After a 40-year career in the graphic design business, Naperville artist Gary Brown had a plan. He wanted to find a place where he could not only create art, but also show art as well. The hunt began for a location to house a gallery and studio space in an arts conscious community that would attract an audience of art enthusiasts. After a two-year search, Gary found his Camelot in the form of a 3,400 square foot building in the arts district of Aurora.
And so the major demo work began.
“The space was built in 1900. We had to rip out the entire ceiling, put in an entire new wall, new bathroom, sandblast the tin ceiling and restore that.” Not afraid of hard work, Gary was pleased with the outcome, “It looks really cool. We’ve got a lot of compliments. People just enjoy being here and have told us what a great job we did on it.”
The ribbon cutting and opening reception in October 2019 was a success. Coinciding with Aurora’s First Fridays, Gary Brown Art Inc. Gallery & Studio welcomed over 100 guests in an evening of music and festivities. The gallery joined in Aurora’s monthly events, and just as the gallery was taking off, COVID hit. The venue’s activity slowed down, but never stopped, and by the end of June, Gary’s doors reopened and socially distanced outdoor receptions emerged. Monthly exhibits, each showcasing a featured artist along with Gary’s found object assemblages, paintings and sculptures, returned and are now back on the schedule. Acrylic artist Maureen Gasek is next on the roster and will be on site in a reception from 5 to 9PM Nov. 6 and 1 to 5PM on Nov. 7, at 7 South Broadway, Aurora.
The work of 12 different artists will be showcased at “Art Gifts for the Holidays,” 5 to 9PM Dec. 4, 1 to 5PM Dec. 5. Both shows run for the duration of the month.
Gary remains optimistic about his endeavor and feels in some ways that COVID is helping to promote art sales.
“People are spending more time in their homes and have come into the gallery to purchase new work to refresh their living space,” said Gary. “All of our displayed pieces are available for purchase, and if customers cannot find what they like, I create original art on commission as well.”
His mantra is (you need) “art to enrich your life!” and who could argue with that?
Gary Brown Art Inc.
Gallery & Studio
Phone: (630) 768-4591
Address: 7 S. Broadway, Aurora, IL
Website: garybrownart.com
Email: gb@garybrownart.com
Hours: 1 to 5PM Tues. thru Fri., Sat. by appointment
