AN ISLAND ART RETREAT
Sanibel gallery owner derives joy from art and the unexpected
Art can be found all over Sanibel. It’s easy to spot masterpieces in everything from the waves of blue that wash up against the shore, vibrant wildlife and even aging, yet whimsical structures like the trademark Sanibel Island Lighthouse. But, sometimes you need to travel indoors to see the art up close.
At least that’s what Maureen Watson, owner of Watson MacRae Gallery on Sanibel, believes. For six years, she’s opened the doors of her studio in The Village Shops off Periwinkle Way to artists and art appreciators alike.
“I want them to feel welcome,” Watson says of her customers. “I really want them to come in and take a look around and enjoy the work. I want them to feel comfortable … like, ‘ Wow! This place is really different.’”
“Different” is certainly an accurate description of what’s found at the gallery. In fact, Watson prides herself on showcasing the unfamiliar.
“It’s an overall unique feel,” she says of the space. “Not only does the work in my gallery have to be high quality, it has to be unusual, and has to have feeling and creativity. Otherwise, it’s flat and dead.”
Artist Amy Gross is just one of the out- of- the- ordinary artists Watson debuted to her guests. “It was my first real gallery experience,” Gross says. “I was very excited because you sit in your studio, you work and you hope that other people get to see what you do, but you don’t assume that anyone out in the world will be as interested as you. To have your work have a home outside your studio is a wonderful thing.”
Watson first met Gross at an art show in Boca Raton, and she instantly got the feeling that the artist’s style of work— like her fiber sculptures depicting nature mixed with elements of fantasy— would make a great addition to the gallery.
“Just by showing my work, she’s given me more confidence than I could have asked for,” says Gross. “She always had a
tremendous idea of what I was saying, and a good idea of what the world was seeing.”
But more than a boost of encouragement, Watson has also given Gross a foot in the door. Gross says once an artist is displayed in one respected gallery, it’s easier to present themselves to more. “Other galleries will take you more seriously. You get to be in more shows,” she explains.
As for Watson’s career beginnings, the gallery owner says she was born with a creative mind, but it wasn’t until later on in life that her artistic vision developed into something greater.
Growing up on Long Island, Watson was exposed to many different forms of right- brained expression. Her father owned a restaurant, where she remembers having to roll up her sleeves and help run the place whenever her father was away. Her mother was a
I REALLY WANT [ CUSTOMERS] TO COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND AND ENJOY THE WORK. I WANT THEM TO FEEL COMFORTABLE … LIKE, ‘ WOW! THIS PLACE IS REALLY DIFFERENT.’” — MAUREEN WATSON, OWNER, WATSON MACRAE GALLERY
hairstylist, but art transcended her immediate family.
“My grandmother had a great eye,” Watson says, adding that her relatives heavily influenced her to become an artist in her own right. “I think having that artistic talent is partially something you’re born with, and also something you can grow and learn over time. ”
Initially, Watson’s life took a different course. She landed at St. Bonaventure University, where she studied math— a subject that could not be farther from anything artsy. From there, she became a computer programmer and ended up owning her own consulting firm. She never quite seemed to be able to silence her creativity, and eventually had to make a change. So she did, by selling her firm to open up the gallery she operates today.
Sure, the income may have fluctuated a bit, but Watson says the shift in her career path continues to pay her in other ways. “I feel that it’s a very gratifying work to do. I’m doing something that helps artists who make a great contribution,” Watson says. “I’m helping people find things that look beautiful in their homes; that make them feel good. And I’m contributing to the community. It’s very satisfying.”
There are some people who visit Watson MacRae Gallery, like Sanibel resident Kathryn Craig, who have Watson’s bold life change to thank for regularly introducing them to new types of pieces.
“She always has fresh, cool stuff,” says Craig, who has collected around a dozen items from Watson. “There’s always a lot of beach pieces with a lot of depth you don’t see in other places.” And that’s just how Watson plans to keep it.