Brooklyn NYC: Melissa McCaig-Welles of McCaig-Welles Gallery
Steven Psyllos
McCaig-Welles Gallery sits on a quiet block in Williamsburg boasting a collection of street artists that puts any Manhattan gallery to shame. SEEN, Logik, Lase, West One, Dalek, Doze Green, Ewok and Totem, Sean Taggert and David Ortiz. These cats aren’t your average white-box artists, these cats come from a street culture that is now being packaged and distributed worldwide. And this isn’t your average gallery trying to promote the "urban" edge, McCaig-Welles is the forerunner in what’s happening these days.
Steven Psyllos: How long have you been involved in the art world?
Melissa McCaig-Welles: As a dealer since 1995, when I just turned 21. I started working in a gallery in Soho for several years, moved onto another gallery/auction house in Soho and finally for a private art dealer and collector on the Lower East Side.
SP: When did you open your gallery? What inspired you to own your own space?
MMW: I started the gallery in December 2000. I decided one day that I was fed up with working for $8 an hour/24 hours a day. When I began looking for spaces, I was just determined to start my own thing, no matter what. I immediately found our old space on the Southside of Williamsburg. At the time the Southside was considered a very dangerous place to be, all of the gallery windows came with bullet holes in them. The entire space was lopsided, no running water and the floor was caved in. I got an amazing deal of course, since nobody else would take it.
SP: How do you seek out new artists to include in your roster?
MMW: It usually winds up being a friend of a friend of an artist or an artist another artist recommends. Once in a while I find artists through general submissions.
SP: What do you look for in these artists?
MMW: With our artists who are well-known graffiti and street artists, I like to see a transformation from what they were doing 20 years ago to what they are doing presently. It is interesting to see the old elements as well as new ideas and different directions. For most of our newer artists, I look for work that goes along these same lines–very street-orientated, raw materials. Most of our artists paint on wood, use collage, spray paint and mixed media in their works.
SP: What is the price range of works exhibited in 2005?
MMW: Anywhere from $40 – $8,000 but generally in the $200 – $1,000 range. We try our best to make our exhibitions affordable, unintimidating and accessible to everyone.
SP: What is lined up for this spring at McCaig-Welles?
MMW: Sean Taggart, Colin Burns, Greg Lamarche (SP One), and David Stoupakis.
SP: How would you describe the group of artists you represent?
MMW: We show a lot of well-known street artists, some who have shifted towards graphic design while still incorporating spray paint and raw materials. Many of these artists have a very recognizable style–you have seen their murals and works all over the streets of NYC for the last 25 years. Most of our artists are mid-career, but we also represent a handful of artists who are just getting started.
SP: Describe the relationship between yourself and your artists.
MMW: I’ve been very lucky because all of my artists are very laid-back, fun people. They all seem to have very similar personalities, which I suppose is strange or maybe something I subconsciously look for–easygoing, smart, ambitious and just incredibly fun to be around.
SP: Many galleries struggle each year just to survive. How have you found success?
MMW: I think most of our success can be attributed to allowing at least 30% of every one of our exhibitions to be very affordable. This of course means being able to find good, talented artists who are willing to price part of the exhibition affordably.
SP: What makes for a successful artist’s reception/opening night?
MMW: Lots of free booze and lots of people buying art.
SP: What do you enjoy about surrounding yourself with artists?
MMW: Many, many things but basically this about sums it up: We love for our artists to paint murals directly on the walls, or at least on one wall, as part of their exhibition. So basically, once a month, I’m able to sit causally at my desk while I watch an artist paint a 10 foot by 10 foot mural on the gallery wall in front of me while I eat Chinese take-out and pay the Con Ed bill. I really cannot complain.
