And another one shuts down
Owning and operating a gallery in San Diego ain’t no cake walk. It’s hard work against nearly impossible odds — art buyers/collectors in San Diego are few and far between. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again (and I’ll attribute local artist Joshua Krause for the words of wisdom), the best and only way to truly support the local art scene is to BUY ART, or tickets if we’re talking about dance/theater/music/etc.
I’ll get off my soapbox now and get to the point. The Fish Out of the Water Weirdo Art Gallery is officially closed. Owner and artist Kelly Hutchison, aka Dark Vomit, says the gallery biz just isn’t for him. He has a lot more to say about his gallery-owning experience in North Park, the part of the city we all thought was nearly gentrified but is apparently still struggling with some growing pains, so if you’re interested, read Hutchison’s explanations for closing the gallery below:
Hey Everybody,
The “Gentleman’s Loafer” show is now available online.
Please go to the www.FishoutofWaterGallery.com and click “art for sale” to see the selections if you haven’t already.
We ship out like Lickety Split. 
Also…
We went ahead and closed the Fish Out of Water Gallery. (location at 2925-B Lincoln Avenue)
We will be operating the gallery website online until the website domain runs out and then we will be launching a new website to promote the products better we would like to deal with in the future.
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Thank you to anyone and everybody who came out to any of our shows at the FOOW and the support.
–and to the many many artists we’ve worked with since we opened.
It has been a true experience and we are just freakin’ plain happy to walk away from the gallery without being in any debt over it.
Sincerely,
Kelly Hutchison
Hey Kinsee,
I have been flooded with a ton of email since I posted that we closed the gallery.
This is something I just really wanted to walk away from for many various reasons and just move on…
Some of the responses I have received from people on our mailing list in regards to the closure…
has been a bit concerning.
including this one…
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KINSEE: Two days later, Hutchison sent me a response about the gallery’s closing followed by a further explanation of why he closed the gallery. Then he included a short postscript about the real reason, which involves an art fairy with a penchant for sexual brutality.
Kelly,
Without bringing up the “past” so to speak, I never really felt that we truly had the chance to “air” out our differences and opinions on, and I must emphasize this, how an art community – San Diego – must maintain a certain level of quality, committment and longevity in order to make a difference AND make it easier on everyone involved – financially, socially and maintining any sort of recognizability via the press, collectors, etc… It is simply not enough to open up a gallery and expect miracles, there are too many factors that it depends on and are integral to its success. Art simply because it is art and made by an artist does not mean that it has a special power or persuasion over the viewer – it is only as good as the effort and thought put into by its maker.
Anyway, this is to say that it saddens me on many different levels that you are closing the gallery – I only wish that you had given it some time to develop and perhaps considered some alternative points of view or methods. The potential was there…
XXXXX
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before a bunch of people jump the gun and quickly say that I just gave up too quickly…
I would like to share my response to this person and their email…
(and hope a better understanding of my position)
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In response…
Hi XXXXX,
I fully understand your points.
There is more than meets the eye (no pun intended) with our decision to shut down the place. I have worked day and night for many months and have invested a chunk of change into the place even as small as it is. I’m considering it a minor step back right now to take steps forward with what I’m working on in the future.
The art Gallery owner is just not my calling. At least not right now…and certainly not in that location any longer. New adventures are abroad.
Art surely just does not sell itself and it does needs a vehicle…
No question about it.
However, our choice in location has become less than desirable and certain events have taken place there… that the motivation to continue on is not there for me.
I wish my only reason for dropping the gallery was just lack of interest in art from the public…
and lack of sales…
–but it’s not exactly that.
True… I have been so frustrated that I have wanted rip out my hair and claw out my eyes…
but…
I have made some money in the gallery.
Not a whole lot… but surely enough to eat and pay rent with.
The problems rise more with the neighborhood —particularly that street.
It’s a back street no question about it.
I’ve seen enough and have dealt with enough that I don’t feel good with Crystal in there at night alone.
She can hold her own… and it probably is a bit male chauvinistic…
(and hindsight 20-20… Calling ourselves a “Weirdo” art Gallery probably has heightened the amount of traffic on this level we had to deal with… ) –but I’ve had my share of weirdos walking in the door.
Anyways…
Times are hard… sales are down for everyone.
I recognize the slump. I know there is the light at the end of the tunnel… blah… blah..
but if my issues running the place were just the art scene politics and interest…
–I can get through that… and I have.
