"The Colors of Love," featuring local artists and celebrating six years in Bristol, R.I., opened at the Hope Gallery Saturday. Despite economic pressure, the show attracted long-time visitors and passers-by alike.
A commercial gallery, the space retains artists on contract but does not charge them for wall space, said Gallery Director Anita Trezvant.
The quaint gallery was crowded with community members, artists and the artists' friends. Alayne White, a gallery frequenter, said she likes Hope Gallery because of its intimacy and local focus.
Gallery artist Sue Butler said she paints her family, home and women, primarily.
"All comes from what I am and where I've been," she said.
Scottish artist Irene Graham-Steinberg was also at the event. She lives in North Providence and her paintings depicting "ephemeral" landscapes with a heavy influence from her time spent in Scotland have been featured in the gallery for a few months, she said.
Trezvant said though the area is very popular during the summer, she does not normally hold openings in the winter because the weather deters people from coming.
She plans to put on an "art stroll" on May 15 that will continue through the summer. Last month, Trezvant introduced a weekly art lesson taught by one of the gallery's featured artists. She also offers an internship program for local undergraduates interested in art and gallery ownership.
"Running a gallery is hard work," Trezvant said, especially in the current economic climate. She cited the fact that a few galleries have closed in the area.
Butler said she has seen a decrease in her sales this year, but sales at the Hope Gallery have "been pretty steady." The economy has affected the art world "to a certain degree, like everyone," she said.
