DOUBLE WRAP UP 2015

It's hard to believe that it's nearly Christmas and my first year of running Gallery 139 is coming to an end. I can't believe I did it and I'm so thankful for all the help I've had along the way. Here are just some of my favourite gallery photos taken throughout the year. Coco and I can't wait for 2016! 

In the meantime, visit us for DOUBLE WRAP UP 2015. Opening this Friday 11 Dec from 6pm and closing Thursday 24 December 3pm to score yourself a great original artwork for yourself or a friend this Christmas.

And, thank you for being apart of this crazy adventure. 

~ Ahn Wells 

Director's Choice

Braddon Snape (foreground), Vera Zulumovski, Dino Consalvo, John Earle (wall - left to right)

One of the perks of starting my own gallery is surely being able to choose the works I want to exhibit in it's space.  This exhibition was conceived with that in mind and it was something to look forward to at the end of my first year of running Gallery 139. I must admit that it's been the best decision I've made, to leave the security of a council job and to leap straight into owning and running my own business. It's not brave, as many have said to me, for me it's quite the opposite. Art and putting together exhibitions have been what I've been doing since my first year at Hunter St TAFE (Newcastle Art School) in 1997. That's nearly 20 years of practice. I'm not one to jump into risky things, I like the low road, I prefer the ferris-wheel to the rollercoaster and I'd rather consult the map before the trip than during. Of course, this doesn't always happen, but that's what I'd prefer. 

Unfortunately, Gallery 139 is not physically big enough for all my wants! And time won...again and a few of the works/artists I wanted to be included in this Director's Choice are not, but besides that, I'm pretty happy with this exhibition and I'm looking forward to spending time with it until the exhibition ends. If you get the chance to visit, please do. There is a wonderful text-based work on the back wall made in 1993 by Lezlie Tilley which I've been eyeing off in her studio all year and there is the striking black and white "Veiled Woman...." linocut printed from 1999 by Vera Zulumovski and the bright, colourful suburban land inside the 2005 head of Peter Lankas. Sitting beside my desk is a gentle portrait of The Drawing Room's Ann Caddey painted by Rachel Milne on site during her artist residency at Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery. Rachel has managed to capture Ann's likeness and austere personality in just a few quick and untainted brush strokes.  

I've placed one of the black gallery chairs opposite the "Forest" collaborative painting by John Earle and Jason Lowe, so that when I feel like a break and change of view from my desk, I can sit and look at the way these 2 painters have worked together to capture the light in a darkened forest landscape. The more I look, the more I feel as if I can almost smell the trees and leaves. I could ramble on here about all the works but I'd rather you come in and take a look for yourself.  

~ Ahn Wells
 

Lezlie Tilley appears courtesy of Brenda May Gallery, Sydney
Rachel Milne is represented by King Street Gallery on William, Sydney

Work, Life, Art and The Story Box

Paul in his home studio earlier in 2015

Since starting Gallery 139 in February this year, the word "work" has taken on a whole new meaning. Work no longer is a place I have to go to, work is now a place I want to go to. Work is like home and home has almost turned into a workplace. I love my work, my gallery and there is no other place I'd rather be than in it....but I know that if it is to be successful, I need to find a way to remove myself from it so that I can enjoy "life" too. 

I find myself looking to my own current exhibiting Gallery Artist, Paul Maher to see how he balances his art making, with his family-life and his "work" as a town planner. It's not an easy task but it one that most artist have to go through these days. It was interesting to listen to Paul talk to Aaron Kearny on 1233ABC Newcastle's The Story Box, Tuesday 27 October about how he manages to achieve this balance and how even his "work" as a town planner enriches his artwork.  Listen HERE.  I like how Aaron is able to draw a "Freudian" conclusion as to way Paul paints the suburbs the way he does.  Paul's exhibition In this city's side finishes on Saturday 14 November. 

He built this city

Hansen yucken model 2015, steel, gal rust

Flynn Doran's solo exhibition refracted at Gallery 139 has been inspired by the city of Newcastle. Abstracted and bared down to lines and triangles that form the start of this young emerging  contemporary sculptor's art career.   

