There’s a story behind Fat Cat Art Gallery’s name.
“Yes, the cat really does exist,” said Arturo Reyes, the gallery’s co-owner.
The name, “Fat Cat,” is based off Mickey, a rescue cat from Houston, Texas. He was rescued from Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 hurricane that caused $125 billion in damage in 2017, according to The Texas Tribune.
“I think he was traumatized so now he just hoards the food, and I can’t get him on a diet.”
The Gallery held its first exhibit in May. As a means of making the debut special, they assembled a “group exhibition” of five artists from the Chicagoland area: Lisa Giacomino, Holly Hutto, Dominique Maino and Jordan Mummer. Reyes permitted the grand opening to consist of a multitude of different artistic works.
“It went really well,” said Reyes. “We are trying to increase the energy here [on our street].”
For their next exhibition, ‘Red, Hot, and Blue,’ Reyes had a vision. He wanted artists to interpret ‘Red, Hot, and Blue’ in whichever way sparks their creativity or resonates with their experiences in the United States. The prompt wass open-ended.
“People can bring things a little more summery,” he said. “We’re open to color, [such as] red [and] blue.”
“If you wanted to go more political,” said Orianna D’Landazuri, an intern and curator. “We also want to have work that conveys a message.”
The exhibition will take place on July 20 at the gallery.
Reyes co-owns the gallery with Raymond Call. Their mission is to “bring global and intricate art to our community, showcasing both local and international artists who push the boundaries of innovation and self-expression.”
“I’m a child of migrant workers … and my years of working in the fields with my hands plays a big part of my color field journey,” Reyes said. “With 25 years in the art scene, I’ve had the privilege of showing my work in amazing cities like Philadelphia, Houston and Chicago.”
Reyes’ abundance of experiences has allowed him to create a gallery that embraces customers and artists from all walks of life, whether a mother who submitted her child’s art piece to be featured in their next exhibition, or a seasoned, experienced artist. The gallery is open to artists of all ages and styles. In addition to featuring a diverse range of artists, Reyes said they strive to make their art accessible and their environment welcoming to all customers.
“We want to make the price points affordable,” Reyes said. “[We] definitely want three price points: your smaller range, your middle range, and then your higher, anchor pieces.”
D’Landazuri described the gallery as welcoming.
“We just have the door open,” she said. “People just come in and out. It’s a really inviting space.”
Even when they are in transitioning periods between exhibitions, D’Landazuri explained that the gallery’s environment stays “professional” with touches of “playfulness.”
“We don’t want to close people off or have people feel intimidated in any way when submitting work or even coming in here,” she said.
During their exhibits, the artists are usually present. Reyes and D’Landazuri said they believe that they cannot speak for other artists’ drive and meaning behind their creations.
“We can only say, ‘this is acrylic and joint compound from canvas,’” D’Landazuri said. “I can’t tell you what it means or what brought you to drive and create that work.”
Reyes and Call are interested in connecting with the Oak Park community; they have begun contacting local businesses as they look to get works displayed around town. While nothing has been finalized, they are also interested in a partnership with the Animal Care League to support their cause.
Also, the gallery is in the process of setting up 90-minute art classes for the public. They will offer both Zendoodle, which is used for meditation, and watercolor classes, charging $95 for one or $280 for four.
“We don’t want just experienced artists,” said D’Landazuri. “[We want] beginner artists, even group classes [where] people are just looking to have fun.”
The Fat Cat team is interested in “building a bridge” with artists in the entire Chicagoland area. They also emphasize their appreciation of art collectors, both small and large.
“We hope to court collectors and people who appreciate the art, and not just the big [pieces].”
For more information, visit https://www.fatcatartgallery.com.
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