The third annual Art Around the Park gallery walk was missing an important ingredient on Tuesday: Gallery Egan.
The gallery, scene of dozens of stimulating exhibits since it opened on Community Place in 2009, is closed.
“The gallery will be relocating in Morristown,” said Alexis Egan, who took over the gallery on Community Place last year from her uncle, Greg.
Alexis said the gallery is doing okay, but the rent is steep. She hopes to reopen nearby this fall–presumably, in time for the next Art Around the Park.
Harry Simon, owner of the Simon Gallery and organizer of the art walks, said he is pulling for Alexis. The whole purpose of Art Around the Park, he said, is to attract more galleries to Morristown, to make the town an arts destination in New Jersey.
Tuesday’s gallery walk included Harry’s gallery, the Gallery at 14 Maple, the Atrium Gallery and exhibits curated by Harry at Citibank and the Eclectic Grill at the Hyatt Morristown.
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Turnout was light; this time of year is pretty busy for most people, Harry acknowledged.
Absalon Asmad, Citibank’s Morristown branch manager, said he was delighted to welcome about 20 visitors to the exhibit after the bank closed on Tuesday. The abstract paintings will remain on display for three months, he said.
We have many fond memories of Gallery Egan on Community Place–including a Steevan Mars concert we promoted there. Alexis, 27, said about $30,000 was spent to make the gallery such an inviting space.
But the photographer proved her resilience during a harrowing year in Guatemala. Like Art Around the Park, we know she will be back.
Its almost im[possible for a gallery to maintain itself without another source of income. The gallery walks could also include some of the better picture framing galleries, who often feature art and artists in their shops.
We need to combine uses. The most successful antique shop in Morristown was a center where many dealers shared space and costs. Century 21 suceeds because it sells more than one type of item. Art galleries can work with book shops, speciality food items etc.
Hopefully, the new eco center will feature an art component.