Last Friday, a new exhibit titled “Mini-Masterpieces” opened at GogoArts, a new gallery in New Castle. The gallery sits on Main Street in a well-lit space that holds the promise of exceptional local art on its walls. It is the first gallery of its kind in town, and this exhibit features seven contemporary artists exploring painting, printmaking, sculpture and various intersections of these media. At the opening a local attendee, Tim Finholm, remarked, “We are really excited to have everybody come downvalley, into New Castle and to show off our town.”
The gallery was founded by the artist Nicole Nagel-Gogolak, a long term resident with deep ties to the local art scene. “I have always been interested in a space where I could design my own programming and provide learning experiences for the larger community,” she said. After returning to the Valley three years ago, following a period in Las Vegas so her daughter could attend a competitive dance school, Nagel-Gogolak fell into this opportunity organically.
“I was not planning to do this, but my realtor, who is community-oriented, wanted to introduce something vibrant into the space. We talked about it for about two years, and he finally said it is ‘now or never,’” she recounted. “It feels like a collaboration. We had to re-level the floor, strip the popcorn ceiling, replace the tube lighting and redo the bathroom … We split the development costs. He is very supportive.”
Nagel-Gogolak is no stranger to the region’s creative networks. Early in her artistic career, she was a resident at Anderson Ranch. After the residency, she collaborated with the Ranch and became their outreach teacher in Garfield County schools, teaching kindergarten to third grade with the aim of engaging the creative confidence of local kids who lacked access to an arts education. Nagel-Gogolak still reflects on the lasting influence of those early Ranch connections.
She said, “Some of the people in my residency cohort are amazing contributors to our community. I am inspired by people like Sam Harvey with his gallery, and Alleghany Meadows who started S.A.W.” Nagel-Gogolak’s hope is that various art organizations in the Valley can deepen their bonds and serve a broader community together.
Incidentally, the curator for this recent exhibition, the third at GogoArts, was Megan George, a resident artist at S.A.W. She first encountered the gallery at its previous opening. “The opening before was Matt Hays, and I came to support my friend. That is when I met Nagel-Gogolak, who was like, ‘I need your help,’” explained George.
Her curatorial concept for this exhibit is exploratory at heart. “Mini-Masterpieces” is a collection of small works that introduces the community to a wide range of styles and media. It’s an exhibit meant to fish for engagement and see how locals respond. George, who works at a brewery down the street, met many of the exhibiting artists on the job and hopes to continue to expand her network in ways that reflect the community’s makeup.
This approach mirrors Nagel-Gogolak’s guiding principle for the gallery, which is rooted in a willingness to adapt to community needs. “I want it to evolve organically and surprise me. I think the most exciting things happen without expectations.”
An ethos she thoroughly engages with, including in her studio art practice: “I love taking materials and revealing them in unexpected ways. An adventurous use of materials, like sewing with metal or beadwork with rocks.” The gallery seems positioned to grow in a similar fashion, malleably shaped by participation.
Nagel-Gogolak’s belief in the social importance of art underscores the entire project. “Art is so valuable. It is how we find our voice, how we learn to believe in ourselves, how we learn to see ourselves within our community and the greater world,” she said. “Everyone should have the opportunity to see what makes them feel good when they are creating.”
The space is already embracing this idea. It offers a place to gather with purpose, such as the New Castle Painting Society, a watercolor group that meets on Sundays and often runs past its allotted time due to the demands of participant enthusiasm.
The gallery marks an important blank slate for art engagement in a commuter town that is beginning to find its cultural footing. The central questions, what kind of work the community responds to and which artists it chooses to support, are still developing. The future of the space and whether it becomes a hub for meet-ups, classes or a broader cultural mission, depends on the people who show up and shape it in their own image.