Iris Studio and Gallery

Let’s hear it for unbridled enthusiasm and the entrepreneurial spirit!
I’ll be honest here: I was destined to find this gallery. A recent article in one our Weeklies featured the place, emphasizing that two Minnesotan transplants owned and operated the business. So let’s put two and two together: I’m a Minnesota transplant, and one of my kids is named — you guessed it — Iris. And it happens to be right around the corner from our home.
The article also mentioned that the neighborhood, Sawmill Village (if you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry), will see massive development over the coming year, including restaurants, shopping and (drooling here) breweries. Did you catch that? Brewery plural. Um… Yes, please.
The reality of the area is far from an urban utopia, however. Iris is situated on a street that currently sees traffic in the form of cement trucks and tractors. The signage from Bellamah, the main artery nearby, consists of a little white placard with a few words and an arrow (I was told that will change soon). And I had a difficult time figuring out what the other shops on the strip actually were, although I’m sure with some investigation I could find meowt.
Regardless, the gallery is a lovely little slice of artistic heaven. A lot of the work reminded me of a popular and mature style often found in the midwest, photographs of lush green spaces around the world like the Netherlands and southern France, the great lakes, places that remind us that the lush natural world isn’t simply crucial, it’s also easy on the eyes. The pieces were very fairly priced and would grace the inner domain of an urban dweller with wonderful color. Another installation by a guest artist featured work that was far more abstract and challenging, but the tones were earthy, which allowed the two styles to co-​exist.
It’s a small space, not crammed, but certainly full of work, and it was a joy to meet the owners. Let’s hear it for a new neighborhood and some great new neighbors!