Saturday, November 23, 6-8pm
Galería Izamal, Mesones 80
Free

Anniversary 27th Sale and Party

By Henry Vermillion

Who woudda thunk it? I was one of a handful of painters having coffee in the patio of the old Meson San Jose restaurant on Mesones in 1992, commiserating with each other about how the three art galleries in town were not selling much of our work, how they stuck our beautiful stuff in their bodegas where no one saw it, and now, they wanted exclusives---we could sell only at one gallery. “Wait a minute! Look at that!” said one of us, pointing to the sign on one of the locales in the patio: “FOR RENT”, it said. “Let´s start our own gallery!” And so, in November of that year, in that 15 x 15 foot space, we did.

On Saturday, November 23, Galeria Izamal invites both old friends and new to come to celebrate our 27th anniversary at the gallery, now at 80 Mesones, next to the Teatro Ángela Peralta. Discounts of up to 50% will be available on some work. Live music will liven the event.

This will be the gallery´s 22nd and last year in the present space, since Izamal will be leaving for another location soon afterward. As with many other downtown locations, the entire building is building is being sold, and the restaurant, hotel and other commercial spaces must leave.

Izamal has always been a cooperative gallery. Sales go directly to the artist, and since the gallery does not take the usual 40 or 50 percent commission, prices are correspondingly lower.

The original gallery members were Julian Fedorak, Rocio Hoffmann, Manuel Lizararraga, Estela Macias, Ed Osman, Rick Welland, myself, and Britt Zaist. Over the years, we have featured the work of San Miguel artists Jaime Goded, Stan Goldberg (the creator of “Archie” comics), Keith Miller, Peter Leventhal, Mike Kleimo, and Marion Perlet, among many others. In our beginning years at the Meson San José, we showed also the work of famed Mexican artists Jose Luis Cuevas, Francisco Zuniga, Rufino Tamayo, Roberto Montenegro, and others.

Things were touch and go in Izamal´s early years, not so much for lack of sales, but for personalities. ”Cooperative” is not an easy word to put into practice for artists who are accustomed to work alone, and head to head disagreements were not rare. Over the years, we have learned to pick new members for their ability to get along, as well as for the quality of their work. Gallery manager (artist and former sailboat owner) Britt Zaist now runs a tight ship.

"Izamal", by the way, is the name of the Mayan god of artisans. It was suggested by Lizarraga, a native of Yucatán, where the town of Izamal is built on a Mayan site.

Work by current gallery members jewelers Maria Bracho and Wolfgang Lichter and painters Juan Escurdia, Javier García, Cissy Smith Marks, Bill Morrow, Al Skaar, Henry Vermillion, and Britt Zaist are featured.

The new location of Izamal will be announced soon.