There's more to the NoHo Arts District in North Hollywood than Lankershim Boulevard.
"It's a lot of theater art right now, but the visual arts are starting to come into the area," said Dawn Tappen, artist.
"It's exciting, because it's an area that's emerging," said Tony Osio, artist. "You know, it reminds me of Chelsea, New York. The area over there used to be very industrial."
Founders of Satsuma Gallery, Richard Doran and Dawn Tappen have plenty to be excited about with their location.
"On one side there's an old church that's been here since the early 1900s," said Doran. "They carry very high-end antiques, a scavenger's paradise it's called. Yeah, it's just a fun area to be in."
On the other side is a stained-glass studio.
"We encourage people to come by and not just see the finished product, but actually see the artists working, and you can talk to them," said Doran.
You can also learn from them. Classes are offered to adults and children in painting and drawing, as well as ceramics.
"Everyone has to have a starting place. So, if you've never worked with clay or any other medium before," said Doran.
For those more serious about their craft, there is a free monthly artists' network session.
"Each month we pick a topic and we talk about something that's of concern to artists," said Doran. "Sometimes it might be, you know, 'How do you get your work out there?'"
And artists do have opportunities to show their work, usually with two invitational shows a year.
"And then we usually do two juried shows as well, where people can actually submit their work, and we have a juror who decides which work gets accepted," said Doran. "That's usually a themed show."
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Satsuma Gallery
5447 Satsuma Avenue
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 508-7459
www.satsumagallery.net
