Bryant Street Gallery celebrates a silver anniversary

A 2023 survey by the Art Dealers Association of America found that 60% of small, independent art galleries in the United States close within five years of opening. The Bay Area has seen its share of galleries that have come and gone, including Pace in Palo Alto and Gagosian in San Francisco. 

That same survey stated that the best way for a gallery to survive was to “diversify income” and that may be why Bryant Street Gallery in Palo Alto has defied the odds and is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year. Known as both an art gallery and a frame shop, Bryant Street is the brainchild of Karen Imperial, its founder and sole owner.

Imperial was born and raised in Elmsford, New York, and was educated at Parsons School of Design and the State University of New York at Purchase. Her studies included illustration, textiles, painting and printing, and her original intention was to become an artist. Her first job after college was in a frame shop in New York City, where she was a fitter. She really enjoyed designing frames but when the opportunity arose to go out onto the gallery floor and interact with customers, she jumped at the chance. 

 When she moved to California in 1995, she found a job at a gallery and frame shop in San Francisco. While she was very knowledgeable about art trends in New York, especially the predominant style of Abstract Expressionism, she was less familiar with regional California artists. She set out to quickly rectify that. After five years, she made two important decisions: she would open her own gallery and she would not work for anyone else again. “I realized early on that I just liked being the boss,” she said.

Thanks to a loan from a client, she was able to open a very small gallery just down the block from her current location. “I came from New York so the space didn’t have to be big, it just had to be good,” she explained. She showed art and did framing and the business took hold. Several years later, a rent increase forced her to look elsewhere and, as luck would have it, the current gallery location was available and she moved in. “We didn’t even have to change our name,” she said with a laugh.

Since then, the business has grown to include gallery exhibitions, framing, art consulting and art staging. “We’re kind of a one-stop shop,” said Imperial, who now employs two people in the gallery and three in the frame shop, which is located in Mountain View.

The gallery installs around eight shows a year, usually pulling from the 30 artists that Imperial represents. She finds artists at art fairs, M.F.A. student exhibitions and studio visits. Imperial curates the exhibitions with the help of long-time assistant, Jeanne Vadeboncoeur. Exhibitions, which vary in media, are usually solo or two-person shows with a few thematic group shows mixed in. “I love it when we open a new show,” said Imperial, “and I get excited about showing new artists.”

With the decline of foot traffic in Palo Alto, recent economic downturns and the pandemic, it was clear that just presenting art would not be enough. Imperial established a relationship with a construction company that builds large homes in Menlo Park and Atherton. She draws upon her design background and the roster of artists she represents to stage the homes for viewing. Often, buyers will purchase staged art or Imperial will serve as an art consultant in helping them to find art that fits their taste and budget.

“You have to work very hard in this kind of business,” Imperial said.

Her clients include prominent Silicon Valley millionaires as well as people who “just need art in their homes but don’t know how to find it.” Using Photoshop templates, she can place art throughout a home, while listening carefully to the owner’s reactions.

“You have to be willing to understand the clientele and know what their needs are,” she said.

She doesn’t feel that there are many bona fide art collectors in this area (“true collectors are people who buy a piece of art and put it under a bed”) mainly because of the demographic of younger, newly wealthy people in Silicon Valley. “They need artwork in their homes and we really want to place good, affordable artwork.” Imperial said that, because of the longevity of her business, she is now also helping the children of former clients. 

Her biggest challenge? “The internet,” she said, acknowledging that people can easily find art online and deal directly with an artist, rather than a gallery as finder/middleman. She takes heart, however, in the fact that “people usually need to see gallery credentials before spending a lot on art.” And this is where the gallery comes into play, offering an imprimatur, especially for young, upcoming artists.

Noting that she has given first-time shows to many artists, she cites this as one reason why she plans to continue the gallery side of the business. “I want to keep the gallery because it gives my artists opportunities and experience that they can put on a resume.”

Numerous artists offered input about the gallery for this story, including Zoya Scholis, who wrote, “Without an audience my paintings are incomplete. When a gallery owner takes the time to see, guide, curate and show your work they are actually completing it. For that I am most grateful to Bryant Street Gallery.”

Sarah Morejohn said that her solo show in 2024 resulted in more gallery representation and several artist-in-residence awards. “It was wonderful to have been given a chance at Bryant Street Gallery and the successes that followed.”

Elena Zolotnitsky wrote a lengthy testimonial noting, “Not everybody understands what a hard job it is to be an artist. The only job that is even harder to create masterpieces daily is to sell them. And to be doing it for 25 years is a great fantastical achievement.”

Imperial reflected on the many changes she has witnessed in Palo Alto and the businesses that have come and gone. She said that there is a marked decrease in the number of people who attend openings or even stop by the gallery to look at a show. She is hopeful that things will change. “We need galleries in Palo Alto or else it will just be rug stores and restaurants.” She added, “We need to keep the downtown flourishing and a place where people want to see different things.”

The gallery has a full calendar of exhibitions planned for next year, including solo shows of long-standing artists Elise Morris and Michael Shemchuk. Imperial also plans to feature the work of two new artists, Ruth Shively and Diane Williams. There will be several group shows, including a continuation of the current exhibition, “Organic Chemistry.”

When asked why she thinks the gallery has endured, Imperial said, “Because we do so many different things. And because I don’t know anything else and I love what I do.”

“Organic Chemistry,” a group show of abstract paintings by Jane Burton, Karl Pilato, Paula Valenzuela and Diane Williams will be on view through Jan. 31 at Bryant Street Gallery, 532 Bryant St., Palo Alto. bryantstreet.com.

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