CLEVELAND — A new art gallery opened Sunday in Cleveland, giving local artists a new outlet to showcase their work.
La Cosecha Galeria, which means the Harvest Gallery, opened on Pearl Road in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood. Owner Will Sanchez says he hopes the new gallery will encourage artists to express themselves in ways they never thought of previously.
“We create a vibe, an atmosphere where it’s us, showcasing ourselves,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez hopes to cater to what he called outsider artists, which are artists who never had any formal training or went to school for art.
“There’s a big group of us,” Sanchez said. “It’s just something that’s in us.”
But what they may lack in traditional schooling or training, they make up for in raw passion. Their affection for their craft is as vibrant as the work they produce.
“In order to have that relationship with the general public, you have to be able to not only showcase yourself to them, but you also have to welcome them into your world,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez picked the Old Brooklyn neighborhood because it reflects the diversity in the artists that he’s hoping to attract. He sees the gallery as a place for not just tactile art like paintings or sculptures, but an entertainment destination for poets, singers, or entertainers.
“For the community to build an identity and to have a visual picture of what is in that neighborhood, you have to have art,” he said.
Plans for a mural alongside the building are in the works that would showcase the gallery. Drawing on the inspiration from the name, Sanchez feels that the gallery will help cultivate the local talent he hopes to attract. His goal is to create an atmosphere where artists can collaborate and learn from one another.
“In the art industry, artists teach each other. Whether it’s a technique, a new style of painting,” Sanchez said. “Whether it’s a technique, a new style of painting, ow to get funding. It’s important to seep that networking alive.”
La Cosecha Galeria is located at 4490 Pearl Road in Cleveland and is open daily from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
