Art is subjective to the eye of the beholder, but the key is appealing to the right buyer especially if the focus is on local artists. Owner/curator Abigail Kreuser of Kreuser Gallery in Colorado Springs understands this facet between art and commerce but also the effectiveness in highlighting a diversity of talent.
Kreuser went to school for fine art photography at Rochester Institute of Technology. She began her career in that part of the business in 2004 but she always wanted to open a gallery. After working a variety of side jobs, a friend showed her a space under the Colorado Bridge at 218 W. Colorado Ave, which is where she opened her first physical gallery in 2011.
A Breath of Art Talent in the Springs at Kreuser Gallery
“I feel like we have so much talent here that there’s no need for people to go outside of Colorado Springs to find the perfect piece for their house.” At her current gallery on East Boulder Street, she supports both up-and-coming as well as established artists. The one criteria she has is that they all be Pike’s Peak region artists, though they can work in different media and all different subject matter. “I show everything so that there’s always something somebody can find.”
When she eventually came upon her current gallery, Kreuser says she didn’t think about having three exhibits at one time. “But the fact that there were two rooms, I knew that it could bring in a lot more people.”
She says people like to support local artists but only if there is a mixture of approaches. For example, a contemporary show along with a portraiture show at the same time would bring in two different types of people. That mode of thinking, she says, creates something for everyone, “a win-win for both the artists and the gallery.”
Kreuser changes her shows out every month since she can only display a set number of artists. She often hears that every gallery is booked out so far away making it tricky for some artists to get a show in the area.
“I always try to do at least one call a year that can be a group show of however many artists.” She also says if an artist comes to her, even if she doesn’t have space on her walls, she will try to promote them online since virtual showings have become much bigger recently.
Encouraging Up-And-Coming Artists
Kreuser will also send them to other venues around downtown saying, “Go talk to this person. Or go on peakradar.com and see what other calls they have.” Kreuser says there are many opportunities around, and she always tries her best to encourage artists. “There are places for everybody to show. You just also have to put in the work.”
She explains that when she was first starting out with her fine art, she would apply for shows and get turned down. But often, the gallery owners wouldn’t take the time to tell her why.
“So, when I do [shows], of course, I can’t accept everybody. But I always have more jurors [looking at material] so it’s not just me.” Kreuser emails every single person, whether they get in or not, saying, “Yes. This is why,” or “No. This is why,” and I tell them how they can change things differently for the next time.” She says she wishes somebody would have done that for her.
A Flavor of Local Artists in the Peak Region
A recent roster of artists she has exhibited gives a specific view into how she approaches art in the area. Many are painters she has worked with in the past which represent a wonderful cross-section of the Peak area. She is open to new artists but does want to reflect a certain standard that comes with artists through time. She might not accept an artist at the beginning of their career, but it does not close the door on collaboration in the future
Deb Komitor is one local artist that has returned time and again to show her work at Kreuser Gallery. Komitor has been a huge mentor to Kreuser in her business from the beginning. “When I was under the bridge is the first time that she showed with me. When came in, she brought my contract and said, ‘I’m not bringing the work in until you change this, and then I’ll sign it.’ I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ And she said, ‘Abby,’ (and at that time I was only taking 30% commission), “You’re never going to make it in this business if you don’t change it to 50/50.’”
Komitor explained that galleries of her ilk need to do a 50/50 split. “And that’s how fine artists price their work as if they’re working with a 50/50 gallery.”
Kreuser didn’t start doing that practice until she moved to her new location. She said that it was a hard lesson that she eventually understood. But it was also a learning experience for her and perhaps her less experienced artists. She began to explain that the artist themselves must price themselves according to that understanding. “This is a business, not a nonprofit gallery. I don’t have grants that back-fill expenses. Everything I do comes out of my pocket. So, I have to make this work.”
Creative Forces and Subjectivity in Art
As far as Komitor as a creative force, Kreuser describes her as “one of those artists where you see her work and you don’t think she can get any better.” But with every exhibit Komitor has, Kreuser explains, she fine-tunes her work even more. When Kreuser went to Komitor’s studio initially to see some recent work for an exhibition, she says one of the pieces moved her to tears. “And that’s what art I feel like should do to people.”
Another local artist Kreuser has featured over the years in her gallery is Suz Stovall. Kreuser says many people just want to buy a painting by Stovall just because when they meet her “you just fall in love with her and want to support her.” Kreuser describes Stovall as a prolific, abstract contemporary painter.
That said, as a gallery owner, she explains that some collectors do come in and say, “I just don’t understand abstract. I need to know what I’m looking at.” She says though that those buyers are personalities that need to know every little thing about their art, rather than just jumping in and letting it wash over them.
Again, Kreuser explains that art is subjective and certain people like certain approaches which fuels her need for diversity in talent and approaches while keeping it local.
Different Approaches But Undeniable Talent
Kreuser says when she books artists at her gallery, “I tell them that I want them to create whatever. I do not say, ‘Hey, Deb, I want you to paint just forests because that’s local.’ I book you because I trust what you’re going to do. So, whatever is feeding your creativity at that time, you go for it.”
Kreuser explains that occasionally, she will have an artist say, “This is the direction I think I’m going, and what do you think?” They’ll have a conversation about it. “But I don’t ever tell somebody what it is they should paint.” That reflects true collaboration, especially in the world of art.
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