- Able Artists Gallery is set to reopen at a different location within Railroad Square Art District in July.
- The gallery has been closed since the May 10 tornado left its building beyond repair.
- Watch now to hear from one artist who lost nearly all of her exhibit in the storm damage.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Three weeks after tornado damage at Railroad Square Art District —
"It's hard to describe the pain of what it was like to see those pieces lost."
An opportunity to breathe new life into art.
I'm Alberto Camargo, your College Town neighborhood reporter.
I'm finding out where the future of Able Artists Gallery stands.
I spoke with Michelle Ferrier.
She had about 30 pieces on display.
Less than two weeks after what she called her coming out party as an artist —
"The walls came down on my exhibit. It crushed the whole thing to the ground."
Ferrier was one of 17 artists who lost the majority -- or all -- of their artwork to storm damage.
A tornado hit the morning of May 10.
Ferrier was all-in on finding a new home for the gallery.
"I really placed a priority on finding a space where we could come together again as artists to mourn what was lost but also to begin to heal again and to create more art."
Now, that space is a reality — in the same building as Phase One Skate Shop and Fat Cat Books.
Able Artists Gallery will reopen in July.
"I knew what the value was to me and what I felt it was to me. I didn't realize that the community also held that value for the gallery until something like this happened."
Karen Walker founded the gallery back in 2021.
She says despite it being half as small, eight local artists have already signed up to come back.
Karen says Able Artists will be participating in First Friday this June.
"So many people that lost a lot. So many people that this was their sole income, their businesses. So we really need at this time, the people to try to come back and support the businesses here and make it a really great First Friday."
Michelle says there will be art on display you won't find anywhere else.
"The artists of Able Artists Gallery have a variety of differing abilities. And they bring that to their artwork. They bring that passion and expression to what they do."
Railroad Square leaders say Off-site parking and shuttle services are being explored to help get people into Railroad Square for First Friday.
In College Town, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
