Photograph by Paul Myers
Jim Gott, a wood sculptor and member of Gallery Saratoga, stands outside the gallery, which will relocate later this month a few blocks north to another Big Basin Way building.
Local gallery makes upward move
By Shari Kaplan
For many people, the arrival of a new year brings a well-intentioned but often short-lived burst of ambition to lose weight, clean the garage or embark on various other projects.
For the 20 or so members of Gallery Saratoga, an artists' cooperative, 2002 has brought more of a revolution than a resolution. They are now getting ready to pack up their paintings--and ceramics, photographs, wood vessels, jewelry and other art--and create another incarnation of the gallery in a better building at a better location.
Formed around 1984 in the original (pre-facelift) El Paseo De Saratoga shopping center, Gallery Saratoga moved to its current home at 14531 Big Basin Way, Unit 3, in the early 1990s, according to painter Dori Simmons, a gallery founder who recently left to devote more time to other interests.
Simmons says she noticed a slow decline in sales at the gallery, which she attributes to a lack of foot traffic past its semi-hidden location at 4th Street. She thinks Silicon Valley dot-com failures and the Sept. 11 attacks also had a negative impact on all businesses in the area--and the gallery was not immune.
The New Year is bringing a new start, however. Gallery Saratoga is relocating to 14435-A Big Basin Way and will be open for business by mid-January, according to member Don del Castillo, a digital photographer. The location, the former home of Goldilocks Doll Cottage, is not only easily noticed by window shoppers but happens to be next to a popular deli and across the street from a busy bank.
"We feel like we're on a roll with this new location. Parking will be a real boon, too, with a big lot in the back" del Castillo says. "When I'd sit in the [current] gallery, I liked to ask people if they lived in Saratoga. Many would say 'yes,' but that this was the first time they'd been in the gallery."
"We can't help but do better in the new place," adds wood-turner Jim Gott, who says the gallery will be going from 559 square feet to 726. "It's more than just square footage, though. It's linear footage--wall space. Now we'll have much more flexibility in what we can do. The layout is going to be much better."
Del Castillo shares Gott's optimism. In fact, he says, to go along with all its improvements, Gallery Saratoga plans to grow in number of artists as well.
"Now that we have more room and a better location, we're looking to take on some new artists," he says.
The public is invited to a grand opening reception on Feb. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 14435-A Big Basin Way. A variety of member artwork is on display at the old location for a limited time. For gallery hours or more information, call 408.867.0458 or visit www.gallerysaratoga.com on the Internet.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
