By Lynne Schwartz-Barker
This October, Gallery Eleven, a Charleston artists cooperative, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The members will celebrate at their snazzy retail shop on the first floor of Charleston’s Town Center Mall. The Gallery is wholly owned by the artists, who create the paintings, prints, sculptures, jewelry, and pottery sold there. There is no paid staff, so if you shop there, you will meet at least one of the artists, who can knowledgeably discuss all the beautiful work in the Gallery.
Celebrating a 50th anniversary is no mean feat, for, like rock bands, art co-ops often have limited life spans. People age, move away, and sadly have disagreements that cause splits in the organization. What made this group have staying power? The eleven original members wanted to create a permanent space, owned by them, to show and sell their art. Each member discussed and agreed to a concept and rules. They would take turns manning the gallery, selling everyone’s artwork, not just their own. Members would plan and execute art events, including a festive monthly art opening. They did their own bookkeeping and paid membership fees, as well as a percentage of sales, to the Gallery. Most of all, they supported each other’s work and remained friends.
To become a new member, you had to be invited to join by an existing member. Original member and painter Rosalie Adkins told writer Jeff Pierson in a 2005 edition of ArtWorks: “We all had a great passion for art. It was our common bond. The challenge was to find the right group of people. We were careful to make sure everybody involved approved each new member. We decided to stop at 11.”
A chance encounter on Capitol Street by Henry Keeling, an original member and painter, provided the spark for Gallery Eleven. He overheard two young women artists talking about starting a co-op and joined the conversation. They invited artist friends to gatherings to share art—that group formed Gallery Eleven.
Many of the original members already knew each other. They had studied locally and were award-winning artists. A number taught art. Almost all belonged to Allied Artists and showed work at a number of venues, including Sunrise Museum and the Culture Center.
The current group of 14 artists have similar resumes and goals. They are also involved in selling and showing work at Tamarack, The Parkersburg Art Center, and The Culture Center. Many have been officers of Allied Artists.
Because of the original group’s chemistry, subsequent additions were heartily welcomed and fit in well. For jeweler and current member Damienne Dibble, who says she was used to “being solitary” it took some getting used to saying, “It’s a continuing process of adjusting to a group that are actually partners.” Partnership is key, where all have an equal say in the running of the organization. Sharing information is another essential element of longevity. “Artists as a group benefit from being with other artists,” says painter and current member Linda Stonestreet. “You can be encouraged to learn new things. Artists are very generous in terms of knowledge.” That information can inspire new work. “I didn’t really like abstract art,” said Newman Jackson. “But communicating with other members, I had a better understanding of it and I’m experimenting with abstraction.”
Newest and youngest member, painter Andrea Anderson, likes the artistic freedom: “As an artist if you want to go in a different direction, a gallery owner may not want you to work outside your ‘brand’. But if you use the same ingredients for dinner every night, you can only make so many things.”
Another goal of Gallery Eleven, still in practice today, is making art affordable for as many people as possible. Anderson says the co-op structure “makes it more affordable for the artist…to keep your prices more accessible.”
Being invited to join Gallery Eleven is a prestigious invitation, an acceptance of your work into a valued art community. “I knew some of the original members, like Ray McNamara, a professor at West Virginia State,” said current member and sculptor Bob Fisher, “so it was a big deal to get in. Everyone knows Gallery Eleven! I’ve learned a lot about creative art and the business of art here too.”
“Being part of Gallery Eleven forces me to keep painting to produce new material,” said Nan Perry. “It’s also a place to store work, for how much can you put under your bed?” Several artists mentioned the storage for previous locations was little to none.
Origins
How did this co-op begin back in 1975? It seems to have started in the artists’ colony in Provincetown, Massachusetts, at the tip of Cape Cod. Here, according to current member and printmaker Kathy Boland, some of the original members found community. “There were hundreds of artists painting on the beach and there was an art school bringing people in.” For an artist, it was a stimulating place to spend summer vacation, discussing art over restaurant meals, sharing techniques, and being immersed in and inspired by other artists’ work. Three of the original Gallery Eleven members exhibited work in a Provincetown co-op gallery. Writer Ann Griffith, in a 1975 Charleston Daily Mail article, wrote “With increasing frequency, they had been asking themselves and their fellow artists why Charleston couldn’t support something of the sort.”
A chance encounter on Capitol Street by Henry Keeling, an original member and painter, provided the spark for Gallery Eleven. He overheard two young women artists talking about starting a co-op and joined the conversation. They invited artist friends to gatherings to share art—that group formed Gallery Eleven.
On October 9, 1975, they opened an art gallery on Broad Street in Charleston, four steps below ground level, small on space but all their own. A description by Charleston Daily Mail writer Ann Griffith noted that if all eleven members were in the gallery, no patrons could fit, but had to spill over onto the sidewalk for the event.
As its popularity grew, Gallery Eleven moved into larger spaces on Quarrier Street. There, the members had room to host new artists via events. A wall in the Gallery was reserved for a monthly invited guest artist, with an opening during ArtWalk. The Gallery hosted the WV Watercolor Society’s annual show and Youth Art Month displays. They also sponsored an Annual Art Invitational for Small Works called Crazy 8’s. All mediums of work were accepted with the caveat that the work, including the frame, was 8 inches by 8 inches, and had to be sold for $88. The Gallery kept a percentage of sales for the events and found some new talented members as a bonus.
