Inspiring Conversations with Patricia Lam, Curator of GalleryCoronado.com

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Lam, Curator.

Hi Patricia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I had a faulty lamp that caused a fire while I was shopping at Home Depot. Because the entire interior was affected, I decided to build a Gallery on the second floor for $90,000 (ouch). Nineteen months later, I was able to open the gallery. . Initially, it was a photo gallery with 3 photographers.. GalleryCoronado had it’s grand opening, but COVID was announced so closed the gallery the next day. I reopened it 2 years later when my Sri Lanka friend, Rasika, need money to support his family. He is a farm inspector ($10/hr) and artist. He mailed about 30 paintings to the gallery. Then other artists started to show up. 21 to be exact. These artists are in Phoenix/Scottsdale, other U.S. States and 4 other countries. Several of our artists and photographers have won awards from various sources. It is an eclectic group of painters (watercolor, acrylic and oil), sketchers, stained glass, some jewelry and sculpture. A couple of years ago, my assistant wrote an inspirational children’s book using detailed watercolor paintings by Oksana from the Baltic Sea. He called it The Blooming Garden of Mystery. We recently printed a 40+ page,2nd edition, adding animal coloring pages and drawing pages. The gallery is normally open 1 to 7 pm (I leave at 5 PM on Friday for dancing)

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Several obstacles. One is we are off the beaten track (on East Cypress St; 1/2 a block west of 16th street. Near downtown but not IN downtown. We started out strong but from 2022 to present, many people don’t have disposable income. Even my gallery associates in Scottsdale have had many challenges. Social media has trained viewer to glance at an image and move on. Many people say they like to view art galleries but have nothing on their home walls. The city would not allow us to make the gallery bigger.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about GalleryCoronado.com?
We have a physical location, GalleryCoronado, 1516 E. Cypress St. Phoenix and maintain 2 websites. GalleryCoronado.com (mostly art but also photography and other mediums), GalleryCoronado.net (3 photographers). Patricia Lam is the curator with a MA degree from Central Michigan. She was a Pro Photographer and Physician recruiter in Hawaii for 25 years. She is learning to paint from our Baltic Sea Artist. Our website represents 21 artists from emerging to accomplished. We are in the Coronado District, slightly north of downtown Phoenix. The physical location, on the 2nd floor, shows 11 artists. Most of our clients gravitate toward watercolor or photography. We have First Friday events usually from November thru March. The gallery is in a residential area off 16th St. 1/2 mile south of Thomas Rd., What sets us apart if a smaller but extremely friendly gallery. We have had watercolor classes, events, concerts, wakes, business events and small group meetings. The gallery offers a 10 to 30% discount from the website costs. Very proud of our artists. One is a Ukraine psychologist. She was awarded for helping the State of Ukraine for her art which helps their people with mental or stress issues. Our Baltic Sea and Sri Lanka artist won IPA contests. Our Children’s book also won an award. Patricia Lam’s photography has been shown in galleries in 7 countries. She and David Duane, a life long photographer, both have individually over 300,000 photographic images in their computers and some are online and in the gallery. Before GalleryCoronado was opened, David Duane and Patricia Lam were featured artists in Prescott. Also had their work displayed in local libraries and a court house. One of our acrylic painters, takes photographs in Africa and paints them. She did a residency downtown. We held a benefit for Phoenix Children’s Hospital. and donate to local charities. We offer free shipping to all U.S. locations.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Honesty. A gallery is a curated environment where creativity meets emotion and the viewer’s experienced is enhanced by their own interpretation of the art.

Pricing:

• Totum (animal cards 5 for $15
• Watercolor originals. $225-$1700
• Phots $15 to $495.
• Wood statue $800; cement horse hd $2100
• Jewelry $15 to $395.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://GalleryCoronado.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/gallerycoronado (also #studio_5301)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gallerycoronado
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gallery-coronado-bab95190
• Twitter: https://x.com/gallerycoronado
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXIpCoVKvLw
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gallery-coronado-phoenix?osq=Gallery+Coronado
• Other: https://gallerycoronado.net

Image Credits
Patricia Lam