By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | August 07, 2009
Ken Chew checks out a piece of art, while Pamela Sauer, right, gives a hug to her friend Phyllis Mosley-Bell at the new art gallery in Suisun City's Lawler House . All three are artists who have work in the upcoming opening show of the gallery built into the historic downtown Suisun city home.
SUISUN CITY - Downtown Suisun City now has an outlet for its residents' artistic creativity.
Suisun Waterfront District Artists have quietly opened a gallery in the Lawler House with a collection of paintings, photos, sculptures and other media visions of the town.
The first exhibit, called 'All Things Suisun,' was designed by artist Janet Barnes and features more than 60 paintings, sculptures, drawings and photos, many of which are artists' impressions of Suisun City and its waterfront.
'It's all about adding to the whole ambiance of downtown Suisun,' said Cathy Ritch of the Fairfield Visual Arts Association, of which the Suisun Waterfront District Artists is a part.
The idea to put an art gallery and artists' working space in the Lawler House was born at a Rotary Club meeting last year when Ritch was talking to Suisun City Manager Suzanne Bragdon.
Bragdon was interested in finding ways to bring more people to downtown Suisun City and the association was interested in finding another venue to display its artists' creations.
The Suisun City Council approved the idea in April and the artists set to work cleaning up and painting the first-floor rooms of the 159-year-old home at 718 Main St.
This is the association's third location. It also runs the Art Explosion and sets up exhibits at the Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, both of which are on Texas Street.
The Lawler House gallery has held off holding a formal grand opening until after construction on the adjacent plaza and Harbor Center businesses is finished.
Plans are to hold their opening reception at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28, gallery manager and association member Pamela Sauer said.
See the complete story at the Daily Republic online.
