Somerhill Gallery was a
contemporary art gallery
A contemporary art gallery is normally a commercial art gallery operated by an art dealer which specializes in displaying for sale contemporary art, usually new works of art by living artists. This approach has been called the "Castelli Method ...
based in
Durham, North Carolina
Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...
owned by Joseph D. Rowand. Founded in 1972, the gallery shut its doors due to bankruptcy and failure to pay its artists in 2010.
[Historic Preservation Society of Durham: "Brighter Leaves: Celebrating the Arts in Durham, North Carolina." Pages 197 and 216. Historic Preservation Society of Durham, 2008. ASIN: B001G6NLVM]
Abstract and representational artwork in all visual disciplines was on display in the gallery's setting. Somerhill featured fine art glass and jewelry, a contemporary photography gallery, an open-air glass atrium which stood at the center of the main salon where featured exhibitions were shown. The gallery also featured white oak floors, fabric walls and over 40 skylights.
Exhibited artists include
Herb Jackson
Herb Jackson (born August 18, 1945), is an American artist and educator. He is the Douglas Houchens Professor of Fine Arts and Professor of Art Emeritus at Davidson College, where he retired from teaching in 2011. In 1999, Jackson was awarded the ...
, Maud Gatewood, John Beerman, Claude Howell, Carol Bechtel, and Peter Butler.
History
1972-1989
Somerhill Gallery was founded in April 1972 by Joseph Rowand.
Its first location was in a small shopping center called "StrawValley" between the cities of Durham, NC and Chapel Hill, NC. The gallery expanded three times in this location.
1989-2008
Somerhill Gallery moved to 1800 East Franklin Street in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, Orange and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties, North Carolina, United States. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 United States census, making Chapel Hill the List of municipa ...
in 1989. It was located in the Eastgate Shopping Center
and built by architect Phil Szostak. The gallery stayed in this location for over 18 years. During this time they employed Howard Franklin. Not the whole time, but for a specific subset of this time often referred to as "the good times".
2008–present
In June 2008, Somerhill Gallery moved to 303 S Roxboro Street, The Venable Center, Durham, NC. As of 2010, Both Somerhill and its owner Joe Rowand have declared bankruptcy and Rowand was the subject of a feature article in Durham's ''Independent Magazine'', which divulged the history of years of failure to pay his artistic stable their due, all the while paying himself in excess of $15,000 per month. The final debts owed by the gallery and Rowand approach well over a million dollars.
Sources
Somerhill Gallery declares Chapter 7, owes more than a quarter-million dollars to artists
* ttp://www.carolinaarts.com/708somerhillgal.html Carolina Arts article on Somerhill Gallerybr>Somerhill Gallery at Szostak Design website
* ttps://archive.today/20130119024344/http://www.chapelhillnews.com/news/story/13702.html "Art gallery owner confronts 'tall order'" The Chapel Hill News, April 6, 2008br>"Loss of Gallery is loss for town" Opinion, The Chapel Hill News, April 13, 2008Joe Rowand's Big Move Metro Magazine, May 2008Secrets of State: Somerhill Opening Metro Magazine, August 2008Durham stakes claim as Triangle's arts center WRAL News, August 22, 2008
References
{{Reflist
External links
Somerhill Gallery Vimeo site
Contemporary art galleries in the United States
Art museums and galleries in North Carolina
Culture of Durham, North Carolina
Buildings and structures in Durham, North Carolina
Art museums and galleries established in 1972
Art museums and galleries disestablished in 2010
1972 establishments in North Carolina
2010 disestablishments in North Carolina