creating the gallery
Start with a Nightstand
We found a nightstand on Facebook Marketplace for $25. Once we figured out how it was constructed, we made a plan for how to alter it to become Art & Lit.
Cut & Color
We cut off the front half of the drawer and the center part of the cabinet door, in order to create a space for plexiglass. We saved the removed pieces for future projects. We sanded and painted the interior of the cabinet with leftover gold interior house paint. We found a little metal shrine from a craft store to use for the "Now Showing" artist picture and attached it to the side of the library with screws.
Protect from the Weather
We used plywood to create an angled support for the roof to sit on, painted it, then asked neighbors for spare composite shingles to cover the plywood roof.
Make a plan for the sign
I chose a font on my computer and carefully copied that, for a more refined look.
Paint the sign
I drew it in pencil on the black paint, then used the same color as the interior house paint for lettering.
More Protecting from the Weather
I covered every surface with two coats of Marine Varnish. I actually tried a few different products and wasn't happy with any of them. Eventually I resigned myself to not having an indestructible finish.
Add Lighting
We ordered small push-button battery-powered lights from Amazon, which could be removed by twisting for battery changes, and came with a remote control. We put two lights above the gallery (the "ceiling" is the cabinet above the drawer), and one on the inside wall of the library. We bought rechargeable batteries and a charger, as we needed 9 AAA batteries and wanted to leave lights on often.
Add Plexiglass Windows
We carefully measured the front of the original drawer, and the center section of the lower door (both of which we had cut out), and ordered plexiglass cut to size by a local shop. This was far less expensive and frustrating than cutting it ourselves and wasting some of it. We masking taped over the very specific places we wanted to pre-drill screw holes in the plexiglass, then also pre-drilled holes in the cabinet, so that we could attach the plexiglass without cracking or scratching it. After attaching the plexi, we removed their factory protective covers. Plexiglass scratches easily, so we only use wet microfiber cloths to clean.
Add Art, Viewers, & Books
We ordered 1:50 scale viewers from Amazon (intended for model trains) to attend our gallery shows. We painted some of the figures to add interest. The first artist we showed was Gustav Klimt, using famous images from the internet. After two such shows, we began finding living artists interested in showing at the gallery. Once we were up and running, we emailed our neighbors about Art & Lit and now they regularly and generously offer books and encouragement.
A Final Note
If there is some part of this process you don't understand or would like more details about, just let us know via email.
An idea: If you'd like to do something a bit different, I had a great idea about using a small dresser with three drawers to create a 3-story gallery. That would allow the possibility of running three shows at once, maybe for 6 weeks each?
Last idea: One of our artists suggested we have a series of these galleries set up, through which artists would rotate their work. That would mean their efforts to create a great show would yield more exposure. I just love this idea!