Thanks to Suzanne for details of this new gallery space in Ryde. Ed
Although Ryde has seen a number of art galleries in the past, there is something very new and exciting about the People’s Gallery which opens next month in Union Street.
Izi Evans is a well-known local artist based in Ryde and for some time she has been contemplating the opening of a gallery to, not only display the work of other artists, but her own work too.
With the support of fellow artists this plan has come to fruition and the gallery will open to the public on 9th February.
Three in one
Not just one gallery though. People’s Gallery, which is situated in 68 Union Street (opposite Zabre), will house a large exhibition space for societies and clubs, to be called the Union Gallery and a specifically designed flexible space for individual artists to display their work independently, to be called the Main Gallery.
As well as these fantastic areas there will be studio spaces for artists to work from where artists and craftspeople can pursue their work in personal studios.
A new concept
Izi said,
“I am opening a Gallery in Ryde. It’s not the usual kind of Gallery, it’s a bit of a new concept. After some months we’ve finally completed on premises and the Gallery will open in February.
“For some time now, I have been working on an idea to open an art gallery in a high street position on the Island. Well I’m pleased to announce that I have now found the property and after a few weeks of re- modelling the space we will soon be ready to open.”
Help for new artists
Izi Evans has been an artist for over 25 years and enjoyed every minute of it. She’s made friends at the many Exhibitions she’s taken part in with many of the Island’s fantastic art societies, but also remembers, in the beginning, going from shop to shop asking if they would be interested in hanging her pictures.
This was not an easy thing to do when you may not be as confident as you could be at the start of your Artist life. All she wanted was the chance to put her work in front of the public to see what happened.
Izi added,
“I just knew this could be done with less anxiety, hence People’s Gallery, a place where new and established Artists can rent wall space in a professional gallery at an affordable price, in a high street position and let the general public enjoy and purchase the great work produced by all.
First exhibition
To set the gallery spaces off in the right atmosphere ‘Island Brush Strokes’, showcasing the works of several local artists, who have exhibited together before, will form the opening exhibition.
Their work will be on show for the opening two weeks in the Union Gallery including the launch event.
For ‘Island Brush Strokes’; Peter Allen, Marion Large, Birgit Ackroyd and Becky Samuelson will join Izi, whilst another well-known local artist, Malcolm Winter, is having a presence in the Main Gallery.
