Suzie HarrisonDriving down North Coast Highway, there’s...

Suzie Harrison

Driving down North Coast Highway, there’s a well-known area in Laguna

Beach called Gallery Row, known for the plethora of art galleries and

the Laguna Art Museum on the corner.

It’s an art destination where a lot happens. One of the anchors on

Gallery Row is the Peter Blake Gallery, which will be celebrating its

10 year anniversary on Saturday.

Peter Blake and his wife, Fetneh, who have lived in Laguna since

1987, own the gallery where the story of creating his dream came

true.

“I came to Laguna and got a job at Romeo Cucina,” Blake said. “It

had just opened, and I worked there as a waiter for a couple of years

when I was promoted to manager.”

It was while he was celebrating his promotion that he walked past

what would become his first location, in the Village Faire, and he

decided to open an art gallery.

“I was open there for three years and decide to move to North

Laguna to be closer to the museum,” Blake said. “I thought if

collectors would come to Laguna it would be a place they would go to.

Plus I like North Laguna, its history of this being Gallery Row.”

Blake worked hard to make his dream a reality. He lost money for

the first five years and continued to work as the manager of the

restaurant from 5 p.m. until close, after spending 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

working at the gallery. He said he was working seven days a week with

one night off.

“Within two months of having the gallery in North Laguna, I was

able to convince four galleries to open here -- Elena Zass, Monica

MoVan, Bill DeBilzan and Adrienne Fitzgerald, who opened Left Bank

Gallery,” he said.

STARTING THE ART WALK

He said that they got together and tried to figure out what to do

to get started.

“We started ‘Saturday Night is Art Night’ and we were open

Saturday nights, served wine, partied among ourselves,” Blake said.

“People would show up. It was a fun time.”

That event is what started the art walk, Blake said.

“It started with Billy and I,” Blake said. “He went to Seattle and

heard of First Thursday’s Art Walk. So instead of Saturday night, we

decided to do First Thursday. After a few months, the rest of the art

community decided they wanted to participate, also.

About that time Sian Poeschl, city arts coordinator, came to their

aid.

“Sian came to the rescue along with hard-working members of the

Art Walk that brought it to what it is today,” Blake said.

The gallery has always maintained a focus on Southern California

art, devoting shows to Laguna artists, including Chris Gwaltney, Paul

Darrow, Michael McManus and Denny and Cheryl Eckstrom.

“These are just a few we’ve shown,” Blake said. “It’s been great

because as the gallery has come up, we’ve brought up our Laguna

artists with us. We’ve shown them side by side with some of the

biggest artists in L.A. That’s always been really important.”

Blake is proud of the fact that they have never turned their back

on Laguna, though others suggested they might be more successful in a

bigger art city like San Francisco or Los Angeles.

“Laguna has been great to us,” Blake said. “We moved here with

nothing and built two businesses in 10 years. I’m really proud we’ve

been able to move Laguna forward.”(His wife opened a clothing store

across the street about a year ago.)

A TOUGH SELL

When Blake first called artists to show in Laguna, they laughed.

Now he said that they are more than happy to have a show here, in

fact they’re lined up.

“I feel like to a certain degree we raised a bar, that it’s OK

that we have a gallery that doesn’t show commercial or accessible art

every month,” Blake said. “We’ve set an example that we can sell out

a tough show. I follow my passion instead of showing commercial,

which gave the signal that there are sophisticated art buyers in

Laguna Beach.”

Blake emphasized that his gallery, unlike most contemporary ones,

has a casual atmosphere that is meant to be comfortable for anyone

walking in, at any time.

Blake has also been a team player on other levels, working with

Community Art Project install public art, supporting Laguna Shanti,

the Laguna Art Museum and rallying behind the museum and the Festival

of Arts to remain in Laguna Beach.

“I’m really proud of this town and feel that this is where I want

to live the rest of my life,” Blake said. “And this is what I want to

do with the rest of my life.”

CIRCLING BACK 10 YEARS

He finds that 10 years after opening his gallery, there is a funny

irony.

“Ten years later the economy is struggling again, and we’ve got a

president named George Bush, who is talking about recession and war

again,” Blake said.

But Blake has no complaints; rather he is thankful to Laguna Beach

and the owner of Romeo Cucina, Vittorio Romeo, who he said took a

huge risk on him.

“They made a huge sacrifice so I could run my gallery,” Blake

said.

“It’s been a great 10 years, it’s a milestone with everything not

meant to be with everything going against it,” Blake said. “It’s

amazing to see this happen with a gallery that now earns over a

million dollars a year in business. Sian Poeschl and the city can’t

be thanked enough. They had the guts to get behind the arts and

culture.”

The feeling seems to be mutual.

“Peter has been a forceful character and advocate of the arts in

Laguna Beach, has had his gallery open for every art walk, has

encouraged and nurtured artists exhibiting at his gallery, and

supported many arts and community organizations,” Poeschl said. “His

commitment to Laguna Beach has been undaunted. During my six years as

the arts coordinator for the city, Peter has been a good friend and

colleague -- we are fortunate not only to have the Peter Blake

Gallery in Laguna, but Peter and his wife, Fetneh.”

The gallery will be celebrating its anniversary Saturday from 6 to

9 p.m. Peter Blake Gallery is at 326 North Coast Highway.

Information: 376-9994.