**CLOSED** Galeria Izamal
Place Category: Arts, Art Galleries-Studios, Business Listings, and VIP Club
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THE END OF AN ERA
By Henry Vermillion
After twenty-nine years of showing fine art, Galeria Izamal will close on December 27, 2021. The cooperative art gallery was begun in November 1992 by Henry Vermillion, Britt Zaist, and five other San Miguel painters.
“It´s time to close the circle,” Britt said. “It´s not an economic matter. It´s been hard work, we´ve made great friends, and now it´s time to do some other things.”
Current artists in the gallery include Ted Davis, Juan Ezcurdia, Jeff Ferst, Javier Garcia, Sue Griffin, Wolfgang Lichter, Cissy Smith Marks, Lawrence Selevan, Henry Vermillion, and Britt Zaist. The gallery also has featured the work of late painter/matador John Fulton who began his career in San Miguel. We will keep our website www.galeriaizamal.com until July 2022. Please feel free to contact the artists directly from January 1, 2022.
It´s been a great run.
GALERIA IZAMAL – IN ITS 29TH YEAR IS THE OLDEST GALLERY IN SMA
By Henry Vermillion
In 1992, I was one of a handful of painters having coffee in the patio of the ancient Meson de San Jose on Calle Mesones. We were commiserating about how the three art galleries in town (there were only three) were not selling much of our work. They stuck our stuff in their bodegas where they never saw the light, etc.
“Wait”, said one of us. “Look at that!” It was a “FOR RENT” sign on one of the little locales around the patio. “Let’s start our own gallery!” And, in November of that year, Galeria Izamal opened in that 15 by 15-foot space. To invent a phrase, the rest is history. Our spacious new downtown location is at Jesus 25, just a few steps past Cuadrante.
Over the years, Galeria Izamal has featured the art of Jaime Goded, Peter Leventhal, Marion Perlet, Keith Miller, Stan Goldberg (the creator of “Archie” comics), Roberto Fuentevilla, Gerardo Ruiz, Jesus Real, and many others. In our beginning years, through a connection with a Mexico City gallery, we also showed the work of famed Mexican artists Francisco Zuniga, Rufino Tamayo, Jose Luis Cuevas, and Roberto Montenegro.
Galeria Izamal is and has always been a co-op, which means that each of the members shares all gallery expenses and work. Since the gallery takes no commission from artist´s sales, artist member’s prices are generally forty or fifty percent less than in commercial galleries.
Current gallery artists are Ted Davis, photographer; painters Juan Ezcurdia, Jeff Ferst, Javier Garcia, Cissy Smith Marks, Lawrence Selevan, Henry Vermillion, Britt Zaist, and the late artist/matador John Fulton; jeweler, Wolfgang Lichter. Britt is also the gallery manager.
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VIP Club members a 10% discount on a minimum of 300 pesos.
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3 Reviews on “**CLOSED** Galeria Izamal”
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I’m SO glad they’re open again! Visiting Galería Izamal is always on my list of things to do when I go to Centro. It just feels good to be there–it’s roomy, great energy, and the art itself!!! is always displayed beautifully, it’s diverse, and there’s generally an artist there to talk to. Prices are reasonable which I always appreciate and by the way, the jewelry is awesome.
Take the time to explore Galeria Izamal. The space is ample and offers perfect individual niches to display the unique talents of the artists who both work at the gallery and supply their amazingly varied art : painting, sculpture, jewelry…. there’s a treasure for every taste and budget, from ambitious works on a grand scale to a tiny gem of a drawing. Check it out. It’s like visiting someone’s private eclectic collection of masterpieces.
Gallery Izamal is a wonderful gallery! It is run by the artists as a collective gallery. There’s an amazing amount of talent here and the artists all have different styles. The jewelry is absolutely amazing and I have many pieces that are stunning and unique. Prices are also reasonable as you are dealing directly with the artists. The gallery itself is beautiful with lots of open space to move freely about.
I highly recommend that you take the time to visit Gallery Izamal. The location is perfect to access as you wander around El Centro.