Opening night speech
For those of you who know Flynn well, you will know that Flynn is a thinker. He thinks a lot, about what his art is,and he thinks about what it will say to the viewers. His work may on first viewing seem minimal but in actual fact it is quite the exact opposite. Each angle, line, shape, rust section is there for a reason, which I found out during install. Whether we see it or not, I don't think it matters because it is imbedded in the sculpture and the making process.  It is this attention to detail and thoughtfulness on Flynn's behalf, that automatically exudes from the works and makes them so compelling. I congratulate Flynn on such a cohesive exhibition and I am excited to have it in the gallery for the next 3 weeks. I hope you all get the chance to pop back into the gallery to see the works again during the day when there are less bodies in the room. Please enjoy the rest of the night and thank you for coming. 
~ Ahn Wells

In Flynn's words "Each sculpture is a representation or impression of various locations around Newcastle. To develop these works, I spent a lot of time around the inner city watching the new buildings rise from their previous graves, covered in workers and scaffolding. Living in Newcastle over the last 10 years, I have witness these transforming skylines, as the old was replaced by the new, with very little trace of what was once there. But remnants still existed. I found that through my studies at tafe and uni, I had old photos and sketches of the spaces that were once inhabited by derelict buildings. Google Earth also played a large part to my research as often the street view photos were taken at different times, and because of this rapid gentrification, you could see an expired building or the empty space left by its demolition. 

Through these references I used the process of construction and deconstruction to exemplify what was gained or lost, with only trace elements of mark making and perspective to hint at these motifs. 

Overall they are abstract representations, metaphors within themselves that hold a skewed perspective as its key element. The extended strokes of lines thrown against the solid shapes obscure the notion of location but remain as an impression of the built landscape."

view from Beaumont Street looking into gallery taken on opening night

Art, flowers and Paint Like Bill

artwork: North of here by Julia Flanagan; flowers from Elegant Blooms Flower Boutique

Having Gallery 139 next-door to Elegant Blooms Flower Boutique has meant that with each new exhibition, I look forward to buying a new vase of beautiful flowers to go with the exhibition and it certainly has been the case for this latest exhibition.  As you can see with the image above, the beautiful vibrant pink magnolia flowers contrast perfectly with the blue abstract painting by artist Julia Flanagan, making the choice of blooms an increasingly important part of each exhibition. 

I have particularly noticed this with the current exhibition, Paint Like Bill which runs until Saturday 3 October, the colours, shapes and textures that can be found in the flowers next door make it hard to resist popping in for a new branch of petals to brighten up my desk or a book shelf. The native waxy gum nuts in the image below right are another perfect example of how well the plants can complement the paintings in this show.  Pairing native flora with the works that are inspired by the art and life of the Australian artist, Sir William Dobell, to me makes perfect sense and I hope will add to the enjoyment of viewing the overall exhibition.  

Artworks in image below left from left to right are by Ashley Whamond, Deb Ansell, Val Watson and Libby Cusick. 

~ Ahn Wells

INSIDE OUT

Maggie Hall performing her poem written in response to the exhibition INSIDE OUTSIDE at the opening on Saturday 29 August 2015 

It was a real treat to have Maggie Hall perform the poem she wrote in response to the current exhibition INSIDE OUTSIDE at the opening. What I loved most is that she cleverly wove into the poem the titles of each artist's artwork to create a haunting new narrative that captured the beauty of the art in this exhibition.  I must admit it gave me a few goosebumps when she read it out aloud.  Unfortunately I didn't record it, so you will have to read it here and imagine it spoken by the deep tones of this strong creative woman. 

~ Ahn Wells 

Inside / from / the Outside
Moving text / visual story / life / kept still
Enticing flavour / while the eyes of changing viewers give light a position / a place that may / or may not / have been / when first imagined
We stand still / moving around / this rouletted dance
Setting / grouping / directing . . . Colour that teases erect pink buds beneath slightly opened wetted mouths / hungry for the dish that looks into a crowded room - the want and desire to own the said artists strokes - painted by hand - released only to be hung again in another place
SOLD
Central West to Mirrors Edge / Poppies, Books & Jugs . . .
Apples packed into a Lunch Box Red . . .
In a Garden studied Interior / Kate, Jackson, Henri & Pablo / while Jacqueline studies the Orange . . .
Nightfall / A Tomato moon swamps the Anti Siren / Reassured . . .
North facing Milk Jugs needing a Tyred Swing . . .
In the Dining Room / warm breath / Moving Life / while the Emus Lightness of Step dances across the Back Lane . . .
A Blue Bowl / woven of fabric / Inside / Outside / the Autumn Bird searches for a Father / a Daughter / lost between the Vineyard and Brisbane's Oiled Canvas -
A Meditation to a Feast . .

