by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Some traditions hold fast throughout the years, while others fade.
Reddi Arts Gallery 1037, named for its street address on Hendricks Avenue, is one staple of Jacksonville culture that has endured 40 years and is still going strong.
Owner Bruce Meiselman has kept the shop prospering during the last 20 years by tweaking the gallery’s layout.
“This gallery has always been in existence ever since the beginning of Reddi Arts but not in its current form,” explains assistant gallery director Amy Petty. “It’s formatted now to showcase local art and artists. Before there were much more prints and limited editions from artists from everywhere. We tried to change into a more local artist setting because it’s appealing to customers and gives an avenue for local artists to get a start.”
Spotlighting four shows annually, the gallery presents all genres, including oil on canvas, pastels, acrylics, three-dimensional works such as sculptures, metals and pencil drawings.
Gallery 1037 extends an open invitation to accomplished local artists of varying degrees of experience to come and show their work.
A portfolio outlining samples of six to eight of their pieces must be submitted to a committee of Reddi Arts employees who review the materials to determine if the artist can show their work there.
“The things we look for is different skill levels and different media,” said Petty. “Many other galleries want a certain theme, mood or level of professionalism. When we book shows we try to have lots of different kinds of art.”
Judging the quality of art can be a subjective process.
“There’s an incredible amount of talent in the area,” said Petty. “They need to be established enough to be local artists and they need to be stable. If their work is good, we don’t require particular credentials.”
A visceral response is what the committee looks for.
“One description of good art is whether it creates an emotional reaction or response in the viewer. We’ve all heard it’s in the eye of the beholder and I don’t think art is any exception. There are no formulas. We want creative pieces that are original,” said Petty.
Six to 10 artists are featured at each show. Outside of just a venue to display their works, artists selected for shows are given advertising, a list of the attendees, labeling and hanging and an open reception. The artist must supply the food. Sales are open to the public with the gallery taking 30 percent.
“We prefer to schedule a variety of art,” said Petty. “Visually it’s a better presentation. It’s limiting to get just oil paintings or pen and ink. If we focus too much, we might exclude some artists.”
Petty has been assistant gallery director and art consultant in the framing department since July. Other departments include art supplies/gifts and the visual presentation center.
“All the departments overlap,” said Petty. “Almost all our customers go throughout the store. Because of that we see a very wide variety of customers from corporate people to the everyday person who needs a gel pen to people who need custom framing to those that have gift needs.”
A native Floridian, her experience with art and framing spans two decades. Petty is a graduate of the University of Florida and has worked as a science illustrator. She has also managed many picture frame shops since the 1980s.
Although she hasn’t seen the metamorphosis of the gallery first-hand, long time employees have passed down bits of the company’s history to her.
“The largest change I hear about is that the gallery used to be smaller,” she said. “We’ve grown from an art supply store to a wide variety of gift options and the full range framing and gallery. The fact that we are showcasing local art as our main draw distinguishes us. We try to encourage people from all areas of the art community. We try to put on an eclectic show so there’s a place for all different types.”
Upcoming shows include a winter 2002 exhibition, running from January to March in conjunction with Women’s History Month and another appearing April through June in cooperation with the Watercolor Society. A fall show will feature either the Jacksonville Coalition of Visual Arts or Vicki Lennon and friends.
Although no expansion or major modifications are scheduled in the near future, the gallery has been toying with different approaches. It has been procedure at Gallery 1037 to book artists far in advance.
“We are now thinking about being more flexible,” said Petty. “It is a possibility that we may be limiting ourselves so we are temporarily not booking anymore until after 2002. We are only taking names and numbers at this time.”
The owner is doing an assessment to see what direction he and his 25 employees would like to take. Reddi Art’s staff includes artists, people with college degrees and those with experience in the industry.
Riding the wave of downtown renovation is part of the plan. Residential projects like Berkman Plaza, the Lynch Building and The Shipyards can only benefit the art center.
“Any time things are upgraded or [there is] revitalization, new energy is put in. We are definitely going to feel it,” she said.