Owner Jeanie Watson excited about the talented local artists
Published in the February 18-March 3, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
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By Robert Airoldi
Photo by Marty Cheek
Jeanie Watson surrounded by local art in her downtown Morgan Hill Art Gallery.
Just as Morgan Hill is becoming well known in the Bay Area as a fine wine destination, Jeanie Watson is working to make Morgan Hill even more prestigious as a place with talented artists.
Watson, who recently opened the Morgan Hill Art Gallery on West Second Street in the downtown, is also the director of Art Around Town for the Valle del Sur Art Guild, which places local artists’ work in area businesses.
Valle del Sur Art Guild is California’s South Silicon Valley association of visual artists active in southern Santa Clara County, including South San Jose, Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy and neighboring coastal communities.
Watson said she’d love for Morgan Hill to become the next Carmel in terms of art galleries and artists.
“This is a real exciting time right now,” she said.
The Morgan Hill Art Gallery is a collection of local artist, mostly from Morgan Hill, but some from other regions of the Bay Area.
Watson, a retired interior designer who once owned a shop in the Downtown Mall, opened the Art Galleria shop in San Juan Bautista just before the economy crashed. After closing it, about seven years ago her grandson Leo Garcia was born and she “took on the nanny/granny job for seven years three afternoons a week.” But now that he’s a bit older, she said she has the energy to put into the new downtown gallery.
“I’ve always felt we needed an art gallery in Morgan Hill and with the Art Around Town off the ground for six years and stable, I felt it was time to open an art gallery,” she said. “We now have 20 different artists in this gallery right now with a waiting list.”
The gallery also offers art classes for all ages and all levels of abilities. Those classes include basic drawing for adults and kids, acrylic oil painting,water color and a jewelry making class.
One thing Watson praises is the revitalization the downtown has gone through in the past few years and the upgrade in the next few years.
“We need foot traffic,” she said. “And, we’re working with the other downtown shops. We network together and I’m part of the Downtown Association and I feel like we’re becoming a team and working together. I think the shop can be successful and a fun thing for people to do.”
The shop has only been open for two months, and already four paintings have been sold “so I’m really excited about that,” Watson said. She is currently working on a new logo and getting the website updated, so much of her business has come by word of mouth and downtown foot traffic, she said.
Watson said she’ll have an art walk the first Thursday of the month with featured artists throughout downtown who will include some public art as well. A map will be created to lead people to businesses featuring art works.
In the meantime, Watson said she’s excited about the artists in Morgan Hill.
“We’re going to focus on Morgan Hill,” she said. “The community really has some talented artists.”