Poem spoken at the opening by Maggie Hall

We have 6 special signed copies of "Histories of the Future" words by Martin Edmund and images by Maggie Hall currently available in the Gallery Shop. RRP$20

INSIDE OUTSIDE runs until Saturday 12 September.

The Dawn Patrol boys

on location, King Edward Park, Newcastle

Back in May 2015, I too woke before dawn and met the boys on location in Newcastle to experience what the allure of painting dawn was all about in order to write an article and take some photos for my submission to the Hunter Lifestyle magazine.  For those of you who don't know me, I am not a morning person and this was hard task for me.

I grumbled at the alarm and winged to myself as I got dressed in the chill of the morning and head out to meet the boys at the look in King Edward Park, Newcastle. Of course, it was worth the passing pain and I was given a glimpse behind the scenes. And it was a marvellous sight these 3 artists working together, separately and with a purpose. Each knowing what they needed to get done in the limited time the dawning of the sun gave them. 

The photo above now revealing more about each artist's process than I realise I was capturing at the time. Dino Consalvo on the left, painting directly onto his hardboard, this work later becoming Wistful in the current exhibition. Peter Lankas in the middle completing one of his "en plain air" works on paper. This process he replicates in the studio by finishing a painting in one setting to achieve the same immediate and gestural paint application. John Earle on the right, having already played down his base colours on location now taking a photo of the moment he wants to immortalise so cleverly onto his board. John will later build up this painting with layers and layers of paint in such a way that it will trick our eyes into almost believing we are seeing a photograph of the scene. 

I am so excited to have the exhibition Dawn Patrol in Gallery 139 and very lucky to be able to spend my days among these amazing works for 3 exhibition weeks. It truly is the best part of owning my own gallery. 

~ Ahn Wells

Dino Consalvo, Peter Lankas, John Earle painting on location [left - right]

Dawn Patrol opens at Gallery one3nine appeared in the June|July 2015 issue of Hunter Lifestyle page 92. 

The emergence of Patterns

Miranda Earle

I've been here now for 21 weeks and the 8th exhibition, Pattern Observation has come to an end. It's a fitting description and after 6months in business, I'm starting to notice the patterns emerging from owning my own gallery. The ebb and flow of business, the regular visitors - human and canine, morning catch-ups with Barb in her gallery, lunch from The Lunchbox, visits to the flower-girls next-door.  

Somehow, Coco has endeared herself into the Hamilton community and she often has visitors just for her.

There is definitely something comforting that arises from patterns. The repetition, the familiarity, the sense of knowing. For me, it's every 3 weeks, I have a new exhibition to look at and I get to change the layout of the Gallery Shop. The change with in the regularity of pattern suit me perfectly and I feel finally, Gallery 139 is finding it's feet. 

~ Ahn Wells

The end to paper

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installation view (Chris Byrnes-photography, Anne McLaughlin-printmaking, Rieteka Geursen-paper sculpture)

It's Wednesday, the 8th of July and we are in the final week of The Art of Paper, the 7th exhibition at the Gallery 139. It's cold and the winter has abruptly arrived. I'm wearing my scarf, stockings and hat to stay warm plus sitting with my crocheted blanket with a heater. I find myself each day, sneaking an extra hot drink or two.

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This exhibition has filled the gallery quietly and it's nice to discover when all the works were hung, they have a lightness about them which is enhanced by the floating paper sculptures by Rieteka Guersen in the middle of the gallery floor. I find myself looking around the walls and thinking to myself, how lucky I am, to be able to come to work and have such beautiful images around me. It's no wonder I feel happy. Just looking at something that uplifts you, can make you feel better. It's the subtle power of art. So, come in and see this show before it ends on Saturday, 11 July at 2pm.

We look forward to you feeling as happy as we do.

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Laura Wilson Registry - copper, charcoal, white 2015 Embossed vinyl record, hand embossed and cut designs, painted canvas boards size variable

~ Ahn Wells

A Speech to end all Speeches?

At Helene Leane's opening on Saturday 6 June, Director, Ahn Wells giving the opening speech 

Firstly Welcome and Thank you for coming out to support Helene Leane's first solo exhibition, Lino & Lace (based on the interior of Newcastle's Miss Porter's House) here at Gallery 139. For those of you who do not know me, I'm Ahn Wells and this is my gallery. I opened it in February this year because I wanted to be more involved in presenting group exhibitions and supporting artists who I believe have long term art careers, which brings us to Helene Leane. Who is now represented by Gallery 139. YAY!

