They knew it was artistic destiny when they discovered that Mr. Brown had painted a scene that Ms. LaRue had photographed. They live together in Newport. Both artists are actively involved in the gallery, wearing the many hats needed to make a business work. A lot of artists can't do that. Mr. Brown estimates that 300 people pass through the gallery in a typical weekend.
Browsers are welcome and greeted warmly by both artists, who staff the shop during open hours.
It's a casual atmosphere with art hung on every available flat surface. For Ms. LaRue, the world is her workshop. As a management consultant, contracting with international firms such as IBM, she travels widely and always takes her camera. Ms. LaRue originally fell into photography as a way of illustrating her poetry. In 1999, she was commissioned by Christ Hospital to photograph 31 images of natural areas in Cincinnati to be used as art therapy for cancer patients.