Notes From The City: An Abundant Life

Paul Calendrillo's Gallery in Chelsea has a door that seems like it will take you to a hidden place, and indeed, when you walk through it and see the artwork on his walls, you are transported. The first time I saw that door I was in the building where his gallery is for another gallery opening. I had already met Paul and his lovely wife Marian somewhere, though none of us can remember where, but when I saw the door, and saw Paul and Marian, I remembered our conversation and how he had told me that he was moving to a new gallery space from his previous one on Roosevelt Island, and that the door was much smaller than a usual door, and he wasn't sure how he was going to get some of the larger works of art into the new space. Because the thing you see about Paul Calendrillo is that his eye for art is larger than life. A part of his goal as a gallerist is to create a dialogue and an opening for communication and education between artists and collectors and those who are interested in learning about art, and to bring artists to the forefront who are in his words "young, highly credentialed artists and brilliant more established artists who are ready to break through the recognition plateau and who are currently overlooked," and he does exactly what he promises to do. He represents artists from New York City and around the world, and he is always traveling to meet with artists and curators, visiting galleries and artist collectives and studios and thinking about ways to expand the visibility of not only the artists he represents but also the people he is in contact with. When I visited his gallery recently, he was on his way to a meeting with a group of other artists and gallerists in his building to begin some discussions about ways to highlight the building as a whole and connect with the larger community to increase outreach. His is a collaborative mindset, and just as he seeks excellence in the artists he works with, he is also always encouraging connections and making referrals and suggestions to help expand and strengthen the network of creative expression.

Since that first evening when I stumbled onto his space and saw that door and walked through it, I have seen several shows that have all been extraordinarily beautiful and out of the ordinary. A few weeks ago I wrote in this blog about the artist Zuz, whose work in fabric Paul not only hung on his walls, but who he also helped to host a fashion show for her couture designs and wearable art during fashion week. The evening of that fashion show was an overflowing extravaganza, with so many people that they were spilling out into the hallway - that is the kind of thing that Paul Calendrillo does and the type of events he creates around the artists he works with. His shows are spectacular and exciting and fun and beautiful, events that linger in the memory and create memories that bring people back hungrily for more.

We sat down the other day to talk a bit more in depth, and I got a chance to learn more about him. But the honest truth is that Paul doesn't really like to talk much about himself. When you sit with him or meet with him at the gallery, even if it is a normal day and not an opening he won't spend time bending your ear about his own life, though I'm sure there are many wonderful tales to tell. Rather he talks about art and artists, the experiences he's had with the people he's met, and he's always upbeat and encouraging, uplifting and uplifted. Knowing the art world as I do and having been around it for many years I know that there are always stories of many colors and kinds to tell, but Paul only ever seems to be supportive and positive - he's wise and an excellent business man, but he takes everything in stride and keeps it moving forward in a positive direction.

His gallery in the afternoon is a lovely one - previously I'd seen it only at night, and the light streaming in the windows even on a cloudy day gave it a zen-like quality. And of course there is that wonderful door that seems like it's right out of wonderland, a door that opens into another world and is open to the world around it.

Paul Calendrillo

At His Gallery In Chelsea

547 West 27th Street

Suite 600

New York City

https://www.paulcalendrillo.com/