I first became aware of Helene through her work as a printmaker. I have over my time, which I know looking at me doesn't seem THAT long, but I've actually been around the Newcastle's art scene since I started my art studies here in 1996, seen her work develop and I have watched her progression as an artist. She has over the years perfected the monotype process and made it her own. I think one could easily mistake them for paintings on paper, if you didn't know this printmaking process, which is why I think Helene is able to translate this same quality into her paintings. Her paintings pull you towards them, so you are lost in their misty softness but when you step back, new pockets of colours and patterns draw you back in. I find it especially with this large work here, Space Lace. I have been able to sit on the black chair when I need a rest and literally get lost in it's space. It's the same with the encaustic works on the back wall. There are so many interesting layers that seem to change every time I look at them. It's like with all the work and that's the great thing about owning the gallery, I get to be surrounded by all these beautiful works for 3 weeks and I hope you all come back for better look until the 20th June.

Congratulations Helene Leane for putting together such an amazing and thoughtful exhibition. I'm looking forward to working with you as an artist and I also think your a beautiful person whose happiness and generosity shines through in your work. Thank you for presenting to me such a professional body of work, that there was nothing I wanted to vito and I have even acquired a new piece for my own collection.

A few quick thank yous, go out to Paul and Sharon (again!) for helping with install on Monday and to Kerri Smith for taking time to visit the exhibition before it opened and to write the piece on the back of the catalogue and on the website.

Finally thanks to my man, Dan for manning the drinks! And please join us next Saturday, when Helene will talk about her work and the exhibition.

Remember to visit Miss Porter's House on it's monthly OPEN DAY on Sunday 14 June between 1-4pm at 454 King St Newcastle West.

~ Ahn Wells 

An Unaffected Charm by Kerri Smith

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The Worn Path VII 2015 gouache monotype 80cm x 30cm

Unaffected and charm are words that conjure images of the past. It’s a simplistic picture we grasp for and one the commercial world is all too willing to encourage with enticing magazines showing rambling country homes decorated with checked tablecloths awash with glorious homemade cakes and the odd scone with jam and cream. Those were the days of ample time and the luxury of sparsely populated roads. Ah yes! Let’s pretend and yearn for yesteryear…

Helene Leane’s first solo exhibition as a represented artist at Gallery 139 allows us to observe the inspiration of this bygone era in her richly textured body of work. Helene was initially motivated by Meroogal Women’s Art Prize which asks for female artists across NSW to delve into the past and summon a response to the historic Meroogal House in Nowra. Accepting this challenge allowed her to explore ideas and materials which eventually culminated in her work being selected for the prize in late 2014. Enthused by this beautiful house in Meroogal, Helene kept the creative endeavour going though ventured closer to home for her source of inspiration. For this exhibition “Lino & Lace” Miss Porter’s House therefore became her muse.

For those unaware of the existence of Miss Porter’s House, it’s a quaint little cottage in King St worthy of exploration. It allows a glimpse into the lives of two women who lived in an era prior to perpetual home renovating and the constant desire for new consumables. And that in itself lets history reveal itself. Old linoleum ambles unrestrained throughout and lace decorates tirelessly as the humble doily. Helene has taken these outdated materials and renewed our acquaintance with them through her art.

Most of us are familiar with Helene’s monotype prints. They are a wonderful layering of shape, texture and tone. Her prints in this exhibition build on her knowledge of this medium and attractively depict the quality of lino, overlaying it with pattern. This patterned affect also occurs in the acrylic paintings where lace doilies are stamped into swathes of paint and beeswax. Also adopted very successfully in this show is a photo transfer technique. Manipulation of the photograph is achieved through a building up of colour and surface via acrylic paint. This delivers a fanciful reality that sneakily entices us into those desired realms of the past.

Helene’s first solo show with Ahn Wells' Gallery 139 is an attractive exploration of an era we will always adore because of its feminine beauty and perceived simplicity. An unaffected charm is certainly displayed in this exhibition!

Ah now time for a cup of tea and a scone with jam and cream. But better put that load of wet washing through the mangle first.

