BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
Henri Matisse said that “creativity takes courage,” and Mike Burnett, artist, father of four and owner of Space Gallery encompasses both of these qualities. Light spills into the space from the oversized windows and upon entering the gallery that Mike helped build himself, it becomes instantly apparent that you have stepped inside one of Denver’s most treasured venues.
Mike, clearly you have put blood, sweat and tears into this stunning gallery. Can you give us a summary of the evolution of Space Gallery?
Wow, where to start, I guess at the beginning, right? I moved here from Scotland and wasn’t initially legal for work stateside. Somehow I managed to find a part-time job working at Coors Field selling peanuts and crackerjacks (whatever they are). That lasted all of one day. I still don’t think I got paid for that now I come to think of it. Anyway, I don’t think I was cut out to be working for others so my wife Melissa suggested we open a gallery. We found a space that was for lease that was totally run down but the owner was willing to build to suit. And so it began. Our first gallery was located at 20th and Larimer close to my ill-fated first job. I really didn’t know how to run a business when we started out so there was a lot of trial and error. Initially to make ends meet I rented wall space to artists and took a lower commission on sales, rented studios (including my own) to artists, ran life drawing classes one night a week and hosted just about any kind of event to try to make rent. I even parked cars in our rear lot at $20 a pop during the baseball games. We were there for two and half years, had our first child, broke even and survived off my wife’s teaching salary. Then we moved to a bigger location at 765 Santa Fe Dr. where we continued to cut our teeth, moving away from renting wall space and on to representing artists. I had some success with the artists we brought on, developed a taste for curation and enjoyed a better event space at the new location. We stayed there for 10 years and then one day a ‘for sale’ sign came up on a piece of property on 4th and Santa Fe. I had a crazy idea of buying the land, building our dream gallery and getting out from the curse of renting to own. And that’s exactly what we did. It was 2010 and things were still pretty depressed from the 2008 crash which created cheap land values and labor and so the perfect timing to build. This was also before Denver grew up. I couldn’t afford to do what we did then, now.
How did you go from artist to gallery owner?
Really out of necessity. As I grew our roster of artists to represent the need to manage them grew and so I had to cut back on my art to dedicate more time to the business. I have plenty of time to get back to my art but there is no question I miss it. One day soon.
We have watched you grow over the last decade and we are always in awe of the innovative and compelling exhibitions you showcase. Your gallery never ceases to quench our love of contemporary and abstract art. What is your process for seeking out these emerging and established artists?
For a long time I have enjoyed the rich pool of local artists that have approached the gallery to exhibit. It may have made me a little complacent to venture out. That’s not to say that I haven’t sought out artists directly but I have done less of this. Today I would say that 60% of our artists are local with 40% from out of state and one from Mexico and Canada respectively. Our social media and web presence has made the world a smaller place and having these relationships has become easier.
You also offer art consultation services. Can you tell us more about this?
I provide assistance in a variety of ways. I help those who are just starting a collection, or need to find the perfect piece to add to a collection or simply need to rearrange an existing collection to better fit their home. I help find the right artist for a commission all the way to installing and moving artwork, framing and stretching canvas.
What advice would you give a novice who is ready to invest in art?
Start with a piece that fits your budget and taste and that will endure the test of time. Buy something you love, don’t get it because someone else says you should. Take some time to check out your local art scene by visiting galleries. You might just find something that knocks your socks off.
The cost of living in the city gives an entirely new meaning to “starving artist.” Many smaller galleries are being pushed out. What do think about this and how can we support our local art scene to ensure it’s stability?
I think the problem at the core of every local art scene is ownership. Few artists or galleries can afford to have it and as a result they will always operate in a space of non-permanence (perpetual suspended disbelief). Until there is a place where artists and the places that exhibit their work can have ownership they will always be moved along or kicked out as rents rise and developers move in to cash in on the popularity that these creatives have taken time to establish in the first place. Time and time again. The attrition this last couple of years has been particularly alarming with so many artists moving out of Denver to cheaper rural areas or more affordable states and galleries either closing or consolidating. A couple of different solutions might include having the city and county to realize the value that creatives bring and establish long term rent controlled work spaces or have a local developer with a passion for the arts and their city to build a creative complex where artists and galleries can buy their own spaces (at a reduced rate) so they can stay for good.
Denver is making a name for itself in the art world. Which artists are you currently stalking on instagram?
That would be telling. We are about to release our 2018/2019 schedule introducing several new artists on our website. So all will be revealed soon enough. Very excited!
Beyond amazing art, Space Gallery has become a coveted location for events. Did you ever expect this response when you built this new location?
Yes, we feel lucky to have two separate businesses that operate out of the same space. As the gallery has grown so too have the events and we definitely had that in mind when designing our current space. This year we are adding a second location that we hope to open toward the end of the year. More details to come…
We have no doubt that whatever you have in store will be an amazing addition to this thriving city. Thank you for making your dream a reality and building a space for us all to share our love of art.