Tell me about your gallery.
The AZ Gallery is located at 308 Prince Street on the first floor of the historic Northern Warehouse which was built in 1906. It is next door to the Black Dog Wine Bar & Café and across the street from the St Paul Farmers Market. It opened in 1997 as an artist cooperative and is owned and operated by 10 artist members. The gallery exhibitions change monthly and typically involve an exhibition organized by one of the members, in conjunction with one or more guest artists. In April and October, the gallery is dedicated to exhibits for the St Paul Art Crawl and we have some regular shows from year to year including the 100 Best High School Artists Show sponsored by the St Paul Jaycees in March, the St Paul Almanac Book Release Show in September and the Lowertown Art Show in November. Our website, www.theazgallery.org contains information about applying for membership. 10 is our maximum number of artists who do 2D wall art but we might consider adding an artist who does 3D work. Artists pay an annual fee, a 20% commission on work sold and agree to work 9-12 hours a month in the gallery.
The gallery also has a gift shop where members and guest artists sell locally made items such as notecards, calendars, pottery, jewelry, prints, umbrellas, soaps, purses, glass boxes & paperweights. Artists are invited to apply to sell their items in the gift shop and at our December Holiday Bazaar. There is a 40% commission for non-members. We also have space outside the gallery that we rent for $20 a day or $30 a weekend (June-Sept) called the Summer Market where artists can sell their work in an art fair like setting with no commission to take advantage of the crowds at the nearby Farmers Market. The gallery is also available for rental for weddings and private parties.
Our next show at AZ Gallery is called "50 Shades of Red 2" and is a follow-up to our popular "50 Shades of Red" show last February for Valentine's Day. Members were allowed to invite 3 guest artists apiece and the idea is that all of the works of art on display would contain a shade of red as a predominant color in the piece. The show runs Feb 5 - Feb 22. An opening night reception will be held Friday, February 6th from 5-9 pm as part of Lowertown First Fridays.
AZ Gallery is open Thursday and Friday nights from 5-8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm.
Who are three or four local artists who represent the quality and style of work you exhibit at your gallery?
There are 10 member artists:
Jessie McNally - painter & mixed media assemblage - http://theazgallery.org/
Tom Reynen - photographer - http://theazgallery.org/
DC Ice - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Todd Peterson - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Chris Lafontaine - photographer - http://theazgallery.org/
Beth Stoneberg wood artist - http://theazgallery.org/
Amy Clark - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Brendan Rohde - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Robyn Priestley - print maker - http://theazgallery.org/
Derek Davis - Plein aire painter - http://theazgallery.org/
For Artists:
How do you prefer artists contact you regarding exhibiting in your gallery?
Tell me about your gallery.
The AZ Gallery is located at 308 Prince Street on the first floor of the historic Northern Warehouse which was built in 1906. It is next door to the Black Dog Wine Bar & Café and across the street from the St Paul Farmers Market. It opened in 1997 as an artist cooperative and is owned and operated by 10 artist members. The gallery exhibitions change monthly and typically involve an exhibition organized by one of the members, in conjunction with one or more guest artists. In April and October, the gallery is dedicated to exhibits for the St Paul Art Crawl and we have some regular shows from year to year including the 100 Best High School Artists Show sponsored by the St Paul Jaycees in March, the St Paul Almanac Book Release Show in September and the Lowertown Art Show in November. Our website, www.theazgallery.org contains information about applying for membership. 10 is our maximum number of artists who do 2D wall art but we might consider adding an artist who does 3D work. Artists pay an annual fee, a 20% commission on work sold and agree to work 9-12 hours a month in the gallery.
The gallery also has a gift shop where members and guest artists sell locally made items such as notecards, calendars, pottery, jewelry, prints, umbrellas, soaps, purses, glass boxes & paperweights. Artists are invited to apply to sell their items in the gift shop and at our December Holiday Bazaar. There is a 40% commission for non-members. We also have space outside the gallery that we rent for $20 a day or $30 a weekend (June-Sept) called the Summer Market where artists can sell their work in an art fair like setting with no commission to take advantage of the crowds at the nearby Farmers Market. The gallery is also available for rental for weddings and private parties.
Our next show at AZ Gallery is called "50 Shades of Red 2" and is a follow-up to our popular "50 Shades of Red" show last February for Valentine's Day. Members were allowed to invite 3 guest artists apiece and the idea is that all of the works of art on display would contain a shade of red as a predominant color in the piece. The show runs Feb 5 - Feb 22. An opening night reception will be held Friday, February 6th from 5-9 pm as part of Lowertown First Fridays.
AZ Gallery is open Thursday and Friday nights from 5-8 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm.
Who are three or four local artists who represent the quality and style of work you exhibit at your gallery?
Who are three or four local artists who represent the quality and style of work you exhibit at your gallery?
There are 10 member artists:
Jessie McNally - painter & mixed media assemblage - http://theazgallery.org/
Tom Reynen - photographer - http://theazgallery.org/
DC Ice - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Todd Peterson - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Chris Lafontaine - photographer - http://theazgallery.org/
Beth Stoneberg wood artist - http://theazgallery.org/
Amy Clark - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Brendan Rohde - painter - http://theazgallery.org/
Robyn Priestley - print maker - http://theazgallery.org/
Derek Davis - Plein aire painter - http://theazgallery.org/
How do you prefer artists contact you regarding exhibiting in your gallery?
We don't generally accept any outside requests for shows. Artists can inquire about selling items in our gift shop or Holiday Bazaar, renting display space for the biannual Art Crawls or renting space at our outdoor Summer Market by emailing us at info@theazgallery.org
What general advice would you give to artists trying to show in local galleries?
Make friends with one of the established artists in the gallery and they can bring you in to an exhibit when guests are allowed.
For Collectors:
What is the typical price range for works for sale in your gallery?
Aside from the gift shop, prices for framed art range from $50 to $2000, with most in the range of $95 - $500.
Do you have any advice for collectors looking locally to buy art?
You can get some wonderful pieces at very reasonable prices by buying and supporting local artists and since our gallery is run by the artists, you also get to meet them, get to know them and follow their careers. It makes the experience much more personal.
If by chance all of the local art galleries were having opening receptions on the same night, where else would you recommend people go to maximize their art experience?
To get the full Lowertown Art Experience when all the neighborhood galleries, studios and artist lofts are open, you would want to come during the St Paul Art Crawls, held twice a year the last weekend of April and the second weekend of October. www.artcrawl.org
Another good time is the evening of the first Friday of every month when we are part of Lowertown First Fridays www.lowertownfirstfridays.org
If you are in Lowertown at another time, we would recommend you visit Three Sisters Eclectic Arts, a gallery with over 90 artists just two blocks down 4th Street from AZ Gallery http://www.