~ Kerri Smith  

The Life of an Art Student

Ahn Wells Search 2003 installation Watt Space Gallery - The Locker Room

The life of an art student, I remember it well. And I miss it, like you do when enough time has passed and you can truly be reflective. 

In 1997, I started art school at Hunter St TAFE, now called Newcastle Art School.  Back then an Advanced Diploma was 3 years. 3 long years, 5 days a week, 9 to 5. Long days to draw, full days in the printmaking studios and in the photography darkroom. Time was on my side. 

By 2000, I went onto Uni, I applied to Newcastle University and received 2 years off a 3 year Bachelor of Fine Art degree and went straight into my final year. I loved Uni, but by then I was ready for the social aspect that comes with University life and by mid-2003 I had completed a B.Fine Art (honours). 

I exhibited all throughout my time as an art student, starting in 1998 at owner-run galleries including Gibson St Gallery and Lindsey Street Gallery and artist-run spaces including Rocketart, Intrados (later Field Contemporary Art Space), John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle Art Space and Back to Back Galleries. Unfortunately the majority of these galleries have now closed, but on the positive side new galleries have emerged such as Art Systems Wickham, Forsight Gallery, Nanshe studio gallery, Timeless Textiles Gallery, cstudios Art Gallery and Four Point Gallery to name a few that I have also exhibited in over the years. 

Newcastle is a great stomping ground for learning how to be a professional artist, you could say it's the perfect place for the life an art student. 

~ Ahn Wells 

Worn OUT

installation view of Sculptured OUT

This new exhibition could easily have been called Worn OUT, rather than Sculptured OUT.

Not only does it describe the physical traits of each artist work in this exhibition, but it also perfectly describes the pains an artist can go through to produce a significant body of work, as can be seen by all seven artists in this exhibition.  These artists' surfaces, all of which have a used/worn/touched appearance about them, that is either a by-product of the process of making such as in Alison Smith's woodcuts, where the woodgrain print leaves a beautiful textured colour. Or on purpose such as Flynn Doran's piece "Gentrification Model" where he has intentionally rusted the steel over several weeks.  This link is a happy co-incidence and a lovely one at that. 

That's the beauty of putting an exhibition together the way I have chosen to do so, so far here at Gallery 139.  I have been asking artists to be involved in exhibitions, only based on previous work I have seen.  I am fortunate enough that I have been living and working in Newcastle for over 15 years in the arts that I have seen a lot of work and artists come and go.  And the greatest thing of all, is that there is still new and fresh work being produced by both the seasoned Newcastle artists as well as recent graduates and more established artists who now call Newcastle home.

It's an exciting time for art in Newcastle and I'm so glad to be apart of it.

~ Ahn Wells

The Fine Art of Drawing

Caelli-Jo Brooker Words and Origami: Box 2015 pencil, crayon, acrylic, ink & collage on paper, 55cm x 42cm

Drawing and making marks on paper is such a fundamental part of being an artist.  I think it's the most important part, even if your final art form is far removed from the messy studio space of a painter or printmaker.  Drawing leads the way to understanding an artist's reasons for making, it assists in sorting through ideas and solidifies final compositions.  An artist needs drawing like oxygen to truly start producing worthwhile art. 

Drawing lines; light and dark, soft and hard together on paper using pencils, ink, pastel, watercolour, oil stick etc can, once melded together in the hand's of a practising artist, yield the most amazing results.  Abstract or figurative, drawing for drawing's sake can never be taken for granted.  

Coming up next in the gallery, is Drawing Fine which presents this to an audience who is willing to embrace Drawing in all its finery.  Starting on Wednesday 1 April, the gallery will be open from 10am and no silly April Fool's jokes will be required to enter.

The exhibition will run until 18 April 2015.

~ Ahn Wells

The real Beginning starts

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Gallery 139 has now been open for 5 weeks.  BEGINNINGS is in the past and exhibition number two, TEXT ME has started with the official opening event today (Saturday 21 March) at 2pm.  

The honeymoon period is over and its now time for the reality of running my own gallery to kick in.  People have been asking, How's it going? The simple answer is, It's going great, I love being my own boss.  But I suspect what they are really asking is, How are you paying for all this?  

As with all creative endeavours, it's the love for what you do that drives you, not how much money you are going to make from it.  At the moment, it's family loans that are running the gallery but in the next few months, with hard work and some luck the gallery will at least start paying for itself.  I have a good feeling about this gallery, otherwise I wouldn't have started it, it feels right to be doing it at this moment and it has taken a while but I've learnt to trust my instincts and in the end all things work out the way they should.

