Conversations with Christopher Blanchard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Blanchard.

Hi Christopher, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started oil painting in 2016, had several solo exhibitions and in 2024 I was given the opportunity to open an art gallery in the storefront of a building at 172 Water Street in downtown Hallowell, ME. I have done so and recently celebrated by first year being open. Hallowell is widely known for it’s bohemian art and music culture as well as the antique shops that used to line Water Street. The only other art gallery that existed here was the Harlow Gallery which was open for upwards of 40 years. The Harlow closed during COVID-19 and so I am picking up that mantle.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No! Running a private (for-profit) art gallery is extremely difficult. For-profit galleries cannot apply for many grants that exist to help with operation costs. Selling enough art to pay rent and utilities is nearly impossible when selling to locals. Hence, like most businesses, tourism is the economic driver to make the gallery a viable business. I sell most of the art in the summer months. Come winter, when the town is quiet, it is more difficult to sell. I suppliment my time by doing commissions and working out-of-house jobs intermittently. I used to be a house painter and so I keep up with bills with painting although I take on fewer and fewer jobs as the Blanchard Gallery gains support and recognition. I also offer the space for extracurricular events such as: poetry readings, paint parties, town meetings, and sound bath meditations to name a few.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I received my Bachelors for Illustration where I spent most of my time working on graphic design and digital artwork. I graduated in 2009 and moved to California where I worked for a social media marketing company developing and designing websites. I quit that job to move back home to Maine. I started painting in oils in 2016. I live near Hallowell and I got a job working at a local restaraunt called Slates where I hung my first paintings as part of an annual employee exhibit. I sold two paintings at that show and haven’t stopped painting since. I studied and became enamored with several Dutch Masters including Rembrandt, Diego Velasquez, Johannes Vermeer, and, more recently, John Singer Sargent. I stuck out as a local artist because of my intense interest with the Dutch Masters, I copied their brooding, dynamic lighting, personal style as a way of teaching myself the medium and developing a system/method. Also, something that stands out about my work is the breadth of subject matter. I tend not to do too much of any “one thing” and often hang miscellaneous works including all traditional forms of fine art including portraiture, landscape, still life, plein air, alla prima, abstract, and impressionism.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I often say I am very lucky although the notion of luck downplays a lot of hard work. But I maintain I am lucky. I was sitting at a coffee shop talking to a friend of mine. She and her partner had recently bought a building downtown and we were brainstorming ideas for the storefront. She said “what about an art gallery”? She knew I was an artist and had already bought some of my work. I said yes immediately. That meeting happened in May of 2024. By July, I was paying rent in the space and setting it up for an art gallery. Opening show was in August. I had no time to prepare or save money to make the financial transition easy. The building owners helped me out tremendously in making that happen (allowing me to pay what I could, when I could). I would not be able to do what I am doing if it wasn’t for my friends. Before our coffee shop meeting, I had no notion of opening a gallery. It’s something I’ve never done or been a part of in the past so the learning curve is massive and ongoing.

Pricing:

• Price range (I assume that’s what you mean) varies dramatically: $125-$5000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blanchardgallery.com
• Instagram: @cpblanchard
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564868229100

Image Credits
Musician: Aaron Larget-Caplan, Poetry reading event(s) organized by Dennis Camire, self portrait painting, Calico and Pewter painting, board of trade meeting: George Lapointe (Mayor of Hallowell) , Nick Lacasse (board of trade president)