Meet Suzanne ConnollyHowes Howes of pARTiculars Art Gallery and Teaching Studio in East Boulder County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne ConnollyHowes Howes.

Suzanne, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Eleven years ago, our landlady had an empty unit and had always wanted to have an art gallery in the area. She contacted a number of local artists and said she would help with the permitting if we wanted to start a gallery. We talked to artists we admired and it grew into a collective of 21 artists who came together to form pARTiculars, an artist-owned cooperative gallery and teaching studio committed to excellence in art and art education. Our continued purpose is to nurture and promote artistic passion in artists, students and the community by running a profitable artist-owned gallery and teaching studio. We have never wavered from that mission through the framework of the collective has metamorphosed a couple of times as we figured out how to be profitable in a difficult economic landscape. Currently, we have three tiers of involvement in the cooperative aspect of the gallery. Tier 1 – six owners, there are four original members and two that joined us eight years ago. We make all long term decisions, set policy, have financial responsibility. Tier 2 – six members, help run the gallery, teach classes, Tier 3 – local consigning artists that we invite in to be guest artists for 1 -2 months. In addition, the gallery supports the local artist community by showcasing close to 35 consigning artists.

As a community-based art gallery, we have been instrumental in building Lafayette as an Art Hub. We started an Art Night Out Event that grew into a city-sponsored event that happens every second Friday from May through September that now includes live music, food trucks and a juried art fair. From the beginning of the Art Night Out events, we have always created opportunities for the public to either create some art or watch a demo of a professional artist showcasing their craft.

I have been the artist that has spearheaded most of the art creations. My focus for these events has always been to directly involve the community in creating public art. My goal has been to give them a taste of the creative process, a quick lesson in an art medium and the lasting experience of walking in their neighborhood and enjoying a piece of art that they helped create. These installations build a personal and a collective connection to our community and builds an appreciation of and fir the artists. We now have six permanent installations outside the gallery, including a spectacular large flower planter, three repurposed doors, two sets of stepping stones and a delightful children’s clay sculpture. Over the years, I have used art made during different events in our teaching studio to decorate our window displays, again, in an effort to connect people, through art, to their community. I am currently developing a project for the upcoming Art Night Out event that will be used as part of the window displays for September and October.

Over the years, we have developed effective ways to promote our artists. We have 6 two month shows a year, including a student show, a community holiday show and a collaborative show with members and owners. In addition, we have a Featured Artist and a Guest Artist program. This allows us to have rotating shows that showcase our current artists, celebrate our students and brings in new artists to the gallery. I have personally grown as an artist with the Featured Artist program. Each year I challenge myself to push my boundaries for that show and for the collaborative show l do annually with the other owners.

I am constantly seeking new ways to help people overcome their resistance and their fear of doing anything artistic. It usually stems from a belief that they have no talent. I believe everyone is artistic. They have just not found their medium. I am a multi-media artist, I am primarily a fiber artist and a clay artist, but I will play with lots of different techniques and medium. I teach classes in silk painting and felt creations and l often use mosaic for our community events. I get the spectrum of those who only want to watch (and kibbutz), to folks who are delighted affix one ceramic piece, to those who will get so involved that they stay for a couple of hours and come back later to grout.

Great, 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?
Goodness no. Starting out with 21 owners was a huge challenge. Herding cats would be easier than getting 21 artistic minds to have the same vision, or agree on the best methods to use to achieve that vision!

We had those that liked the idea of a collective but never truly committed to the work involved and the dedication needed to see goals to completion.

We have struggled with the reality that artists are not that good at marketing themselves.

We have had to work through the reality that many of us are pretty tech illiterate, so not savvy with computers or much inclined to learn.. we would rather spend our time creating art!

We lost many owners over the ten years and gained new ones. We struggled with how to deal with that legally and emotionally and finally came up with our current 3 tier system. It has been in place for almost four years and we have entered into a time of stability that has let us focus on building our teaching curriculum, advertising and selling our classes more effectively and running a profitable gallery.

pARTiculars Art Gallery and Teaching Studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in unique, one of a kind art. Many of our artists only show in our gallery, while others have awards and fame.

Our little gallery has become the destination for people looking for something special. Our customers love knowing they can come in and find the perfect painting for a wall, an exquisite piece of jewelry to celebrate an important life event or a piece of artistic whimsy that just makes them happy. We specialize in the ART of giving and everyone who regularly shops with us tell us they love being able to give art and at the same time support artists in the giving.

We are especially proud of the fact that we support local art teachers skilled in their craft. Many of our teachers are retired educators who brings years of knowledge to their students. Through our exceptional art classes, we are developing future accomplished artists and building our local artist community.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Personally, as an artist: When a woman who has purchased five of my clay sculptures told me she had put each one into her will to go to a specific beloved person.

In creating community art:
Finishing the mosaic planter – there were five women who came to all four community events to create the mosaic and then came to help with the grout, They came back for four different sessions, in the hot sun. It was a true collaborative effort as we worked out a few technical difficulties. There was much laughter and sharing. Our collective joy in finishing and planting stays with me each spring when I replant it.

Contact Info:

• Address: pARTiculars Art Gallery and Teaching Studio
  401 S Public Rd
  Lafayette CO. 80206
• Website: Www.particularsART.com
• Phone: 720-890-7888
• Email: Info@particularsART.com
• Facebook: PARTiculars – the lafayette art market

Image Credit:
Laura Tyler
Barbara McDaniels

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