By Amanda McGregor
SALEM — A group of area artists founded a new gallery in a sunny, corner space on Pickering Wharf.
Arabella Gallery opened last month, run by a cooperative of artists who will host a meet-and-greet at the gallery Sunday afternoon.
"For every artist, you would like to have your own gallery," said founding member Susan Burton of Ipswich, who makes artwork with gourds. "It was just a matter of phoning other artists and saying, 'Hi, guess what we're doing?'"
The gallery features a broad selection of artwork, including oil painting and watercolor, stained glass, carved birds, pottery, jewelry, and alabaster sculpture.
Burton said she and a handful of artists came up with the idea for the gallery in February and hunted for a space. Rent was too costly in Newburyport and Rockport, so Salem seemed like a natural place to turn.
"There have been amazing changes in Salem," Burton said. "It's very impressive. It's just a really lively community with so much going on."
The members chipped in for rent.
"Only crazy artists would like to open a gallery in this economy," Burton said with a laugh.
In space that used to house Good Feet shoe store, the gallery has large windows that look out on the water off Pickering Wharf. The gallery members repainted the walls, installed secondhand track lighting, and bought a mix of used and new display pieces and other furniture.
"We thought it was spectacular," Burton said of the space. "With windows like this, it's just like it was meant to be."
In addition to the 14 professional artists who are Arabella members, 10 other artists sell their work on consignment at the gallery. The members share the duty of running the gallery in shifts.
"You really have to have a group that's compatible and supportive, and will have fun together," Burton said. "The sense of community is very important."
Burton said the word "Arabella" means beautiful, and also thoughtful and prayerful.
The following artists' work is featured at Arabella Gallery: Susan Burton, Andrew Anderson-Bell, Annie Krupsky, Pam Turnbull, Mary Pacheco, Melynn Allen and Betsy Frost, all of Ipswich; Katrina Hart and Donald MacLachlan, both from Hamilton; and Jim Plesh, Candy Way, Ernee Way, Edith Heyck, Ed Rice, Aron Leaman, Phoebe Ingram, Paul Beauregard, Claudia Clark, Louise Doty, Sandra Golbert, Teri MacMillan, Karen Ristuben, Ann Schunior and Olena Nebachanezzar.
Meet the artists
What: Meet-and-greet celebration
When: 4 to 7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2
Where: Arabella Gallery, 63 Wharf St., Salem
Regular gallery hours: Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; closed Tuesday
