by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Artist Jim Draper’s work can be found all over the world. Thanks to the Internet, it can also be ordered and purchased from all over the planet.
If you want to meet him, though, you can now head to Riverside.
Draper, fellow artist Dolf James and attorneys Michael and Lauren Howle have leased and are renovating what used to be the Whiteway Deli at the corner of King and Park streets.
Wednesday morning, all three spaces needed plenty of work. But, Friday night Draper, James and the Howles are holding an open house to showcase the spaces. And, Draper is expecting a big crowd.
“There will be between 500 and 750 people here for this kind of thing,” said Draper of the 6-9 p.m. event.
While Draper and James may both be artists, their work couldn’t be much different. Draper’s includes primarily artistic interpretations of animals and people while James’ work is defined by his creative use of chairs and stools that disappear into plywood boxes that double as canvases. Draper’s work area includes dozens of brushes and tubes of paint while James meticulously works from one can of paint.
That said, art is art and both hope the venue works.
“I tried to get Downtown, but I couldn’t get the kind of deal for the space I wanted,” said Draper, who admits he was looking for cheap rent. “This is 2,500 square feet for low ball rent.”
Draper used to have a studio in Springfield that was comparable in concept, but not size. There he has about 6,000 square feet and up to six employees at one point .
“When the economy tanked, I had to rethink things,” he said. “I shut down thinking I could work out of my house, but you just can’t.”
Rather than look all over town for space to rent and inspiration, Draper hit the road with his son James and his grandson. The road trip took the Drapers through Chicago and Mississippi and everywhere between.
“We talked and decided to just find a place anywhere,” said Draper. “I saw the sign here, called and I think it’s pretty good.”
Draper said he is also in the process of revamping his Web site. Through it — and thanks to technology — clients from all over the world can order art for their homes and offices. Some buy pieces directly off the Web while others send Draper photographs uses as the basis for the piece.
James, who is from Atlanta but lives near Fernandina, said the Riverside locale will work.
“I think this is a thriving arts community,” he said. “There are a lot of artists who live and work around here. The community seems to appreciate art. There is such a variety of everything you think of 2-3 miles from here. There’s the river and Downtown and the Riverside/Avondale area.”
James’ work is three-dimensional in nature and can be labor intensive. The chairs he incorporates are simply found among his travels and tend to have some sort of historical or emotional element. One piece includes two 80-something year-old wooden folding chairs that used to be in a church. Another includes a lone old schoolroom chair and it is the only piece in which the chair isn’t facing out.
“I really enjoy playing with the composition, number one,” said James. “The chairs are interesting from either a geometrical or architectural standpoint. They all started with something interesting to begin with.”
The Howles couldn’t be reached, but both graduated from the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law in 2005. The firm handles about two dozen types of cases including bankruptcy, medical malpractice, personal injury, criminal defense and many others.
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