What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 5 When One Store Closes… Local artists create gallery at Northwest Arkansas Mall MONICA HOOPER NWA Democrat-Gazette W hen one clothing store closes, an art gallery opens. At least that's what happened at the Northwest Arkansas Mall. "The mall very, very generously decided in March to donate space for local artists," Melissa Milton, an artist herself, says. "The mall representative said, 'We're willing to donate the space, but you artists just have to run it yourselves and you pay utilities. But other than that, keep it family friendly.'" Milton and others worked together to help establish The Art Gallery, a space dedicated to supporting local art, in the former Banana Republic across from Victoria's Secret in the Fayetteville mall. "I formed us as a nonprofit," says Milton, who is a retired attorney. "We got state and federal nonprofit approval, we drafted our bylaws, we got a board of directors and we did it right." She and the group of artists put out a call for more artists on Facebook. "We still have the signs up telling them how to apply. And it's really been each according to their ability. We have 46 artists, and our rule is you have to live within 70 miles of Fayetteville." The artists showcased in the gallery are mostly new ones who are showing their art in public for the first time. Milton adds that "a few of us are in other galleries, but all this beautiful stuff was in their homes" before being displayed at the mall. Both established and new artists helped to transform the 7,000-square- foot store into a legitimate gallery with soft lighting, wooden floors and walls and shelves covered with a variety of local art. The artists have also been showing each other the ropes and taking on different roles in establishing The Art Gallery. "Those of us who have gallery experience had been teaching [the younger artists] how to hang their art and label it and stuff," Milton explains. "We have a person who's a woodworker and carpenter, he hung our hanging system because he's good at that. We have the retired lawyer here, who drafted the artists' contracts and got all the legal stuff filed. We have a lady with decades of marketing experience, and she and two former and current gallery owners are going to be our marketing committee. "We have an artist who's a graphic designer, so she created our logo. We have another artist that prints her own art, so she printed the signs," and another artist who "knows all about building websites" is building one for the gallery. An artist and teacher is organizing the gallery's classroom. "So this is a DIY. That's amazing, but I think it's quite beautiful," Milton concludes. Others have loaned or donated supplies and furniture to help get the DIY gallery up and running. "A lot of things are borrowed because we have been on a shoestring budget. But we've had generous local businesses! We wouldn't gotten this far without the mall donating the space and several local businesses donating money. "I feel like it's a win win for us and the mall," Milton adds. "It's giving local artists an opportunity to exhibit who otherwise might not have it. It is paying the utilities on space that the mall was having to pay utilities on just sitting here; it runs up quite a bill to heat and cool. It brings more foot traffic into the mall. We've had a lot of people come in and go, 'Oh, I haven't been in the mall in years!'" The Art Gallery is now open weekends with various artists from the collective manning the store. FAYETTEVILLE See Gallery Page 6 Artist Melissa Milton shows off artwork by Gary Johnson and Detlef Kortge at The Art Gallery inside the Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe) FAQ The Art Gallery at NWA Mall WHAT — A new art gallery established and oper- ated entirely by local artists WHEN — 4-8 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday & 1-5 p.m. Sunday WHERE — Across from Victoria's Secret in the former Banana Republic store at the Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville COST — Free; art is for sale INFO — Email melissamiltonart@aol.com FYI — A monthly art reception with light refresh- ments happens on the second Sunday of each month from 1-5 p.m.