Houston's Archway Gallery marks nearly 50 years as artist-run space
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A new exhibit every month. Photo: Courtesy of Archway Gallery
For 49 years, Texas' longest-running artist-owned gallery — Archway Gallery in Houston — has been a space where artists call the shots.
Why it matters: Archway is built for collaboration, sustained by structure and kept alive by a steady flow of new and longtime members.
- "You come in and there's one or two or three of us, and you get to talk to the artist … You get to know the artist. You get to know what's behind the work, and that's special," gallery director Harold Joiner says.
The latest: Starting Saturday through Sept. 4, a new show features work by regulars who attend the gallery's weekly figure drawing sessions.
- To celebrate Archway's sessions, the gallery will host a figure drawing marathon from 10am-10pm on Aug. 17.
State of play: Archway has 34 artists, ranging in age from their 30s to 80s, with members who've been there for months and others for decades. Their art mediums span painting, ceramics, photography and more.
- About every month, the gallery highlights, usually, one of the artists in the front exhibition space. (That means each member is in the spotlight about once every two or three years.)
- Meanwhile, all members maintain a permanent display in the back gallery, where art collectors and interior designers can peruse and purchase.
- Installation days double as business meetings, and monthly critique sessions offer peer feedback.
The big picture: Central to Archway's mission is promoting art with the community — from its annual juried art show to hosting musical and dance performances, writers groups and regular figure drawing events.
How it works: Artists can join the gallery when a spot opens — sometimes just once a year — and pay monthly dues, taking on roles including marketing and curating.
- Archway takes less than 25% commission, compared to 50% or more at commercial galleries, Joiner says.
- "We want the artists to make money and for the gallery to break even," artist Larry Garmezy says.
What they're saying: "For many artists, art can be a solitary and sort of lonely thing. Here, we've got this community," Garmezy says.
- "You can't help but grow as an artist being around everyone else."