Showplace the result of cooperative effort of seven artists

Eye-catching views at new Cape Harbour business

By JL Watson
Originally posted on October 06, 2007

The window at the back of the gallery features water views of Cape Harbour.

For visitors to Harbour View Gallery the scenery inside is just as eye-catching. The seven artists who have worked cooperatively for the past nine months finally saw their masterpiece finished when the gallery opened its doors to customers this week.

"We have such a talented group of people," said founder and president Shirley Hales. "We are so proud."

JL Watson/news-press.com • "Turquoise Wheeling Dolphins" by potter Andrea Perisho The gallery is Hales' brainchild. It's a project she has been incubating for more than a year."

"When we moved here a year ago August I knew I wanted to find space for a coop gallery," she said. "I didn't think it would happen this quickly."

Hales, who didn't know any other artists when she moved to Cape Coral, first met with Cape Coral Art Festival founder John Jacobsen and SIM Gallery owner Steve Turner. They encouraged her to scout other artists and continue with her plans to open a gallery.

"We had five artists by the end of February and then recruited two more," she said.

The group had planning meetings and worked out governing documents and a general idea of how they would run the gallery.

"We made group decisions on everything," Hales said.

The gallery, which occupies one of the larger spaces at the Cape Harbour shops, features photography, pottery, watercolor, acrylics, jewelry, glass and paper casting art. One of the resident artists will be on site every day to answer questions and help customers.

"Our goal at this point is we just want it to be beautiful and want it to be open," potter Andrea Perisho said. "We'll have different goals for the second year."

Although the gallery is home to the seven founding members and resident artists, they plan to leave room for more — each month the gallery will feature the work of a visiting artist, too.

"We want to provide opportunities for other artists," Hales said. "We want to be a premiere art destination."

Lens artist Florene Welebny, who started exhibiting her photos less than four years ago, said that the experience of opening a gallery has been rewarding.

"In two days we went from an empty space to a gallery," she said. "I never would have believed it."

Perisho said she is looking forward to meeting new customers in the gallery.

"I think it's going to be a nice place to work but a nice place to shop, too," she said.