02/07/2024
GRATEFUL
In August of 2021 Doreen opened her gallery, ‘The Art House Gallery & Working Studio’ in downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia. With her years of accumulated artwork she was able to fill every wall while continuing painting at the gallery her larger than life ‘endangered animals’ that were near and dear to her heart. She supplemented those with the occasional abstract and some florals.
In February of 2022 Doreen was keen to further expand the time the gallery was open, realizing the time involved in doing this would require extra help.
Then fate stepped in. I don’t recall how it came about but as my husband and I were shopping downtown, as we often do, we stopped in to visit Art House. Doreen greeted us with open arms, I saw such a beautiful Spirit in her and her artworks.
I’m not one to self-promote but my husband is, and after his enthusiastic commentary of my artwork, and seeing my work, Doreen took me on to exhibit my work and also help run the gallery a couple of days a week. This included displaying and selling her work and my own. Clearly my husband thought I needed to get out of the house I think! I had a stockpile of art anyway and he said if I didn’t sell some I couldn’t make more, yes, he is quite the comedian.
Around this time Doreen also brought in another local artist, Joanna, a gifted artist creating beautiful landscapes, florals, and abstracts with oils, cold wax and a pallet knife. Together Doreen, Joanna and I exhibited our art and worked to keep the gallery open throughout the months that followed. Doreen and her husband moved to Spain in June 2023 for family reasons, which included being closer to her daughters and 3 grandsons.
She turned her beloved gallery ownership over to me and left me with a number of her own art pieces to sell. Joanna continued with me to keep the gallery open but also had a personal life to attend to, so I brought in more talented local artists. Not all of them could work the gallery to help but I loved their art and vibrant personalities. Shelley; anything and everything stained glass. Ellen; pastels and acrylic landscapes. Lil; bold beautiful flowers. Holly; fun mischievous children. Jan; whimsical bright enchanting characters, scenery, as well as burning magical forest creatures on wood. Marla; the most beautiful detailed acrylic paintings I’ve ever seen of landscapes and nature, as if you could walk right into them. I felt humbled to be around such gifted artists. The gallery paid its way, and no doubt financial success was following, but sadly I personally just couldn’t manage the time and admin involved. My dream was to sell my work and that of these talented artists, allowing them to have a place to promote and sell their art as well as the validation and encouragement to continue creating. They helped me when they could, to have the gallery open more than just weekends.
Ultimately I made the difficult decision to close the gallery in the upcoming December of 2023, and was preparing to wrap up the business, however the Universe had a different plan. November 18th 2023 fire destroyed 8 businesses including ours, The Art House Gallery and all the beautiful art pieces inside. Everyone made it out safely which was the real true blessing. Not much else matters when you are watching this kind of devastation. I sat across the street and watched each shop go up in flames, simply numbed by what was taking place.
We belonged to the Blue Ridge Business Association. This being the first business I had ever owned I was overwhelmed by their kindness and support, all very much unexpected. I have never experienced such generous and helpful people that make up the BRBA. They pulled together a Go Fund Me account to help our businesses and their employees get through their critical losses, their livelihoods gone, their business’s and inventories. The phone calls they made to companies asking for support, fund raising events, and their support was overwhelming. Thank you BRBA, fellow shop owners, visitors, and local residents, I sincerely do not have the words that can express my heartfelt gratitude to all. The gift of funds is secondary in comparison to the compassion and empathy of people that cared and wanted to help in whatever way they could.
To those who have not had the opportunity to visit downtown for its unique shopping and restaurants consider this, Blue Ridge, Georgia is a magical place, with wonderful people, that live in it and nearby. They are friends and neighbors, pursuing a passion and trying to make a living, just like we all are. I for one shall miss the shop owners I consider friends, the people who visited the gallery and I had the pleasure to talk with, and let’s not forget the rooster that stopped into the gallery one morning to check out our artwork!
Finally, I am truly sorry for my fellow artists, friends, and neighboring shop owners that lost their beautiful art, work, and livelihood. My wish and hope for all is that new beginnings bring you all blessings with more beautiful creations and good fortune. I am truly GRATEFUL. Jean Sullivan
