Despite a Friday-the-13th opening night, Hoffman LaChance Fine Art’s new Maplewood location has luck—and good art—on its side
By Thomas Crone
In a one-time Moose lodge on Sutton Avenue, just south of the heart of downtown Maplewood, is the Hoffman LaChance gallery, version 2.0. A few years ago, when the three founding artists—Michael Hoffman, Alicia LaChance and William “Billy” LaChance—created a gallery and working studio in the heart of Clayton, arts watchers wondered whether the move would be long-term. The trio, related both by birth (Alicia and Billy) and by marriage (Alicia and Michael), hoped their second-floor walk-up would stimulate smaller galleries and spaces to crop up around them—but the changing tides of development in Clayton suggested a short move across town would be the better ticket. Named Best Gallery in the most recent Riverfront Times poll, the new gallery is three times larger than the cozy 1,200-square-foot space on Forsyth.
“You can say we’ll become more ambitious with the types of shows we’ll present,” says Alicia. And the local artists, adds Michael, “will always be our mainstay.”
The gallery’s grand opening (on Friday, October 13) featured Transient, consisting of works by painters Jon Cournoyer and Jake Lee Cruzen. Works by about a dozen artists, many of whom have been regularly working with Hoffman LaChance, will hang through December. “We’ve probably put together a stable of about 15 artists,” says Billy.
These days, Hoffman LaChance Fine Art is surrounded by artists—including two for whom the gallery was named. Billy works in a space across the street, next to artist Belinda Lee’s; Alicia, meanwhile, works on Manchester. Galleries and other arts-related spaces, including the Black Cat Theatre, are popping up all along their street. Alicia credits their landlord, sculptor Doug Kassebaum, for part of that revival. “There’s a huge concentration of artist studios all along Sutton and down Manchester,” she says. “Doug has a real vision of what he’d like to see happening.”
Their own vision for the area includes regular gallery shows, as well as a film series—shown on a large white wall in the space—and outside events such as the Rock ’n’ Roll Craft Show.
“We’re open to ideas like that, where we’re not curating the events,” says Alicia. “We’re just going to roll up our sleeves and stay involved in what’s happening in St. Louis and what’s happening in Maplewood. It’s a lifestyle choice as well as a space.”
Michael nods agreement. “People seem to be staying here, creating fun and exciting things. It’s nice to be a part of that.”
While concentrating their efforts at the gallery, all three continue to show work nationally.
And now, instead of the second-floor, small, narrow walk-up in Clayton, there are two brightly lit rooms, dominated by large windows and vast floor space. The old Moose lodge is a top-flight gallery.
The three founders take a moment to reflect on the restraints of their well-regarded but cramped old venue.
Michael: “We have central air now.”
Alicia: “The last place was a little oven.”
Billy: “A hot box.”
Now they get to be hot and cool at the same time.
Hoffman LaChance Fine Art, 3100 Sutton, 314-960-5322; viewing hours vary.
The gallery's website is www.hoffmanlachancefineart.com.
