Modern art, vintage setting

Starting today, contemporary art has a permanent wall space in Cape Girardeau -- a space that defies the common notion of what an art gallery looks and feels like.

Taking a cue from other towns around the country, local artist Sarah Riley has taken a turn-of-the-century Queen Anne home and turned it into something much more modern -- a space for avant garde art called the Fountain Street Gallery, located at 34 N. Fountain St.

The clash of time periods between the rustic and modern may seem out of place, but not to Riley. To her, the 110-year-old house is the perfect setting for modern art.

Utahna Hancock positioned her terra cotta and low-fired glaze sculpture, "Veiled Goddess," at the Fountain Street Gallery.

"It will be an adventure," Riley said of opening the gallery today.

Riley drew her inspiration for starting the gallery in the old home from places like Paducah, Ky., Cape Cod, Mass., and Aspen, Colo., where Victorian-era homes house galleries, studios and shops. The house still isn't perfectly restored, but several hours and lots of worry have gone into making it a gallery.

"If you want the character, you have to be willing to just patch and repair now and then," Riley said.

Riley and a few of the seven other artists whose work now populate the gallery worked throughout the week hanging and placing work for today's showing.

Sculptures using human form and inspired by primitive art, mind's-eye-view non-representation landscapes, studies of lines and colors and dark multi-panel collages dealing with themes of addiction now fill up the once-empty spaces.

For Riley and her colleagues, Fountain Street Gallery is all about creating a permanent place to display art that breaks away from the representational into the abstract and conceptual.

"We acknowledge abstract forms, exciting color and moving outside the two-dimensional square that painting was even into the 20th century," Riley said. "I think it's about time for Cape Girardeau to have a permanent contemporary arts gallery."

Riley, who teaches art at Southeast Missouri State University, doesn't harbor an elitist disdain for more traditional, representational forms of visual arts. She just wants some variety. Her hope is that the new gallery will give university students and community members another place to see art they might not see elsewhere in Cape Girardeau.

Most of the artists displaying in Riley's gallery either live in the area, have roots here or are from other parts of Missouri. A few come from other parts of the country.

Those who live here hang their work not on a commission basis, but exchange two hours of their time each week to leave the door open for visitors.

One of those locals is Kathy Smith, also a Southeast art faculty member. Smith said having a contemporary art gallery in the city will help add to what has become a growing local art scene.

"I see a real burgeoning of open-mindedness and appreciation and willingness to take a look at different things," said Smith. "Cape has wonderful possibilities. It's a wonderful town, and there are all kinds of people out there in the city who really get turned on by this stuff, both traditional and contemporary, and you need both."

Smith, like Riley, also sees the opening of the gallery as a chance for students to see work similar to that being produced in major arts centers like Chicago and New York.

"We want students to have exposure to cutting-edge work that's not always popular in an area where you're not going to be exposed to it," Smith said. "It's nice to have a gallery that's going to balance that out and give a very different perspective."

And in honor of the holiday season, Riley's gallery is touting art as a holiday gift, offering a room of the house exclusively for pieces priced under $200 for the intellectuals and avant garde art lovers on the Christmas list.

Only time will tell whether or not Cape Girardeau is ready for a permanent contemporary art gallery. Riley thinks a market exists, and looks to the future with optimism. She even hopes to expand in the future, opening up the upstairs space for studios and hopefully a good interior designer with a contemporary style.

Current hours for Fountain Street Gallery are noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

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Other First Friday openings

For December, galleries are rolling out the Christmas cheer and making a home for contemporary art. One notable exception is the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, which is skipping this First Friday for next week's Children's Arts Fair.

Here are some of the openings taking place tonight:

~ One + One faculty art exhibition:

Southeast Missouri Regional Museum on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University will play host to an opening reception for the One + One faculty art exhibition.

The faculty art exhibition is an annual event, but this year Southeast alumni have been invited by faculty members to present their work in the exhibition. A variety of media and styles will be displayed.

An opening reception will be held today from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, call the museum at 651-2260.

~ Integrated Counterbalance:

One of Cape Girardeau's few contemporary artists groups, Integrated Counterbalance, will return to First Fridays tonight with an opening reception at the salon Green with Envy, 109 N. Main St., and at Gallery 1.2.5., 125 N. Main St.

The group will show 2D and 3D work by local artists Dennis Wilson, Lindsey Baker, Megan Thrower, Harry McDaniels, Charlie Kent and new member Jennifer Catron.

Art will be displayed today from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

~ Garden Gallery:

The Garden Gallery, 833 Broadway, will be open from noon to 9 p.m. today with an opening reception for Hannibal, Mo., artist Brenda Beck Fisher.

This month the gallery is featuring Fisher's representational watercolor paintings depicting a variety of scenes from serene mountain views to horses in pasture.

Homemade cookies will also be served to celebrate the holiday season.

The Bonney Bank Artists will also have a sale coinciding with First Friday at 823 Broadway. The group is a collection of artists producing pottery, beaded jewelry, stained glass and other crafts.

~ Edward Bernard Gallery:

The Edward Bernard Gallery, 107 West Drive, gets into the Christmas spirit this First Friday by unveiling its collection of handcrafted glass Christmas ornaments by Ralph Mossman, Michael Amis and Michael Cain. The gallery is open from 6 to 9 p.m.

The gallery is decked out for Christmas, including a tree, and will hold live Christmas caroling and hors d'ouevres for refreshment.

~ The Artist Studio:

Artist Studio owner Judy Barks-Westrich will display her own work in a variety of media -- acrylics, watercolors, collages, monotype prints, weavings, feather wreaths, handmade paper castings -- at her studio located at 38A N. Main St. The studio will be open from 5 to 9 p.m.

Westrich will also take sign-ups for an acrylic workshop starting Jan. 10.