I am sad to note the closing of Petite Fleur, a charming little gift shop and gallery in Princess Anne, Maryland (due to the owner’s personal situation). They sold my paintings for several years and the shop was a highlight of the downtown area.
There are far fewer small galleries than there were 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago. The reason for closing is not always lack of sales but the results do impact how and where people by local original art.
Original art from a local professional or even a serious amateur is special. The piece is chosen carefully, often from the artist directly and the purchaser learns the story of where and how the picture was made.
The one-of-a-kind picture hangs in a home for family and friends to admire, and live with. Children grow up with the picture and it becomes part of the personality of the home and family. Decorating may require a new sofa but it is likely that the picture will be kept, and treasured, for decades.
In the past five years I have noted the closing of four of the galleries that once sold my art. It seems the end of an era in some ways and yet the Internet gives artists opportunities to show art to collectors across a wider area. I think it is time I put more attention to my web sites!