Original Members:
Rosalie Atkins, an abstract painter, whose little dog sat in her lap while she worked.
Helen Bratt, a painter who worked in all media, including puppet making. She taught art at Sunrise Museum and at the YMCA.
Barbara Blumberg, a coordinator of children’s activities for the Pediatrics Department at Charleston Memorial Hospital. A watercolorist and sewing teacher, she started Stitch 9, an artists’ custom sewing firm that made clothes and banners.
Della Brown Taylor, a beloved Art Professor at WV State University, who has an art gallery there named for her. She was an art critic for The Charleston Gazette, a world traveler, and a batik artist, weaver, and potter. She judged art for many competitions.
Esther Forsley, an award-winning abstract watercolorist.
Jan Griffin, a Phys Ed Major turned artist, known for her silkscreen and woodblock prints. She taught art at Garnet’s Adult Education program. A talented sewer, she was also a member of Stitch 9.
John Hudkins, a chemical engineer, who got an MFA in Art at Marshall. An experienced art exhibit judge and painter, he was an art critic for the Charleston Daily Mail.
Henry Keeling, chairman of the Art Department at Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston), studied at Pratt Institute, Marshall, and did graduate work at NYU. He was a talented interior decorator and painter.
Milton Koslow, an attorney and world traveler, started painting seriously during his WWII military service, using his paintings as memoir. He studied art at Morris Harvey College, Mason College, WVU, and in New York and London.
Ray McNamara, an art professor at WV State University, got his art degree from the Chicago Art Institute and his Masters from the University of Michigan. He and his wife were both award-winning artists. He worked in a number of media, did quick portraits and sketches at festivals, and owned a small gallery called the Minotaur in the old Arcade Building.
Nancy Mottesheard, a painter, studied at Ohio University and Morris Harvey College. She was an employment counselor and taught art at the YMCA.
Some current members have fond memories of the original members. Kathy Boland said Esther Forsley’s abstract paintings “were very fine. If we were unsure if our paintings were finished, Hank Keeling could tell us where to add a little dab. Rosalie Atkins, a lovely lady, had a little black dog she brought to the Gallery. Milton Koslow was a gentleman. He had a subdued style and used gold leaf in his work. Jan Griffin was a wonderful printmaker. I still see her stuff everywhere.”
JoeAnne Crawford had a studio above Gallery Eleven: “Hank Keeling came up and got some of my work and took it down to the Gallery. They sold it for me and that was before I was a member!”
Newman Jackson was an art student at West Virginia State University where “Ray McNamara taught me printing and Della Brown Taylor taught me fabric weaving and batik as well as pottery. She was always raising money to take students to see art face-to-face. She took us to DC to meet the well known artist Lois Pierre Noel Jones. We went to the artist’s house and she opened her gallery so we could see her paintings.”
Fifty Years Later
Currently, Gallery Eleven has 14 members, though painter and printmaker Kathy Boland will retire this year. Current members, including six new ones in the last three years, are a talented and ambitious group. Andrea Anderson, a painter, is inspired by hikes in the woods. Monty Brown enjoys provoking discussion with his paintings. JoeAnn Crawford paints colorful garden scenes. Damienne Dibble, a former potter, creates jewelry and wire sculptures. Bob Fisher works with recycled materials to create “sculpted stories.” Newman Jackson paints figurative and abstract work on large canvases. Nan Perry, current Gallery president, paints landscapes in oils and started a monthly plein air painting group. Joyce Waltz Daniels paints colorful abstracts in oils. Danielle Milam, a painter, came to the Gallery via the Crazy 8’s competition. Jean Pennington paints landscapes and “pseudo-Aboriginal art” using pointillist techniques. Randy Selbe is a talented potter, inspired by Southwestern and Asian art. Linda Stonestreet paints abstracts in oils with a palette knife. Jerre Watkins specializes in watercolor nature studies and landscapes.
Many of these artists started their working lives in different careers, but came from families of artists and art teachers, or discovered their art abilities as adults. Many went back to school for art degrees and a number still teach art workshops. In addition to paintings, jewelry, pottery, and sculpture, artists offer prints, pillows, notecards, and other small, affordable works at the Gallery. A recent grant, funded by the West Virginia Recreational Economies Initiative in Charleston, has allowed the Gallery to develop a more user-friendly website where artists, their works for sale, and scheduled events are featured. If you enjoy talking to artists and buying art, the Gallery is open from 11 am to 7 pm Wednesday to Saturday and 12:30 to 5:30 on Sunday.
How will Gallery Eleven celebrate its 50th anniversary? Events are in the planning stage for the weekend of October 10th, with other events being designed for the anniversary year. They’re considering reviving the Crazy 8’s competition as well as inviting guest artists to show at the Gallery. Check their website at galleryeleven.com and social media accounts for further information.
LYNNE SCHWARTZ-BARKER
Schwartz, Lynne. “Charleston’s Gallery Eleven Celebrates Fifty Years of Affordable Art.” Goldenseal West Virginia Traditional Life, Spring 2025. https://goldenseal.wvculture.org/charlestons-gallery-eleven-celebrates-fifty-years-of-affordable-art/
