Ground Floor: Longtime friends open art gallery in former Mount Vernon Middle School

The opportunity to open East End Art came along at just the right time for longtime friends Kim Wolfe and Christine Goodwin.

In September 2014, Wolfe learned that Rick and Trude Elliott, who had acquired the former Mount Vernon Middle School in 2008 for use as a community center, were seeking to add an art gallery to the building's second floor retail space.

'Let me help you get it started,” Kim Wolfe told Trude Elliott over lunch one day. 'By the way, I have a good friend who just retired and she can help, too.”

Wolfe went directly from that lunch to Goodwin's house, where Goodwin was making very different plans for her retirement.

'I just bought an old VW bus that I was fixing up to drive around the country,” she said.

Neither woman was a stranger to business ownership. Wolfe had owned and operated antique shops with her husband for 23 years, while Goodwin previously owned a restaurant. Both women had art backgrounds, and financial backing from the building owners meant minimal startup costs.

'We both asked why not, and we had no answer,” Goodwin said.

So Goodwin canceled her travel plans and the two women set about priming and painting walls, installing track lighting, and contacting artists for potential representation.

'We sent out invites to maybe 50 artists,” Wolfe said. 'We ended up with 35.”

Artists were selected by a five-member jury panel that included Wolfe, Goodwin, Trude Elliott, and two other downtown Mount Vernon business owners.

'We wanted main street people to advise us as to who's buying what on Main Street,” Goodwin said.

The women also reached out to the owners of First Brick Gallery at the west end of the street. The existing gallery owners were supportive.

'It's a plus having more than one gallery in town,” Wolfe said. 'It becomes a worthy destination for art.”

'We're bookending three blocks to shop,” Goodwin said.

The partners said the business has evolved substantially beyond their initial vision.

'A year ago, we had no goal for classes or monthly art exhibits,” Goodwin admitted. 'We just wanted to survive and get open. It grew from there.”

As it nears its one-year anniversary on May 2, East End Art features the work of 56 juried local and regional artists in a wide array of media.

The gallery also offers adult art classes, monthly receptions for featured artists, an artist of the week showcase, and other special exhibits.

Goodwin and Wolfe said they love being part of the eclectic mix of retail that makes up the Old School Shops and are grateful to the Elliotts for providing them space in the former school building.

'Their investment in us and in this room has been tremendous,” Wolfe said. 'We are pretty happy with the way things are going.”

'We are very fortunate we are both at the time of our lives where this is a fun opportunity,” Goodwin added.

' Know a company or manager who has been in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor”? Contact Francie Williamson at francie.williamson@thegazette.com