On March 1, a large crowd of locals and out of towners alike attended the grand opening of Commerce Gallery, Donna Blair and Tamara Carlisle’s latest venture. Judging from the warm and enthusiastic response—not to mention the several pieces that sold that evening—the opening was a huge success.
Located at 102 S. Commerce Street on the historic town square of Lockhart, Texas, the gallery brings to life Donna and Tamara’s vision of creating something beautiful in the town they’ve grown to love. They had bought the 3,300 square foot space in late 2017, and with its tall ceilings and great light, felt it was being underutilized and began talking about possible uses for it.
“We’d rented out the space for a year to an architecture firm. When they didn’t renew their lease and we got more serious about possibly using it for a gallery, we asked Christopher if he’d be interested in collaborating with us,” said Donna. She was talking about renowned artist Christopher St. Leger, a pillar of the Lockhart community and the new gallery’s artist in residence.
Born in northwest Indiana, St. Leger studied architecture in Ohio and Budapest, Hungary, before making central Texas his home. He uses both watercolor and oil to create luminous paintings that depict urban scenes, city streets and people. Donna and Tamara had seen his work in Austin and begun collecting a few pieces both for their personal enjoyment and to use in staging homes. The Commerce Gallery would provide an ideal brick and mortar location for St. Leger to work and to display and sell his art.
In addition to St. Leger’s work being on permanent display at the gallery, every other month will feature work by another artist, with an opening reception each time a new artist is presented. Through the end of April, Patrick Puckett’s paintings, described as “visual inventions culled from a life lived in the South,” are on display.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to check out Commerce Gallery and enjoy some Lockhart charm, swing by during next week’s Lockhart First Friday on April 5. Or buy a ticket for the Lockhart Sip & Stroll, happening on April 6 from 3-7pm. This annual festival and fundraiser is a fun way for people to get to know the town’s downtown businesses and historical landmarks. Plus, the gallery will be giving away a signed Christopher St. Leger print to one lucky winner.
Donna and Tamara are excited for what the future holds. “I’ve always been drawn to art and artists,” Donna said. “There’s a lack of appreciation for artists in our society, and we want to do what we can to support them and their work. Plus, it’s fun to be surrounded by the beauty of the space and the art within, not to mention the people who wander into the gallery. I hadn’t anticipated how great it would feel to see everyone’s reaction to the artwork and the community’s response to us being there. We look forward to more people coming to Lockhart for the barbeque and staying for the local businesses … and now the art.”
Hours: Thursday – Sunday 11am-5pm, and on the first Friday of every month (Lockhart “First Fridays”) from 6-9pm