Gallery owner Linda Goik

Local Girl Gallery owner Linda Goik opened her space this May with unexpected contemporary, iconoclastic black and white photography of the female form, industrial-feel sterling silver patina jewelry, and recycled stained glass panels. Her eye is trained in the art of identifying up-and-coming work that includes 3-D framing and mixed media. Goik is an artist as well, known for her delicate and intricate hand painted silk. This Lakewood native also supports area youth art creation, and she's been a featured artist at several art festivals. Her latest exhibition, Body Beautiful: Human Form in Mixed Media, opened weeks ago to rave reviews. T.L. Champion talked with this intrepid gallery owner about why she's in Lakewood and the challenges of being an arts entrepreneur in Cleveland.

Cool Cleveland: The artwork in your gallery is incredible. You have a wonderful selection even though it’s a small space. The selection reminds me of the type of artwork found at the Lakewood Arts Festival. What influences you during your review process?

Linda Goik: Originality is high on my list. I feature students from grade school to college, and also first time artists. I’m trying to give them a venue, a starting point to show their work. You might say that I look for “undiscovered artists.” For example, I have blown glass from Kent State and photography from the Cleveland Institute of Art. And I’m featuring pottery and ceramics from Brecksville/Broadview Heights and Lakewood High Schools, along with some figure drawing, t-shirts and journals. I’m not necessarily looking for youthful art, just a nice mix of contemporary and traditional that will appeal to all age ranges.

We have a lot of people that do not have any professional training and I encourage that because I think there’s a lot of great artwork out there that’s undiscovered. We have a nice representation of work from Lakewood, which helps out the neighborhood.

You have regular gallery openings for new exhibits. When is the next one?
We have a new art party coming up October 1st with a retro theme and we will be showing artwork that is reminiscent of the forties, fifties, sixties and seventies.

Why did you choose the city of Lakewood to open your gallery?
I live here, but I’ve always loved Lakewood. I love the diversity and the community feeling. The people are out strolling, and you always see people talking to one another, the city has a great community feeling. My goal in creating the gallery was to make sure it wasn’t intimating. I want people to come in and browse. Many are surprised when they recognize a neighbor’s name on the wall next to a piece of artwork.

How much of the work is created by local artists? And by women?
About 80% is created by local artists. Then I scout around at different art shows for other items to round out the selection. I’m not limited to Lakewood artists. The majority – roughly 75% – is created by women.

Do you see any trends regarding what your customers are buying?
People's tastes are migrating toward colorful, contemporary pieces of artwork and big, horizontal wall items to hang over their mantel or couch. They are also buying whimsical pieces.

What do you think about the future of art in Cleveland?
I think there is a positive, but slow progression in building the art community. We all need to work together to help each other out, through the sharing of resources and knowledge. I don’t think of myself as competitive with another gallery, I think we all need to share our knowledge so that if a customer’s request or an artist’s style doesn’t fit into one niche, we can suggest another venue to build a stronger art community.

Obviously I also like the trend of featuring new, undiscovered artists instead of only highlighting the established ones. People are intimidated about going downtown because they think they need to know the art “lingo” or the art “look.” I think we’re on the right track. I like open exhibits like Guitarmania that draw in a diverse crowd of artists.

Why did you name your space Local Girl Gallery?
I’ve been using that name for years in the outdoor art shows where I’ve shown my work – hand painted silk. And I have a nice clientele from that. I came up with the name from my initials – Linda Goik – Local Girl. I want this gallery of work to be known as something your sister, mother or neighbor who makes art might contribute to. Personally, I am not after making a name for myself, I’m just happy to provide a venue for new artists.

My experience as an artist has helped in opening the gallery because I’ve learned how to deal with clients – what they do and don’t like. And people seem to like this setting. It’s homey, not ostentatious like a white wall gallery.

You courageously opened the gallery in May during a waning economy. How are sales?
Sales are increasing every month. And I’ve enjoyed a lot of repeat business. The students are ecstatic about being able to show here and people love seeing the young artists and being able to support and encourage them. I have a reception for art openings every six weeks, which stirs up excitement and keeps the inventory fresh. I also have another venue at the Original House of Pancakes (not I-HOP) in Woodmere. We have completely outfitted the restaurant in artwork featuring nine different artists with photography, acrylics, and watercolor; that venue has provided new sales that are not tied into my gallery, and it gives extra exposure to people who may otherwise not get to the gallery in Lakewood.

What do you think you bring to the table as a female entrepreneur and gallery owner?
I can relate to women and men in different aspects of their artwork and even in conversation. I can also be a friend, with a sympathetic ear, and don’t ever want to come across as uptight, stiff or unapproachable.

Local Girl Gallery is located at 16106 Detroit Road in Lakewood. Call 228-1802.

Interview by TL Champion

Image by Tisha Nemeth

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