metro
11-09-2007, 08:33 AM
OKC gallery aimed at making art less scary
November 9, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY – Art shouldn’t scare away potential customers, Istvan Gallery owner Stephen Kovash said.“It’s an intimidating experience, even for someone who knows his way around the art world,” Kovash said. “I want to create a place where people can come invest in art and buy collectible pieces, but not be scared by the process.”
The Istvan Gallery, 1218 N. Western Ave., is scheduled to open tonight with a public reception. The gallery will feature installations by local artists in working in media including glass-blowing, sculpture and oil and watercolor painting. The first show will feature works by printmakers Alyson Atchison and Kate Rivers; glass artists Andy Boatman, Rick Bewley and Tracey Bewley; and mixed-media artists Annalisa Campbell, Diana Tunnell and Skip Hill. The installation will be on display through January.“
Oklahoma has significant creative talent and a diverse, dynamic art community,” Kovash said. “We need more space where the public can enjoy and understand their art.”The gallery is a collaborative effort of Blue Sage and Art Fusion glass studios and Istvan Gallery. It has 850 square feet of floor space and 1,000 square feet of wall space. Kovash is planning an online gallery as well.“
As I get past the opening and move on to actually running this as a business, I’m going to be marketing my artists in galleries wherever I can find them, in big cities or wherever the opportunities are,” he said. “A lot of artists in Oklahoma are already doing that themselves, and we need the infrastructure here so our artists can stay in Oklahoma.”
Kovash repeatedly stressed he doesn’t want to offend other gallery operators in the area, but that art galleries in general are known for being uncomfortable and uninviting to new buyers. He said Oklahoma City’s art investment base “is in the very early stages. People who are buying art are getting it at festivals and benefits. They don’t really understand the investment aspect of it. I think we’re going to be spending a lot of time educating people and building a market here.”“I’d like people to be able to come in and say, ‘That’s pretty and I want it.’”
Istvan Gallery hours will be 1-6 p.m. Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, and 1-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The opening celebration will be 6-11 p.m. today, with an open house 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
http://www.journalrecord.com/_images/articles/t_labsArt%20Gallery.jpg
Norman Bewley displays a piece fused glass artwork by his son, Rick. Bewley has been helping get the Istvan Gallery, 1218 N. Western Ave., ready for its Friday opening. (Photo by Kendall Brown)
November 9, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY – Art shouldn’t scare away potential customers, Istvan Gallery owner Stephen Kovash said.“It’s an intimidating experience, even for someone who knows his way around the art world,” Kovash said. “I want to create a place where people can come invest in art and buy collectible pieces, but not be scared by the process.”
The Istvan Gallery, 1218 N. Western Ave., is scheduled to open tonight with a public reception. The gallery will feature installations by local artists in working in media including glass-blowing, sculpture and oil and watercolor painting. The first show will feature works by printmakers Alyson Atchison and Kate Rivers; glass artists Andy Boatman, Rick Bewley and Tracey Bewley; and mixed-media artists Annalisa Campbell, Diana Tunnell and Skip Hill. The installation will be on display through January.“
Oklahoma has significant creative talent and a diverse, dynamic art community,” Kovash said. “We need more space where the public can enjoy and understand their art.”The gallery is a collaborative effort of Blue Sage and Art Fusion glass studios and Istvan Gallery. It has 850 square feet of floor space and 1,000 square feet of wall space. Kovash is planning an online gallery as well.“
As I get past the opening and move on to actually running this as a business, I’m going to be marketing my artists in galleries wherever I can find them, in big cities or wherever the opportunities are,” he said. “A lot of artists in Oklahoma are already doing that themselves, and we need the infrastructure here so our artists can stay in Oklahoma.”
Kovash repeatedly stressed he doesn’t want to offend other gallery operators in the area, but that art galleries in general are known for being uncomfortable and uninviting to new buyers. He said Oklahoma City’s art investment base “is in the very early stages. People who are buying art are getting it at festivals and benefits. They don’t really understand the investment aspect of it. I think we’re going to be spending a lot of time educating people and building a market here.”“I’d like people to be able to come in and say, ‘That’s pretty and I want it.’”
Istvan Gallery hours will be 1-6 p.m. Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, and 1-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The opening celebration will be 6-11 p.m. today, with an open house 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
http://www.journalrecord.com/_images/articles/t_labsArt%20Gallery.jpg
Norman Bewley displays a piece fused glass artwork by his son, Rick. Bewley has been helping get the Istvan Gallery, 1218 N. Western Ave., ready for its Friday opening. (Photo by Kendall Brown)