From showroom to showcase for local art: Pop-up transforms empty Stanford Shopping Center storefront into a gallery

Visitors to Stanford Shopping Center might be surprised to find that, tucked away in an unusually quiet corner of this bustling center, alongside large stores such as Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus or Pottery Barn, they can find a gallery featuring an array of local art.

A variety of paintings hang on the dark walls and ceramics, jewelry and art glass are displayed on tables throughout the large room. The art brings cheery pops of color that brighten the slightly industrial space, while colorful lanterns hanging from the high ceiling help create an inviting atmosphere.

Only the logo of an electric car company emblazoned on a window and the mission statement of a Japanese home store adorning a wall hint that this space had been, perhaps not long ago, something else entirely. But it’s not initially obvious that this gallery hasn’t been in place for a while. In fact, it is the latest space at Stanford Shopping Center to house QD Gallery, a pop-up that’s made its home over the past four years in various vacant storefronts at the shopping center.

Gallery founder and director Jesse Nguyen, who is also an artist, didn’t exactly set out to run a gallery, but it was a rainy day, or actually the rainy season, that inspired him to seek out a place where he could present his work year-round. For a number of years, he had been showing on the art festival circuit, but with most such events taking place outdoors, artists’ opportunities to show and sell their work are limited to the warmest months, which amounts to about half the year. In search of more stability, Nguyen looked to move indoors.

Before QD landed at Stanford Shopping Center, Nguyen did pop-ups at various spaces around the Peninsula and South Bay, and initially it was not a year-round endeavor, but it helped fill in the gaps and downtime between festival seasons.

“It started from me getting just the job and the pop-up for myself, as an artist trying to survive during the rainy seasons. So I started out with myself and then I included one artist who is one of my colleagues — you know, there are people that you’ve done shows with together for years and you become good friends, and then they start (to say) ‘Oh, I want to join you.'”

From one or two colleagues from art shows, that number has grown to just under two dozen artists now showing at QD. The gallery has a group of resident artists whose pieces are on regular display while other artists’ works are displayed on a rotating basis. QD operates on a commission format and Nguyen said he curates the displays himself. The space is also available to rent out for events.

“I take joy in doing this and as an artist, this is my dream, to have a gallery. And on top of that, I enjoy displaying things and I enjoy presenting my colleagues’ art as well. I love presenting the art to our audience — to our customers and collectors,” Nguyen said.

As it turns out, the skills Nguyen developed showing at art festivals would still come in handy for running a pop-up gallery — Nguyen said he became adept at setting up and taking down displays quickly, which comes in handy when his landlord gives him a 30-day notice to pack up and get ready to move to the next storefront. The significant disruptions caused by regular moves have led Nguyen to hope that he might be able to secure a permanent lease at a reasonable rate, he said.

In addition to works by local artists in a variety of media, QD also offers a variety of modern ceramic housewares, such as teapots, plates, creamers and sugar bowls with matte black exteriors and shiny colorful glazes on the interior. Nguyen said these pieces were co-designed by himself and another artist.

“Our goal was that we wanted to bring back the traditional Japanese black porcelain, with a modern shape and modern glaze,” Nguyen said.

The idea to create these pieces came about during the 2008 recession, as a way to offer customers affordable, functional pieces they’d be more willing to buy during tough economic times, when many people weren’t spending money on art.

QD Gallery takes its name from the initials for Nguyen’s original Vietnamese name.

“‘QD’ is my initials. So the Q is my middle initial — Quoc — and then D is my original first name — Dung. So that’s where QD came from. And also when I sign my paintings and drawings instead of signing Jesse, which is my naturalized name, I sign it with my original Vietnamese name. Also, I want to honor my parents, who have given me that name,” Nguyen said.

Although he said he misses the friendships he developed with customers at art shows — seeing people return year after year and getting to know their kids — the gallery has become even more than a home now, but a kind of mission.

“I think this is my calling after all — after doing all this at all different venues. I think this is my calling to have a gallery to present the art and the artists that I love,” Nguyen said.

QD Gallery is located at 660 Stanford Shopping Center, Suite 850, Palo Alto. For more information, call 650-270-7863 or visit qdgallery.com.

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