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Sunday, February 3, 2013

Kettle Art in Deep Ellum is closing


Frank Campagna’s labor of love will relocate, he says.

Frank Campagna calls Kettle Art a "break-even mission" that uses volunteers to coordinate and curate the shows at the Deep Ellum gallery.

Jason Janik

Frank Campagna calls Kettle Art a "break-even mission" that uses volunteers to coordinate and curate the shows at the Deep Ellum gallery.

— The Deep Ellum gallery Kettle Art is closing after being in business since 2005. Run by Frank Campagna, a Deep Ellum artist and something of a patriarch of the neighborhood, the gallery will eventually relocate, but it may not plant its feet in Deep Ellum again.

“I prefer to be in Deep Ellum, for sure,” said Campagna, who has painted many murals in Deep Ellum. “But hell, I went to the Dominican Republic a few weeks ago, and I felt at home there.” The new gallery will be somewhere in the Dallas area, and it will still carry the Kettle name, Campagna said.

The Deep Ellum gallery’s last days will be in early May. Campagna plans to reopen at the undecided location in mid-September.

Kettle Art is called a Deep Ellum "institution" by many of the residents of the eclectic neighborhood in Dallas. Pictured here is Frank Campagna, founder and managing partner of Kettle Art, which closes in May 2013.

Mona Reeder

Kettle Art is called a Deep Ellum "institution" by many of the residents of the eclectic neighborhood in Dallas. Pictured here is Frank Campagna, founder and managing partner of Kettle Art, which closes in May 2013.

Campagna leases the Elm Street space from Westdale, a real estate company that owns more than 180 apartment complexes, according to its website. When Campagna originally leased the space in 2005 -- at that time under a different landlord -- he notes that Deep Ellum was struggling.

“We staked our claim, brought it back, and we were doing up to 600 people in a three-hour time period in our little tiny place,” he said. “Doesn’t mean we can’t do it anywhere else in the city, or in Deep Ellum.”

The gallery has 10 unpaid volunteers. The news of the move was “like losing a job or a loved one,” said artist and Kettle volunteer George Wallace. “My business has grown with the connections I have made and referrals from artists at the Kettle,” Wallace said. “It has been a labor of love, but rewarding.”

Fellow volunteer Erica Felicella called Kettle in Deep Ellum the site of “so many wonderful beginnings.”

“I look forward to where the Kettle Gang are headed and what lies ahead. Sometimes it takes a small break to come back and do something amazing all over again,” she said.



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mezzetin_subaquatic, anonymous:

C U

3 months, 2 weeks ago
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NOTKOYAANISQATSI, anonymous:

So the upcoming show (For the Love of Kettle) is going to put 100% of its proceeds into an art gallery that is going to then close it's doors and possibly leave Deep Ellum. Classic gallery owner...

3 months, 2 weeks ago
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eloiseapalooza, anonymous:

If you are familiar at all with Kettle, you know that it is run by artists and all about giving back to the community. In fact, the following show entitled For the Love of Artists gives 100% of the proceeds to the artists. Classic gallery owner indeed.

3 months, 2 weeks ago
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richard_l_ross, anonymous:

Just like Mr Rogers wears a familiar sweater, the location in Deep Ellum is a warm and familiar place. Also like Mr. Rogers who lives in a neighborhood the Kettle is a community. It is more than four walls, it is a strong community of artist working together to promote newer and established artist in Dallas. We are still going to be strong in our commitment to that. We're just putting on a different familiar facade.

3 months, 2 weeks ago
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alexander troup, verified:

We all had hope amber was going to keep the place going....Art is not like food we all have to eat...ever serve a pizza painting, to hang on your wall unitl you need to food....anyway Good luck Amber and family....you had a good run....on to the next subject.....how to grow bio tech art....and clone Picasso babies...For the Chinese world Fair....

3 months, 2 weeks ago
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