A little white bungalow sits on a corner lot in the Village of West Greenville. It’s flanked by mill houses, across the street from a church, and, if it weren’t for the big orange house numbers painted next to its front door, you might mistake it for another charming residential space in the neighborhood. That little house on the corner is home to Teresa Roche’s long-established Greenville gallery, Art & Light. A walk across the bright front porch and through the door feels like visiting the home of a friend, with its cozy art-filled rooms and the open-armed demeanor of the gallerists. Their combined 25 years of gallery experience make Art & Light a sought-after partner for artists worldwide, an evolving gallery family that is never lacking in warmth and vision.
Gallery director Bracken Sansbury knows how to expertly blend the gallery’s local color with its widespread reach. “Really, an exhibition for a local artist [and] an out-of-town artist are pretty similar,” she shares. In group shows she will often pair a local with a non-local whose works complement one another. “These types of shows allow for a lot of great collaboration.” A recent exhibition called The Light of Hope featured works by Asheville painter Cheyenne Trunnell and LA-based Sali Swalla. The collections seemed built to suit one another, each painter’s work possessing the light and color of an introspective nature walk. Solo shows “are more about the artist [and] what it is they are wanting to explore,” Sansbury shares. Like Greenville mixed-media artist Jennefer Bedenbaugh in her recent exhibition The Soliloquy Project, an allegorical exploration of the human condition and her return to creative work following an immersive residency at the Penland School of Craft.
Visiting a gallery may seem like a distant dream for many. Bringing the life-giving solace of art into one’s soul may feel unattainable. But the vision of Art & Light makes space for all art lovers. The exhibitions mentioned earlier, and so many more, have been uploaded to the gallery’s website. And Sansbury and her fellow gallerists have been hosting livestreams with artists on their social media accounts.
What’s more, they’re pushing for all kinds of accessibility. “Our entire inventory is now online!” Sansbury beams. “[This] allows our growing collector base to shop from home. We also have new ways to help collectors visualize works in their space with virtual installations.” As the gallery home to collector favorites like Diane Kilgore Congdon and Glory Day Loflin, Art & Light ebbs with the world’s changes to stay relevant and continue to engage with their community and collectors. Near or far, artist or admirer, Art & Light offers a warm welcome to those who love to immerse themselves in thoughtful, stirring works of art.
Art & Light Gallery, 16 Aiken St, Greenville. (864) 252-5858, artandlightgallery.com
