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EXCLUSIVE: Austin's oldest continually operating art gallery will no longer operate as a brick-and-mortar space
By Jeanne Claire van Ryzin
Austin’s longest continually operating art gallery will close its brick-and-mortar operations.
Gallery Shoal Creek, which opened in 1965 as G. Harvey Gallery, will shift to a different business model after the close of its current exhibition on Feb. 23, said owner Judy Taylor.
Gallery Shoal Creek is in the Flatbed building, the East Austin arts complex that is slated for redevelopment. The building’s owners, a Dallas development company, last year declined to renew the master lease, held by Flatbed Press. More than a dozen galleries and artists sublet from Flatbed Press including Camiba Art and Austin Book Arts Center, both of which are re-locating.
See: Flatbed Press prepares to move
See: Camiba Art Gallery to Relocate, and Reshape Its Practice
“With change comes opportunity,” said Taylor in a statement. “The loss of our lease to re-development has provided the timely catalyst to redirect how I connect with artists and collectors in our changing environment. Moving away from a brick-and-mortar gallery space will allow me to focus on what I value most: my relationships with art enthusiasts.”
“Rather than open a retail gallery in a new location, I will engage with individuals directly and conveniently by appointment at their home, office, or one of several places where I will have work on view. I will continue to represent a select group of accomplished artists with whom I have long-standing relationships and introduce collectors to the work of other artists that I think may align with their interests and tastes.”
Taylor said that while her business plans are still evolving, she does have plans to continue to stage temporary exhibits at Korman Fine Jewelry, an initiative Gallery Shoal Creek started recently.
Taylor took the helm of the gallery in 1990 when it was still at its W. 34th St. location overlooking Shoal Creek. She has represented artists from around the country. Among the Austin artists represented by Gallery Shoal Creek are Shawn Camp, Katie Maratta and Sydney Yeager.
When the gallery first opened in 1965, it focused on the work of G. Harvey Jones and other Western artists. Under the guidance of Ann Hagood, owner of the gallery from 1970 to  1990, the scope broadened to include regional landscape artists. Taylor modernized the gallery’s scope to focus on contemporary art.
The current exhibition “Koichi Yamamoto: Aspect Ratio” will be on view through Feb. 23.
Jeanne Claire van Ryzinhttps://sightlinesmag.org
An award-winning arts journalist, Jeanne Claire van Ryzin is the founder and editor-in-chief of Sightlines.