The Ann Korologos Gallery will remain part of our local arts community after coming into close proximity with dissolution. The gallery, approaching its 33rd year and representing 37 artists, will continue under the same management, now transitioning into new ownership.
After its eponymous (namesake) owner passed away in 2023, uncertainty clouded the gallery’s future. The Ann Korologos estate initially allowed Gallery Director Sue Edmonds and Marketing Director Claire de L’Arbre to continue operations on a provisional basis. That tentative agreement was set to expire at the end of October last year. As the deadline approached, Edmonds and de L’Arbre began seriously discussing acquiring the gallery themselves. As de L’Arbre reflected, “A summer of knowing the gallery may close had everyone reflect on what a loss that would be.”
As things came to a head in September, Edmonds recalls calling de L’Arbre and saying, “I don’t want to do this by myself, but if you’ll do it with me, let’s continue.” In December, the transition of ownership was complete.
The new co-owners have worked together at the gallery for six years. Both are deeply invested in continuing to support the gallery’s roster and remaining an active part of the local art community.
For de L’Arbre the decision to maintain the gallery holds a responsibility. “I started with the gallery in 2017 as the marketing director under the shared principle that, ‘When the artist does well, we all succeed’ … As the third generation of women at the helm, I feel responsible for the artists doing well. Ann believed this, as did the three founders before her … I’m sure there will come a time when a fourth generation is asked to carry it forward, and the community will be stronger for doing so.”
The gallery is loosely focused on regional art with Western themes. In a shared statement, the new owners wrote: “Our shared vision is to deepen our support for contemporary artists and continue cultivating a space where the spirit and stories of the West thrive.”
The current exhibition, “Gathering Light,” focuses on landscape painting by four artists and demonstrates how the gallery handles scope. The works vary widely in texture, scale and mood. Color is at the forefront of many of the paintings, including those by Rick Stevens, whose work uses precise color to heighten vibrancy while remaining earthy and restrained in value. One painting — “View Through the Aspens” — recalls early post-impressionist color schemes, employing a tight chromatic palette that negotiates between naturalism and idealism.
Paintings by Dan Young operate very differently, aligning more closely with a lineage tracing back to James Whistler or George Inness. In works like “A Winter Night,” tonal, atmospheric color creates soft, reflective environments. The landscape is intricate yet absorbed into a poetic field of contemplation.
The gallery as a whole pushes outward from its core emphasis on the spirit of Western art. Tradition remains present, but as visitors move through the space, the parameters broaden considerably. Graphic, expressive, poetic and process-based approaches all appear on display.
Next month, the exhibition “Free Rein” opens on Feb. 3. An all-women show, it offers fresh approaches to familiar Western experiences. Speaking about the future of the gallery, Edmonds said, “We are keeping the name, but the brand is evolving. It’s not about Claire and I, it’s about the next chapter.”