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I opened the first Melissa Barber Galleries in Canowindra, NSW in 1999.   Even though the Central West of NSW was rich and diverse in the local fresh produce and wine industries, and had a very strong artist presence, there was little in the way of commercial galleries in the area. So, I opened one with a cafe in it to exhibit my work.

 

Many of the photos I have used for the slideshow above were never digital images, hence the graininess of them.  Incidentally the only time I got a chance to photograph the gallery and cafe was when it was quiet.  Many other photos that I took were taken at night after I had closed the cafe.

 

I absolutely loved it but it was hard work.  I ran the cafe all day, did all the cooking, and painted at night, but it brought a strong audience to my work, many with whom I have become good friends.  I changed its dynamics frequently accommodating to my workload, and to where I was at with my paintings.  Exhaustion lead me eventually to closing the cafe in 2003 after not being able to find someone to take it on. I then reopened purely as a gallery for the next 3 years.

 

I sold the building in 2006 and moved my studio to my house and to work with other galleries in NSW, Victoria and in Queensland.  As an artist, it was a hard decision to make because I had always been independent but painting in a quieter environment was a lot easier. I still am very nostalgic about my first gallery and still wonder if I had made the right decision to close it.