Creative Collective
Nestled in the heart of St. Matthews Studios is a vibrant space designed for creativity and collaboration. St. Matthews Studios & Gallery is home to eight local female artists who strive to produce quality art across diverse mediums.
“We bring a great variety of work to this area,” Julie Hohmann says, one of the gallery’s artists. “The world can be crazy, and we aim to provide some artwork that speaks to people. It’s a really positive atmosphere.”
The concept originated in 2023 with Bob McAuliffe of RLM Construction Company, who envisioned a dedicated gallery-studio space in a vacant second-floor spot at 3716 Lexington Road above Colonial Designs. Well-connected in the art scene, McAuliffe handled the renovations for the space and contacted many artists he knew personally to join, with a couple of additions now forming the main group.
“They had this vacant space and Bob wanted it to be a place where artists could come and show their work,” Hohmann says. “It has creative energy along this particular stretch of Lexington Road. He’s the one with the original vision. Years ago, this space hosted art classes, so it had those creative vibes already. The shared vision is to bring greater art appreciation to the area. We felt it needed a place to show good art that speaks to people and tells a story.”
Currently, the group of working artists that call the gallery home, along with Hohmann, are Gayle Cerlan, Teri Dryden, Lynn Dunbar, Jeanne Freibert, Mary Dennis Kannapell, Page Penna and Gretchen Treitz. The gallery also welcomes appearances by guest artists and puts on open studios that allow others to enjoy the space. The team hosts regular shows as a platform for customers to see and purchase the work that is being produced.
“Almost all of our work on display is for sale,” Hohmann says. “We don’t just do it for the money, but we love sales and appreciate people’s support. We are encouraging more people to think in the art-collecting mindset. We also inspire people to think of us if they need a gift for someone. They can come check out the gallery and see if anything speaks to them.”
The artists’ specialties vary across textiles, landscapes, portraits, ceramics and contemporary works. In addition, Gayle Cerlan, one of the artists in the gallery and longtime art teacher, hosts children’s art classes in her studio throughout the year. Hohmann enjoys the uniqueness of the all-female setup and the group’s overall talent.
“I’m proud to be with artists who are amazingly talented,” Hohmann says. “Some have been creating art for more than 30 years, and they are incredible. It was all meant to be. We support each other and are proud that we’re all women who run the place ourselves. Everyone brings their unique style and voice to the gallery.”
The St. Matthews Studios & Gallery is beneficial to the artists as it also serves as their working space, making it easy to transfer work into public view. The team also has room to discuss as a group upcoming events or other projects they are working on.
“The gallery is right outside the studio, which is nice,” Hohmann says. “Right before a show, if we need to do a touchup, we can do that easily. We can share ideas and talk to each other. It’s nice to have that support. Sometimes being an artist can be isolating if you don’t have people around a lot. We love the ability to chat and critique each other’s paintings.”
The space itself is a big advantage for visitors as well. Many restaurants and businesses are located nearby, making it easy to stop by several places in one trip, or for those in the area to swing by the gallery while out and about.
“What I love about the location is it’s close to so many amazing restaurants and shops,” Hohmann says. “We have a great wine shop two doors down. There’s a lot in this area. Lexington Road is well traveled. People can just pop into the gallery and take a break after a long day or just to see what we have. We encourage people to make a night of it, go get dinner or drinks somewhere close.”
The St. Matthews Studios & Gallery is showing no signs of slowing down, holding regular seasonal exhibits while welcoming fellow artists and other visitors. Currently, the group is hosting a show called “Fascination” through the end of June that captivates and fascinates with themed pieces. While Hohmann admitted it can be difficult to balance running the gallery while producing quality work, she enjoys her time with the other artists and only sees the St. Matthews Studios & Gallery growing in the future.
“It can be a bit of a juggling act because we’re working on staying in our zone of creating good work, but also thinking about advertising and marketing and event planning,” Hohmann says. “At times, it can be challenging, but our team makes it a lot easier than it could be. We’re still working things out and getting in our groove. We all bring our strengths to the table and pitch in when we can.”
The St. Matthews Studios & Gallery is typically open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., or by scheduling an appointment with one of the artists. For the latest updates on shows, events and new work, follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/StMatthewsGallery or Instagram at @stmatthewsgallery. Also, inquiries are welcome at stmatthewsgallery@gmail.com. For interest in children’s art classes, please email Gayle Cerlan directly at cerlan@aol.com.
