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| - As an artist (fine art photographer) and having recently moved to Charlotte, I'm looking for places to hang my art work for a few shows.....and to have a gallery where I can both look at art AND drink a cold beer is the best of both worlds for me!
I'd seen Gallery Twenty-Two, but it seems I came by a few times when they were closed (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday). But last night I just happened to head on over to Plaza Midwood and check them out on a Saturday night at midnight. The crowd was low, but the place had a feel of more of a coffee house than a bar.
The gallery space is large and the lighting bright....a bit too bright. I realize you have to show the work, but I think if they had thought it out a bit better, they should have painted the ceiling black and the columns in the middle black. Add in tubed lighting to have very focused beams would have toned down the glare from the white walls....or perhaps they lower the lighting on non-gallery opening receptions nights.....but I'm really getting off track.....can you tell the brightness REALLY got to me.
The bar staff was good and bad...the guy behind the bar was a little engaged and the woman was a little disconnected. The lack of engaging bartenders was made up with the excellent beer selection....though I didn't have wine, the selection appeared to be even better!
Décor is very modern...just the way I like it and don't worry about falling off the bar stools or tipping over...they are built like tanks...and weigh close to them as well.
This hybrid bar/gallery does an Opening for a new/different artist every month on the first Friday, excluding holidays. This year is totally booked, so don't worry about showing up with nothing to view. In addition, there is a comic book convention in July in which the gallery is timing art work in the same vein.
All and all a great change to the Blackfinn's of the world with oak and brass and just plain boring surroundings. They say life is art....and after seeing Gallery Twenty-Two....bars can be art too.
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