The Roanoker Sept/October 2023 - 22

The Gist
Continued from previous page
and Powell have ever seen before, but
they say there's so much beauty in developing
something like this specifically
for a city that houses so much potential.
" We're creating a unique tool for
our particular place. We had never seen
a 'Year of the Artist' either, but that's
the strength of a small city. We can do
things here - create the right tool for the
right time and place - and find support
for doing it, " explains Jackson.
" And we are fortunate to have the creativity,
talent and artistic diversity to create
such a tool right here in Roanoke, "
adds Powell. " There is a strong concentration
of creative superpowers and arts
and cultural amenities for a city our
size! "
To stay up to date on how the Arts
Connect Neighbors project is progressing,
follow the Art in Roanoke and
Roanoke Cultural Endowment social
media pages. I
Last year, Market Gallery participated in
" Gallery Grids, " an exhibition sponsored by
the Downtown Roanoke Arts Collective. Each
small painting in the gallery's grid fit their
postcard theme.
W
TOP TO BOTTOM: At 5 Points Music Sanctuary,
conversation of economic development and the arts
turned to the role of the arts in strong neighborhoods.
The Arts Connect Neighbors effort is intended to bring
neighbors together in fun and meaningful ways. In
February, interested artists met for a daylong group
facilitation training.
22
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023
hen Ann Glover
and a group of fellow
artists embarked
on the mission to
create a new art collective
in the early 2000s, they had two main
objectives.
" We wanted to create an artist-run space
[where] we had control over the work that was
shown and have an opportunity for ourselves
to show work, " says Glover. " We also wanted
to be able to return as much of the sale to the
artists [as possible] so we established a 20% to
the gallery, 80% to the artist [system]. "
Fast forward 20 years and Market Gallery
has remained true to their founding goals.
Since its conception, the gallery has accepted
artists with a broad range of skill levels, from
those with extensive exhibition records to folks
new to artmaking and showing. For people like
Gina Louthian-Stanley, Market Gallery's continued
support of young creators has always
been a huge draw. " I was so inspired as a young,
developing artist by the work I would view
there, " she says. Gina's been a member of the
Market Gallery offers various classes
and workshops that members of the
community are welcome to attend.
gallery for 12 years now.
They've also experienced a lot of growth
recently. In 2019, Market Gallery moved into
their current building on Campbell Avenue.
Their member-artists have worked hard to
turn it into the contemporary space of their
dreams which has opened many new doors for
the gallery, including extra room for exhibiting
more artwork and sculptures. Another exciting
development is being able to host classes,
workshops and events, like their upcoming grid
show, which all members of the community are
welcome to participate in.
But Cathryn Hankla, co-president of the
co-op, says that Market Gallery is so much
more than just a place to view and purchase
artwork. " Our art space is about relationships
- friendships forged among artists who are
members of the gallery, the gallery's relationship
to the community at large and our individual
artists' relationships with casual visitors
and collectors who visit us. "
To learn more about Market Gallery and
their upcoming events, exhibitions and more,
visit their website, marketgalleryroanoke.com. I
TheRoanoker.com
Market Gallery
Toasts to 20 Years
written by Sarah Riddell The co-op is Roanoke's oldest
continuously-operated fine arts gallery and is run solely by artists.
CLOUD BOBBY PHOTOGRAPHY / COURTESY OF DOUG JACKSON / COURTESY OF MARKET GALLERY
http://www.marketgalleryroanoke.com http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker Sept/October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker Sept/October 2023