So, I'm ready, or should I say Coco and I are ready for the real beginning of Gallery 139 to start, now.

~ Ahn Wells

One Year Itch

Tonight I went to a "Wonderful Woman's" dinner at a wonderful friend of friend's place.  I met a wonderful dog, Daisy and spoke to her wonderful owner, Margo.  During the conversation she mentioned that she'd never stayed longer than 7 years in the one job and I jokingly commented - argh The Seven Year Itch, and she nodded and I joked back, well I've never stayed longer than a year. 

Home now and it dawned on me, I've just started my own gallery, which in my head I plan to run forever, yet I'm 36 and I've yet to stay focused in the one job for more than just over a year.  Fair to say, I've been employed with the same company for going on 9 years now (I'm still employed as a casual) but I've also been in and out of Temp positions and never quite made it to the Perm Position.  

Awake at 4am and it's got me thinking.  What am I doing? I've poured all my savings into the set-up of Gallery 139 and I'm now running on sales and loans from Mum and Dad, because the bank isn't silly enough to back a first-time business owner, let alone someone who wants to start their own Art Gallery.

But I can't help and be quietly optimistic and excited.  I know there are people who love to buy art, not for investment, I'm not interested in the high-end commercial market. There are buyers in Newcastle who love art, good art that has been made by someone who might be an emerging talent or who is still forging an artist's career.  I'm interested in these artists the most and I'm certain their is a market for them and a need for a gallery in Newcastle with that focus.  After 3 weeks, BEGINNINGS has shown me that.  

So let's hope in 12 months time, I don't find myself itching for a change.

~ Ahn Wells

Every gallery should have a Coco

As most dog owner's can attest, leaving one's dog at home in the morning can bring on horrible pains of guilt.  Your little mutt will look longingly at you, with their sad eyes that say: Are you leaving me, again? 

Since I've opened my gallery, this scenario no longer happens in our household.  We now have a fully fledged job for the dog and a reason why Miss Coco Mo, as she is affectionaly known, no longer needs to use her doggy doe eyes on me anymore.  

Introducing, Coco Mo, The Gallery Dog.

~ Ahn Wells

From Gallery 139 with love

Setting up a gallery has proved to be harder and easier than I thought.  I have had mountains of help from friends from advice to paintings, helping to choose carpets and desks to hanging the first exhibition.  All of which I am extremely grateful for. I have found energy that I didn't know I had and I've had to learn alot about business.  My wonderful graphic designer, Pocket Design has created a gallery logo/branding and website which perfectly reflects the clean, fresh, minimal nature I want my gallery to present.   

Here is the development of the gallery in photos.

~ Ahn Wells

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A gallery of one's own

In late 2014, I was starting to become restless at my job and knew I needed to make a change, I'd always had dreams of running my own gallery but had never really given it any serious thought.  But now, I decided I had to talk to someone who really knew the realities of setting up an independent art gallery.  

I had recently started working with Barb Nanshe from Nanshe studio gallery on another art-related project, the Newcastle Gallery Collective and I felt comfortable enough to ask her the nitty gritty personal questions, like how much did it cost to set-up her gallery, how much is her weekly rent, how does she cover this rent, does she make a living from it.  I was relieved to find that although it was daunting, the reality of setting-up a gallery like Nanshe's was actually within my reach.  

The next step would be finding a space. 

I considered Renew Newcastle, but I really wanted to be close to home and my studio at the Newcastle Community Arts Centre (Hamilton East/Newcastle West). Then one day Barb told me that the Hunter Animal Watch op shop which is almost opposite her gallery was moving a few shops up and that space would soon be up for lease.  At first, I had decided to re-focus at work and my own art-making, but as my temp contract was coming to an end at LMCAG, the more I wanted a new beginning and to have a gallery of my own to run.

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So, I made an appointment with the real estate and had a look inside the shop space. It had great natural lighting, nice round lights and ceiling fans.  To me it already looked like a gallery space, it just needed another coat of paint, a wall built to hide the toilet/kitchen and a gallery hanging system and I'd be good to go.  So with a bit of naivety, all my savings and my parents on the lease as guarantors, my application was accepted and I became the proud Lessee of 139A Beaumont St Hamilton 2303. 

~ Ahn Wells

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