By Devin Walls | Staff Writer

The storefront building at 116 Strawberry Alley is not much to look at right now. It has been vacant for a while, with decaying ghost images that give clues to the former business, a blueprint maker, which occupied it.

However, a metamorphosis is taking place. Soon the building will be APSU’s first off campus art venue and will be christened the Austin Peay Downtown Gallery, a home for alumni and faculty work from the Art department.

Gregg Schlanger, art professor and first director of the gallery, is hesitant to speak about the project due to the tentative nature of its completion and opening. “I’m trying to get the contractors committed,” he said. “When I asked [the contractors] if it was possible to have [art] work hanging around Oct. 10 or 15, [the contractors] said yes.”

The grand opening is tentatively set for Nov. 5, just in time for the First Thursday Art Walk that the city holds every month. However, Schlanger is hoping to have a “soft opening” before that.

He also wants the doors open on Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 30 and 31, to coincide with the alumni show that will be featured in the Trahern gallery. The opening will display a group show of select work by former students. After that the gallery will feature work by only one or two artists at a time.

“The location has two stories,” Schlanger said, “so it would be easy to feature one artist upstairs and another downstairs. Any alumni interested in having work featured in the gallery will have to apply to a committee.”

The project has been in development since April 2008 when the Art department faculty put forth the vote and approved the motion. Next, it was time to find a location. At first, Schlanger said they were looking for a space in Nashville around the art district so the department could show off the work of alumni to an audience outside of Clarksville. That location would also have served as a recruiting tool to attract potential students. A location was found and considered in June 2008, but the plans ultimately fell through.

Eventually, the idea was brought back home. “It makes sense that it’s here,” Schlanger said. He said it will enrich the community and add to the cultural atmosphere in Clarksville, bringing a contemporary gallery to the downtown area.

Remodeling on the inside, which will entail ripping up carpet, painting the walls and installing proper lighting, has yet to pick up steam as the building’s landlord is currently making repairs to water damage in the front.

As for the layout of the building, Schlanger estimates that it is about 1,500 square feet. “A rough estimate,” he said. “Upstairs has really, really high ceilings. Maybe 12 to 14 feet. Some of the walls are wooden and some are brick, so it has a nice historic feel,” he said. “It reminds me of the New York or Chicago gallery districts.”

Schlanger’s vision for the space goes beyond displaying art. He hopes other departments will get involved and take advantage of the off campus location. “Maybe [the English department] will come and do some readings there. And the music and theatre departments can use it for something.”

Art department funds are paying for the building and renovations, said Schlanger. “But we are willing to share.”

Share