Where will we be without Gallery Joe? My Philadelphia dealer of fifteen years, has decided to close shop. Becky Kerlin had the most exciting home for shows of contemporary drawing. Her gallery in Old City, Philadelphia was a marvelous conversion of a Friends print shop converted to a exhibition space and including the vault as a gallery. With renovations to the property impending, Gallery Joe closed its public space in 2015 and moved to private quarters, continuing to operate by appointment and through art fair participation.
The gallery statement said it all:
"Gallery Joe opened for business in 1993 in Philadelphia, PA. The gallery’s program is highly specialized, dedicated exclusively to the exhibition of contemporary drawing from the late 80’s forward. The mission of the gallery is to show work that is intellectually stimulating and thoughtfully executed in a variety of styles and media. The gallery represents and shows emerging and mid-career artists from both the US and abroad who have chosen to make drawing central to their practice."
Becky first saw my work in 2003 in the Value and Presence group exhibition at Swarthmore College and invited me to be in a group exhibition at Gallery Joe.
In addition to memorable group exhibitions such as water color and Small Scale: Expansive Visions
I was honored to have four solo exhibitions at the gallery: Suites and Pages (11 February - 25 March 2006), From the Inside Looking Out (1 November - 20 December 2008), Dust and Shade (24 September - 22 October 2011), Spotlight: Charles Ritchie (7 February 31 March 2020). What a rewarding experience.
Installation of the 2008 exhibition, From the Inside Looking Out, which included drawings and journals at Gallery Joe.
Becky Kerlin and Charles Ritchie at the opening of Suites and Pages in 2006. Thank you, Becky.
