Galleries join art scene
Fine art, photos focus of new Buckhead shops
H.M. Cauley - For the Journal-Constitution
Thursday, February 16, 2006
For years, Ann Huff, Meg Harrington and Sandee Oliver Bartkowski did the same job without knowing anything about each other. The three women sold art from their homes and toyed with the idea of having gallery space some day.
By the end of this month, all three will see their dream become a reality with new gallery spaces bearing their names opening in Buckhead.
Mutual friends who knew that Huff and Harrington shared a passion for all things French matched them up. The result of their collaboration is Huff Harrington Fine Art, opening Feb. 23, where the goal is to show art in a customer-friendly environment. "We've seen the statistics that say only 8 percent of people ever step foot in a gallery because they're intimidated," Huff said. "Since we started selling in our homes, we really wanted to capture the sense of someone coming to our house and loving the art on the walls. That's how people feel comfortable."
The two dealers purchased a small brick ranch house on Rickenbacker Drive in Chastain Park and turned it into their art display space. "We have sofas where you can sit and look at the art," Huff said. "It's the kind of place our clients will drive by several times a day, so it's convenient. They can also take art home on approval and look at it in their own space." Huff, who lives nearby, and Harrington, who lives in Brookhaven, say their collection comes from the south of France and the South. "I largely do French paintings with some local artists as well," Huff said. "And Meg has a number of local artists."
Sandee Bartkowski's first gallery opened Tuesday, featuring her own works of photography. It's an art form she's been perfecting for more than a decade. I've been shooting portraits and selling images out of my house in Duluth," said Bartkowski, whose husband is former Atlanta Falcon Steve Bartkowski. "I started going to photography classes to learn the technical stuff. I just started taking pictures and soon had a strong word-of-mouth business that finally has its own space." he Sandee O. Photography gallery at the corner of East Andrews Driveand Roswell Roadshowcases her collection of photographic portraits, including several of famous faces such as Steve Martin, Arthur Blank and Roseanne Barr.
"Most of my work is in black and white, with many transferred onto watercolor paper to resemble a painting," Bartkowski said. "I have some items I've never really shown that people are now starting to buy."
NEW GALLERIES
> Huff Harrington Fine Art
> Where: 4240 Rickenbacker Drive
> Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment.
> Phone: 404-257-0511.
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> Sandee O. Photography
> Where: 3240 Roswell Road
> Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment
> Phone: 404-816-0480
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