Dalí, Degas and Renoir are just a few of the famed masters whose works will soon be on display in Sawgrass Village, as longtime St. Augustine art dealers Cutter & Cutter open a new gallery in Ponte Vedra Beach.
To be located on Village Main Street (next to Peterbrooke Chocolatier), the 3,000 square foot gallery will officially open its doors this summer. To offer area residents a special preview of some of the artwork to come, however, a “mobile gallery” will be open in the space from May 9-16 to coincide with THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP.
“We’re excited,” said Len Cutter, who owns the gallery with his wife, Sonya, and sons Matthew and Mark. “I usually say I only get excited about two things – love and fly fishing. But I am really excited about coming to Ponte Vedra.”
Currently, the Cutter family operates two galleries on King Street in the heart of St. Augustine’s historic district. Brilliance in Color, located at 25 King St., will remain open, while the gallery at 9 King St. will eventually close once the new Ponte Vedra Beach gallery is fully established.
“We’ve been in St. Augustine for 18 years, and we love being in the nation’s oldest city,” Cutter said. “There’s something historic, something interesting on every corner. But Ponte Vedra just has a slightly different pace – it’s more relaxed, but with a purpose.”
Classics to contemporary
As with Brilliance in Color, the Ponte Vedra Beach gallery will feature a diverse array of both classic and contemporary artists. In addition to 19th century masters such as Mary Cassatt, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec, the gallery will also feature works by more contemporary artists such as 20th century sculptor Frederick Hart – well known for his statue of the three soldiers at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial – and living artists such as Daniel Greene, famed for his portraits and series of paintings of the New York City subway. Ceramics, pottery and wood turned art will be available alongside original paintings, etchings and lithographs.
Also popular with Cutter & Cutter’s clients: Salvador Dalí.
“Dalí has become a big part of our business,” Mark Cutter said. “It’s just amazing how a Dali piece in the window just pulls people in.”
But what makes Cutter & Cutter different than other galleries, Len Cutter said, is its staff of knowledgeable, professional art consultants and its ability to do in-home showings.
“People buy what they see,” he said. “With our new Ponte Vedra gallery, clients can see the art in a beautiful gallery, or we can bring it to their home or business.”
Mark Cutter added, “We can even put together a grouping of works, load them into a truck and bring it to the client’s home so they can see how it feels in their space.”
And because the Sawgrass Village location is more centrally located, Len Cutter said, the gallery will be able to better serve clients throughout the Jacksonville and Beaches areas. “Everything will just emanate from the Ponte Vedra gallery.”
A gathering place
But while in-home showings and online sales are a significant part of Cutter & Cutter’s business, Len Cutter hopes local residents will take advantage of the new Ponte Vedra Beach gallery to attend its exhibitions, receptions and events with noted artists.
“A gallery is more than a place to see and buy art,” he said. “It’s a place to form friendships, to enjoy a glass of wine. We are so excited to be bringing this experience to Ponte Vedra Beach and I can promise you this: We will not disappoint.”
