A new view: New gallery to spotlight contemporary works
BY CASSIE HUFFMAN, Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Friday, October 6, 2006
At ddp gallery, Fayetteville's newest art venue, patrons can find more than just fine art on the walls.
In addition to monthly shows, owner Dede Peters will also provide art rentals for those looking to decorate their living room, stage a show house or add color to an office wall. She also plans to host group critique sessions for artists and stock her gallery shelves with an abundance of art magazines.
The public got its first look at the new space in September, when the gallery hosted the Pin-Up Art Salon during the Fayetteville Arts Festival. However, it officially opened Thursday with a wine and cheese reception for Don Lee, an associate art professor at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith whose works on paper will remain on view through Nov. 4.
Peters said she chose Lee as her first featured artist because his works fit in with the gallery's aim of showcasing contemporary works by regional and national artists and because "people up here are not as familiar with him as they should be."
Peters first became acquainted with Lee's works when she attended one of his shows in Fort Smith, and her friend owns two of his pieces, she said.
"I really like works on paper," she said, "and [Lee's works] have great texture and movement. ... They let your eye wander."
Peters said she had been contemplating opening a gallery for some time.
"I've worked on the business side of various art-related fields for 12 years now, and I really like the business behind art," she said.
She searched for years for an available, affordable space before a viable solution presented itself with the July relocation of Handmade to the Evelyn Hills Shopping Center. Peters moved into the long, narrow space located on East Mountain Street off the Square, put up temporary walls, painted everything white and voilà, she had her gallery.
A Dallas native, Peters obtained a photography degree from Hendrix College before moving to San Francisco, where she worked in advertising. She relocated to Fayetteville about five years ago, working for a stint as a dog walker. Two years ago, she took a job as exhibition coordinator at the Walton Arts Center where she learned a lot about hanging and curating exhibitions, she said.
An artist in her own right, Peters is currently focusing on painting but has had her photography featured at Nadine Baum Studios' McCoy Gallery and Iris Arts. Her works were also chosen from among 500 submissions for inclusion in PhotoSpiva 2006, an annual photography exhibition at the Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, Mo.
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ddp gallery
Address: 7 E. Mountain St., Fayetteville
Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays or by appointment
Phone: 442-0001
Web site: ddpgallery.com
originally located at http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/whatsup/45602/