Another problem that has driven us to the decision…
My neighbor in which we share an entrance to the place has become too much of an issue.
He sniffs glue on a regular basis and it wasn’t until I took off for a couple of weeks and went back in there… I realized how much a contact high I have been getting in there everyday from it.
He does not hide the fact that he does this…
He considers it part of the job with being a shoe repair.
Throw in alcohol in on the mix… He drinks about a case a day.
He works there and he lives there.
Upon sharing the entrance… his antics and violent outbursts have ran off past patrons.
Too many times we have had reports of patrons scared to come by if we are not open because of some of his behavior.
I have addressed this issue with the property management SEVERAL times… too many.
There is something going on fishy with the ownership and management of the building.
They took him to court and they lost to evict him.
Even though he was breaking lease agreement stuff including living there and he hasn’t paid rent in months.
They got the worst sleazy lawyer money could buy and the court saw through it.
The drama and antics that go on around the place is like a freakin’ cartoon.
Some days it’s entertaining… some days I can’t take it any longer and feel like I’m gonna lose my mind.
I have not sold anything above an art print priced at $30… in there since 5 months ago.
I have however… been making money getting involved with shows outside the gallery.
Including I am getting commissions that involve me to step away from the gallery too much.
–which makes it all the more frustrating.
All of these sound like excuses.
…I know.
That’s what they are.
If one was really determined… they could get through all that.
The dilemma that I am faced with in my position… is questioning whether going through getting involved with trying to clean things up and make the street more presentable and less scary at night is simply worth it to me to exist at that location.
It is a problem over there and realistically expecting people to just show up because you are an art gallery is ludicrous.
Getting them to come out and take you seriously when another neighbor that has “Heroin is Good” tagged on the wall that’s been there for months… and nobody takes it upon themselves to paint over.
..and another neighbor is screaming at the top of his lungs about the genocide of Palesentians in a drunken state.
–makes it challenging.
I do believe that place is still a good spot… it just is going to take a lot of hard work and I’m afraid more cooperation than what I could get from the landlord.
I am up to the point that I was signing up to become a member of the North Park Business Association to try and clean up the street.
The neighborhood has the potential…
I just can’t see putting in the time… when inevidedibly I will screw myself with a rent increase when it does really pop. $$
…It’s too much.
I don’t want this anymore.
I am happy that we made such an impact to sadden people on our closure.
–in a weird sick way… although it’s never my intentions to make people sad. 
I worked hard on the place (Your email is not the only one we’ve received back.)
–but at the same time…
I have a beautiful studio in the back of my house.
I spend a lot of time when I am not painting taking care of the tropical garden and hanging out with my cats.
I love that.
My mental state of being is top notch and the environment is completely tranquil.
I miss it and selfishly want to go back to that world.
The potential is still there where we left off..
The place is for rent.
It is $495 with all utilities included.
We did put some thought about putting notice out and seeing if another artist wanted to take over… but in the long run… we felt it was not a good place to set up shop and don’t wish some of the drama we experienced on anyone.
“…an art community – San Diego – must maintain a certain level of quality, commitment and longevity in order to make a difference AND make it easier on everyone involved – financially, socially and maintaining any sort of recognizability via the press, collectors, etc… “
absolutely without a doubt.
I assure you with my art… I am so committed… that I should be committed.
We opened the doors for a lot of artists with their first experiences within the art scene being involved with some of our group shows. and have tried to make it easier for others.
Hard headed and stubbornly battling any kind of expecting an entry fee $$ for any of them and 35% commission.
Socially… our first experiences with much of the local San Diego art scene about 4 years ago was felt with a lot of “cold” attitude. Openings we would go to… people we would try and talk with.
It took a while to get through this.
As our own gallery… It was always important to us… that if all else fails… try and kill them humor and silliness at our shows.
No need for any art snobbery or pompousness.
–just a bunch of weirdo’s showing off their weirdo work.
…and as far as recognizability…
I hold my own and will continue to do so with new works already started working on.
As far as getting collectors and investors to buy into Art in San Diego.
I have always tried to express the investment potential.
Personally…
90% of my sales take place online… –not in San Diego.
I am very respectful and thankful of anyone who has invested in my art or art that we have had in some of our past shows.
It is an investment.
I promise you that.
Thanks for checking in.
Sincerely,
Kelly
