Photos by Helena Palazzi / Yellowhouse Production
Kingston’s Pinkwater Gallery aims to be the best place to see and purchase affordable work created by local female artists—and it’s succeeding.
Most art galleries are (can we just admit it?) a tad snooty. But not Pinkwater. “I really want people to feel comfortable coming in and not put off by the fact that it’s a gallery,” says owner and artist Anne Sanger. She started the venue in 2019 to showcase her own paintings and to celebrate other female abstract artists. She thinks of Pinkwater as a “boutique for art,” curating pieces with an eye for what will look beautiful in a person’s home. That sensibility is unique, says Helena Palazzi, a Hudson Valley artist who regularly shows her work at Pinkwater. “People walk in and can envision how a piece would look in their house. Art is supposed to be enjoyed and appreciated.” Intrigued? Here’s what to know before you pop in for a visit—or a shopping spree.
The background: A former fashion illustrator who lived in Brooklyn, Sanger started taking summer classes at the Woodstock School of Art. After a few years, she moved to her current home in Hurley—but she picked Kingston as the gallery’s home. “I just fell in love with Kingston,” says Sanger. “The city’s energy was like my Williamsburg neighborhood.”
What you’ll find: Abstract paintings, screen and mono prints, textile and fiber art, and drawings—arranged in airy, light-filled spaces. Sanger curates the shows as if she were designing rooms in a home. “I want the art to look beautiful in the room and to speak to the other works in the collection,” she explains, adding that the pieces are grouped to balance each other in terms of color and composition.
Show time: The collections go up three or four times a year and last three months each. Pinkwater’s current show runs through October and features the works of 10 artists, including Palazzi, Melanie Delgado, and Susanna Ronner. Most of the artists have a Woodstock School of Art connection. “Many of them teach there and then they refer a friend—so that’s how I find artists for the gallery,” explains Sanger.
Coolest perk: If you’re iffy about a purchase, Sanger will loan you the piece if you live locally. “I will deliver it, put it up with you, and let you live with it before you buy—within reason, obviously,” she notes. What Sanger loves is for people to ask questions, learn about a new artist, and start collecting. And while many of the larger works sell for several thousand dollars, there are pieces priced well below that. Sanger also offers a “buy local” discount if you purchase from the gallery instead of online.
Plan a visit: Pinkwater is open Thursdays–Sundays from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. at 56 North Front Street. The gallery, along with other shops, participates in Second Saturdays in the Stockade, staying open until 8 p.m. monthly through December.
Related: Foreland Is a Hub for Artists and Creatives in Catskill
