking, book altering, pottery, who knows what else. Feel free to add ideas in the comments section. We're making a list.

Possible setbacks.......

So today the real estate agent calls, and says the city is concerned about the street access and parking and such. I'll get to talk to them on Thursday. I'm not thrilled with having to ask PERMISSION about what to do with my own property. Trips up my personal liberty beliefs.

So I'll go and talk with the city guy on Thursday. I'll tell them that there's already a driveway pan off the highway. I'll tell them that I can install 8 to 10 parking spaces and have a pretty little diagram to show it to 'em. It's useful having been to art school for the last nine years. :)

I'm quite sure there will be other battles to fight as my little gallery moves forward. There will be people who do not want nudes behind the walls. There will be complaints about pottery work, and the occasional bitch about smoke from kilns and such. Those will work out or not. :) We'll see how the first battle goes.

Welcome to the inaugural post of Without Sin the Gallery. Today we made a verbal agreement on a price for a broken down house to turn into an art gallery. This is a good place to start putting into writing what it is and what it will be and how we'll get there.

First is to close so we know it's really ours. :)

Then we have to tear out all the walls. And rewire and replumb and refloor.

We got a heck of a deal on the place and when fixed up it'll be worth over twice what we paid. That's always a good thing.

Yes, the name of the place is to be Without Sin. The name is conceptual as one might guess. I'm a pagan by religious nature, a polytheistic, anamistic, non-original sin believing pagan. And I love the heck out of that Jesus guy all the Christians follow. I just generally don't like the way they do it. The name is meant to evoke all that stuff. "Let he who is without sin" cast the first stone; criticize the artwork; pick nits with the shows; be angry that the artwork is not the same tired realism showcased all over our little valley.

Salon de Refuse meet Without Sin.

I plan to showcase experimental art, to have a place for classes in both art and craft there, to occassionally show art films in an upstairs room, and to have a pottery firing setup outside in the yard. I want to do large sculptures in the park across the street. I want to have shows of nationally recognised artists. I want to nourish local artists and help them gain a reputation and make lots and lots of money. My sweet wife and I cannot have children. This will be my/our child. It will be combative, controversial, insightful, and stick out like a sore thumb here in our little mountain town.

And maybe, just maybe, it'll make the effort worth it by helping one artist follow their dream just a bit further.