We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Martha Fletcher a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Martha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

The biggest risk I have ever taken was opening an art gallery.

It started with a vision in the Summer of 2022: a storefront in Arvada, artwork by local artists on the walls, live music, a crowd of people enjoying wine and chocolate. I loved the idea of bringing the community together in a fun way to support local artists. I couldn’t paint or draw, so curating art exhibits was my creative outlet.

I have never shied away from a challenge, so I tested the waters and curated a number of pop-up art shows starting in October of 2022, including converting a photography studio on Santa Fe into an art gallery for a few hours on First Fridays. That was intense! I would get down there at 5:00 p.m. after work, park blocks away, make five or six trips to my car to bring in everything, set up the space, help the artists hang artwork all before 6:30 and then return everything back to my car at 11:00, and then clean up the space. It was exhausting, but the turnout was always amazing!

In January of 2023, I started seriously looking into a more long-term space. I didn’t have the means to afford a gallery, but I was determined to make my vision a reality. In addition to my day job, I started to drive for Uber. I would drive early mornings, evenings and weekends. I believe the law of attraction brought me to the perfect space on Kalamath Street in Denver, Colorado. It was better than any space I had seen – 1,200 square feet, shiny concrete floors, high ceiling, large storefront windows, exposed brick, two levels, with a private parking space in the back and kitchen. It was a former gallery, so it had everything I needed! I signed a one-year lease. My grand opening was June 10, 2023. The gallery was called The Art Social.

I was incredibly proud of having a gallery, but it came with many challenges and lessons. It also came with an unforeseen blessing.

Was the risk worth it? 1000%.

My experiences as a gallery owner were rich and rewarding. I like to take snapshot moments of every day to capture something truly meaningful. Otherwise, life goes by too fast, and we forget to take notice of the little things that truly add value to our lives. My snapshot moments as a gallery owner were when my boss came to the gallery grand opening in a tuxedo and purchased several pieces of artwork, when an artist named, Matt Tarro, gave me a 20×20 blank canvas because I was learning to paint, a memorial service at the gallery for a young man who loved life but lost his, a marriage proposal a man set up in the gallery for his girlfriend, and my mom visiting from Florida and coming to the opening reception for one of my favorite artists, Raphael Sanchez.

The gallery to me was a celebration of life.

Martha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The unforeseen blessing of having an art gallery: I became an artist. I have been drawing and painting since September of 2023. With the lessons I have learned from having an art gallery and being in the business of selling art, I have a successful studio gallery in Arvada, Colorado. I experiment with different genres in an ever-evolving process. I am inspired by Mark Rothko, Andrew Wyeth, and Rene Magritte.

My creativity over the years has taken many forms from acting and producing plays in New York City to signing and songwriting. I believe painting is a natural extension of that creative energy.

My motto is “less is more.” I am super resourceful. I have never thrown out a canvas. If one painting doesn’t work out, it lays the groundwork for something it was meant to be. I don’t overthink a painting. I have fun. I don’t paint oversized paintings without it being commissioned otherwise I would have wasted resources on something that may or may not sell one day. In having an art gallery, I was able to experience the price points of artists. I really appreciated working with artists that had price points that were reasonable and affordable. We have a fantastic community of art lovers in Colorado. People want original artwork, but often times the prices are so beyond their budget, they can only appreciate it from afar. I keep my overhead at a minimum so I can offer artwork at prices that are affordable and accessible to all.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

On February 16, 2023, I woke up at 3:00 a.m. to drive for Uber to make money for the security deposit for a gallery. It was freezing outside and snowing. I got home at 8:00 a.m. to take my dog, Charlie, to the vet for a minor issue. I got him when he was four months old when I first moved to Colorado in 2013. He was an American Cocker Spaniel. He was my Colorado. I was so happy that morning having made a good amount to put towards the gallery. I remember I gave him a hug when I got home. I dropped him off at the vet, tail wagging, he was fine. After his visit, I was going to take him by to say hi to the cats at Banfield and let him pick out a treat. When I picked him up from the vet, he was acting strange, so I took him to the emergency vet hospital. He passed away that afternoon. I was devasted.

With a broken heart and spirit, I kept moving forward. I dedicated an art show to Charlie called “Bigger Than the Sky,” because that was what he was to me. Every time I stepped foot into the gallery, I could feel his spirit there with me because he was always in my heart and part of my journey getting there.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have a passion to create! Whether it is creating an event that brings people together in a meaningful way or creating works of art, it is all part of that passion. I feel like a kid on the first day of summer break — the endless possibilities of fun and adventure. That’s how I feel about painting. It is intrinsically rewarding. I want to protect that by not taking it too seriously. As I evolve as an artist, I look forward to seeing where this road leads and taking snapshot moments along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artsocialcolorado.com
• Instagram: artsocialcolorado
• Facebook: The Art Social – Fletcher Fine Art Studio

Image Credits

Image Credit: Martha Fletcher