A dream come true

 AN ART gallery manager is making her dream of owning her own gallery come true, when the new Piazza building at Mercia Marina opens in Spring.

Maxine Walker had previously managed a gallery for eight years before making the life-changing decision that she wanted to run her own business, and it was after regularly walking her dog around Mercia Marina on the Trent & Mersey Canal, she decided it would be the ideal location for her own gallery.

Bluebird Gallery

Named the Bluebird Gallery will be on the ground floor of the new building, facing the water, and at 1,248 square feet will be the second largest retail unit in the Piazza after the restaurant, with Maxine telling:

“I used to love walking my dog along the marina. I just think it’s a fabulous site and that it would be an ideal setting for a gallery. When I called the marina there were no units available in the Boardwalk building but there was a possibility of one being available in the new Piazza building.

“I just knew 100 per cent that this would work. We had been looking for somewhere for a while but everywhere was tied up and we would have had to move out of the area. This is perfect because it’s right on our doorstep. When we secured the unit we were elated, it was fantastic news.”

Hectic two years

Maxine has been busy planning the gallery’s décor and the different artworks she would like to have on display, and the opening will be the culmination of a hectic two years.

She is planning to have an extensive portfolio and will be independent, with prices to suit all pocketrs and a range of genres including oil paintings, pencil sketches, glasswork, sculptures, landscape paintings and abstract.