Artel Turns 30

Molding hotdogs, surreal cityscapes and historical reimaginings, dubbed Fabulous Forgeries, occupy the echoing, tiled halls of Artel Gallery.

It is an odd space that puzzles and delights in ways that only a modern art gallery can. Rooms that once served as judge’s chambers are now adorned with the works of local artists. Tall window frames may serve as makeshift easels. High ceilings echo with melodies both symphonic and spontaneous.

Beyond physical art, Artel often hosts performances from the Pensacola Symphony, and “open jams” take place on Wednesday and Saturday nights. The gallery is a fully volunteer-run, nonprofit enterprise — the only such gallery in Northwest Florida.

“When people start trying to drag money into it, they don’t last long,” said gallery president Steve Claus. “I think it would lose some of its magic. The people who work at Artel do so because they want to, not because they want a check.”

Artel was founded in 1993, more than 15 years before it came to occupy the old courthouse. Throughout its 30-year history, Artel has positioned itself as a bastion of “art in its purest form without concern for marketability.”

↑ Originally built in 1887, the historic Old Escambia County Courthouse has been home to Artel Gallery since 2009. The downtown location corners Palafox and Government streets in Pensacola. Photo by Steven Gray

In an era where fine art and content creation often butt heads, institutions like Artel keep to a middle ground. The gallery welcomes artists of various levels of notoriety and offers opportunities for up-and-comers to professionally exhibit their work.

“We have local talent, and I enjoy that,” Claus said. “I don’t need to spend a lot of money to see the old masters when there’re plenty of pictures running around of them.”

Exhibitions director Hope Mastroianni determines exhibit themes and handles collection curation. Fabulous Forgeries, which was on display this past fall, encouraged artists to recontextualize famous works of art through the use of new media, subject matter and/or style.

The juried exhibition featured works such as Diane Collins’ American Goth, a modern interpretation of Grant Wood’s American Gothic, which received the award for “most experimental.” Collins’ work, which sold for $700, draws parallels between the stoic, homesteading subjects of Wood’s work and the solemn, metalheads pictured in her own.

Among the Artel’s permanent exhibits is a collection that predates the gallery itself: Cinco Banderas.

“It’s almost 40 years old,” Claus said. “There was a local builder named Kobacker who built a lot of homes in the area. He had this vision of having art available to the public without them having to pay.”

↑ Artel is home to the permanent Cinco Banderas collection, which grows each year through a juried exhibition, plus four other galleries of rotating works. Photo by Steven Gray

The Cinco Banderas collection comprises local art spanning several decades. Each year, the collection grows as new works are submitted to an annual juried exhibition. Artel purchases the winning pieces through either its own funding or through funding from the Kobacker Foundation and puts them up for public display in the gallery and in other public spaces around town. Together, the more than 100 pieces form a rich archive of Pensacola art through the years.

“A lot of the folks that have their work in the Cinco Banderas collection are still making art,” Claus said. “So, when they come here, it’s kind of like a homecoming for them.”

As the collection grows, Claus and his team vacate offices and clear walls to create new display spaces.

“During my first month in office, we had a big load of art from the public library,” Claus said. “They had run out of room where the art was formerly stored, and we made room for it. One of the places we found room was this massive cavernous office of mine. I guess some people might like the idea of a grandiose office, but I think it suits the art much better.”

Getting Involved

Longtime Artel volunteer Dorssie Melvin hosts a weekly drawing group at the gallery. Live models, who are often artists themselves, come together with a group of prescreened students to practice and create in a safe space. And, the gallery is always looking to expand its educational opportunities.

If you are interested in volunteering with Artel, visit ArtelGallery.org/volunteer-info. If you would like to learn more about Melvin’s weekly drawing group, contact Jimmy Rhea at education@artelgallery.org.