Owner supports local art, displays Western works in spacious surroundings

Business Report Correspondent

BOULDER ? Mary Williams Fine Arts is an art enthusiast’s haven. The 1,300-square-foot gallery at 2116 Pearl St. is spacious, brightly lit and full of framed paintings with an emphasis on Western works. The space, averaging about five customers a day, is not crowded. Couches and chairs beckon visitors to sit down, relax and enjoy the art.

Mary Williams wants her place to be a destination point. A typical customer is between the ages of 35 and 60 and educated about art. Most come in to look for something specific, Williams said.

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The gallery focuses on work by both living and deceased artists, and all pieces are sold framed. There is an emphasis on Western landscapes, but Williams is starting to carry other styles. Gallery artist Julia Ingersoll, for instance, mostly works in an Italian style.

Williams chooses artists based on what she likes. Individuals are a good fit for the gallery if their pieces complement her gallery, if they get along with Williams, and if the prices are right.

A longtime Boulder resident, Williams opened the gallery in 1996 after working in other local galleries. She wants to create a relaxed atmosphere to see fine art and select custom framing.

Before opening her own space, Williams worked with antique art. “I wanted to do something different, so I opened a gallery with antique prints and maps, as well as contemporary pieces,” she said.

Williams co-owns the gallery with Nancy Ferries, who now resides in Sun Valley, Idaho. The pair host an art show at Ferries’ home each year.

Williams describes her successes as brighter after five years in business. Earnings in 2000 increased by 40 percent over the previous year. This year, her goal is to come as close as possible to $1 million in revenue. According to Williams, the gallery has turned a corner, but it has taken her half a decade.

“This is sometimes a high-risk business because I have to buy the antique art myself,” Williams said. Most of the living artists place their work in the gallery on consignment.

Customers from around the country buy from Williams. She takes the art in a U-Haul to shows from Montana to Idaho, hosting the events with friends in those states.

The gallery business has increased and gained more locals every year, but Boulder as an art market is not the best, according to Williams. To change that, a few hometown galleries, including Maclaren Markowitz Gallery and Smith-Klein Gallery, are starting up an Art Alliance to let the community know about the city’s galleries and to make Boulder more of an art hub.

Linda Armantrout, one of the gallery’s new artists, said she is excited about Williams’ gallery because it is well-suited for her work, and she likes how Williams handles emerging artists. She said the warmth and size of the space, along with its other work, complements her pieces.

Most of Armantrout’s creations are landscapes of Boulder County, so she likes to display them locally. She has had her work in Denver galleries and in some mountain towns, but now is exclusively exhibiting her work with Williams.

To bring the work of local artists beyond the gallery’s boundaries, Williams recently launched a Web site at www.marywilliamsfinearts.com. The site features links to paintings, prices and biographies on the artists. She also provides high-end framing.