The Ridgefield Art Association’s long-anticipated Ridgefield Art Gallery has a new permanent home in the heart of downtown, marking a milestone for local artists and supporters of the arts. The Ridgefield Art Gallery officially opened Saturday, Jan. 3, at 104 N. Main Ave., Suite 110, on the corner of Main and Pioneer, welcoming community members into a bright new space dedicated entirely to showcasing local artwork.
The Ridgefield Art Gallery is an artist-run cooperative and nonprofit venture, serving as the first permanent, dedicated gallery space for the Ridgefield Art Association. For years prior, the association had relied on hosting pop-up shows and temporary exhibitions throughout the town. The gallery offers certain artwork and items like cards for sale, while other pieces are on display only.
The Ridgefield Art Gallery is located in the same building that once housed Ridgefield Hardware and Gift, which operated for over a century before closing Sept. 30. The new gallery shares a space with local businesses, including Ridgefield Floral and Gifts, Toys on Main and Spudder Spirit and Co.
For Eva Kelley, a board member of the Ridgefield Art Association and one of the gallery managers, the opening felt surreal.
“I think it's always been part of the plan. I know that they've always been looking for a static home for the Ridgefield Art Association. So this is one of … the things they've always hoped for. I do know that this, the space was offered to them late summer, and so we kind of ran with it,” Kelley said.
The gallery features clean walls, professional lighting and a cohesive layout that highlights a wide range of styles and mediums from Ridgefield and nearby artists.
“It's been kind of wild. It happened really fast. This is something I've always wanted. I feel like we have some gallery spaces down in Vancouver, but [in] Clark County there's a lack of art spaces, so it's nice to be able to be part of the newest home of an art space, especially in Ridgefield and North [Clark] County,” Kelley said.
The Ridgefield Art Gallery currently showcases work from 10 artists, all of whom are members of the Ridgefield Art Association and actively help operate the space. As a cooperative, artists share responsibility for staffing, managing and curating the gallery.
“Down the line, we're hoping to have more guest artists and be able to expand our roster of artists,” Kelley said.
Visitors walking through the gallery are greeted with paintings, mixed-media pieces, collage work and three-dimensional elements. For Kelley, who also has her own work on display, the opening was a moment of validation for the entire group.
“In my humble opinion, it’s a very legitimate gallery space. It's full of local artists, literally local, like everyone is from Ridgefield or nearby, and I think everyone's just really excited to see the space and have an art gallery in Ridgefield,” Kelley said.
Artist Rose Jubb, whose work is also featured in the gallery, described the opening as a turning point for both artists and the town itself. Jubb has been part of the Ridgefield Art Association for about two and a half years and works as a full-time artist.
“Being an artist can be kind of a lonely endeavor. There's also a lot of information you don't learn in art school and you don't really learn out in the real world … so, joining the art association was partly because it's lonely and it's nice to talk to other artists about their craft,” Jubb said.
She said the gallery has already changed how artists connect with the public and with each other.
“It creates more opportunity. You get to present a body of work that you've worked on for many years, all at once. That's very exciting to kind of show everybody what you've been working on. It also just creates opportunities because different people will see what you've been doing and how you create things,” Jubb said.
Jubb said the community’s response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The community has been walking past these windows, these big bright windows, for months now watching us, the process to like quickly, rapidly put together a gallery, and they were so excited and so supportive. I was just so impressed with the community and how they came together to support the arts,” Jubb said.
“Everyone has been so supportive and I think people are happy to see the old hardware store turn into something that supports our community again, and we really have just been welcomed with open arms. It's been a very warm welcome,” Kelley added.
Jubb hopes the gallery becomes a cornerstone for Ridgefield’s cultural identity.
“I can imagine a time where Ridgefield becomes this kind of not only a destination for people wanting to experience art or shop for art or be around it, but also artists,” Jubb said.
The art association plans to showcase a new local artist each month in its gallery. Its first dedicated exhibit, "Water Water Everywhere," will be presented on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m., and will feature watercolor paintings by Ridgefield artist Kathy Winters.
The gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Readers can learn more at ridgefieldartgallery.com.
