The Butterfield Garage 22nd Annual Fine Art Garage Sale will open Saturday, Aug. 1, and run through Monday, Aug. 31. The gallery will be open for First Friday Art Walk, Aug. 7, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Normal business hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
This is the 22nd year of the original “Fine Art Garage Sale.” Gallery artists offer older work, experimental work or discounted work at “garage sale” prices. The Fine Art Garage Sale offers patrons the opportunity to bring home bargains from the gallery’s roster of well-known local artists in a variety of mediums including paintings, mixed media, sculpture, photography, prints, textiles and jewelry.
Established in February 1999, Butterfield Garage Art Gallery is the brainchild of artist Jan Miller. Her vision was to create an artist-run gallery for professional artists that would encourage creative experimentation.
Jan and Max Miller purchased the building at 137 King St. in 1998. Its first use was as a parking garage and “showplace” for cars. It was built in 1927, the same year as the Bridge of Lions. Located in the service corridor to the Old City, it served as both an auto repair shop and automobile sales showroom. Cars could be brought into the building and driven up a ramp to the second level for storage. An elevator eventually replaced the ramp.
The garage remained in operation until the early 1960s. After that it was used as a bus station, taxi stand, fastener (nuts and bolts) shop and a print shop. The new owners stumbled on a treasure when they discovered the Butterfield neon sign, dated 1929, under some debris. This relic appealed to Jan Miller who took it to a sign company for restoration. It was in remarkably good condition and rehung under the portico in front.
Jan Miller’s original vision to establish an art gallery for local, professional artists to support each other, exhibit their best work and keep creativity alive in the heart of Old City soon became a reality. That vision still drives Butterfield Garage Art Gallery today.
