art epicenter

ARTS

Buckhead’s Miami Circle has become the epicenter of fine art in Atlanta

BY ISADORA PENNINGTON

In 1993, Reinike Gallery moved from New Orleans to a space on Miami Circle in Buckhead. The establishment of this art gallery, the first on Miami Circle, set in motion a progression of the area into one of Atlanta’s largest hubs of art and design.

Almost 30 years later, Miami Circle is home to a dozen art galleries and a number of specialty design companies for everything from antiques to furniture to fabric. Interior designers and art lovers alike enjoy the proximity of so many businesses that are devoted to art and design, and events like the bi-monthly Miami Circle Art Stroll provide a unique opportunity to tour all of these businesses while enjoying drinks, bites, and socialization.

“It has been really good to see everything grow up around us,” explained Emily West, who took over ownership of Anne Irwin Fine Art back in January of 2020. Founded in 1985 by artist Anne Irwin, the gallery occupied a space on Bennett Street before relocating to Miami Circle. “A lot of businesses moved with us when we moved here. In the beginning it was not nearly as busy as it is now; now it’s a hub for the interior design business which are some of our primary clients.”

West began working at Anne Irwin Fine Art back in 2012, and she has witnessed the burgeoning art district evolve over the years. She remarked that with every new neighbor, from design shops to galleries, the sense of community on Miami Circle has grown.

“Our street has become kind of a onestop-shop for designers and homeowners for art, furniture, rugs, lamps… there’s really a little bit of everything now. Lots of antiques and framing. We have all that too,” continued West.

“The thing I like about being on the street with so many galleries is that they each have their own distinct personality,” she said. The galleries not only get along, but they also refer clients to one another, embracing the camaraderie lent to them by their physical proximity.

West described many of the art showcased at Anne Irwin Fine Art as soft and serene, and the gallery represents over 40 emerging and mid-career contemporary artists from across the country.

Many of the buildings on Miami Circle were once warehouses, a detail that allowed for easy conversion to art galleries and design businesses. Open spaces with industrial elements such as exposed steel beams and concrete floors are perfect for showcasing fine art.

Another Bennett Street transplant is Thomas Deans Fine Art. Founded in 1983 and now sharing a building with Anne Irwin Fine Art, the gallery specializes in contemporary paintings, contemporary and historical works on paper, as well as the occasional sculpture and photography.

“We moved to Miami Circle because the tenants on Bennett Street were changing rapidly. The street was quickly losing its art and antiques focus,” explained founder Thomas Deans. “An art gallery next to an all-night barber shop wasn’t an ideal pairing. At the time, the economy was still recovering and space was plenti-

ful on Miami Circle; and importantly, the street was known as a design destination.”

Deans highlighted the benefits of being located near other art and design businesses, noting that it eases the burden of establishing a gallery as a destination in and of itself. “Instead, the street itself is the destination—for all sorts of people interested in art and design—and you are among the places to visit, or discover.”

Thomas Deans Fine Art seeks to showcase a diverse array of works created by American and international artists, including emerging and “blue chip” artists. Deans is committed to providing an excellent art buying experience for private and corporate collectors, casual buyers, designers, museums, and art consultants.

Just down the street closer to the entrance to PATH400 is the Bill Lowe Gallery, now under the leadership of Donovan Johnson in the wake of Lowe’s passing in 2021. In an interview about his rise to the position of executive director for a recent feature, Johnson described his initial impressions of the gallery when he, as a young man, came in to apply for a job.

“That first experience of walking into the gallery, it was kind of like standing at the base of Niagara Falls. It was an existential moment,” said Johnson. “It was a real spiritual experience to me when I first walked through the doors of the gallery.”

Founded in 1989, the Bill Lowe Gallery was also originally located on Bennett Street before relocating to Miami Circle. While the past few years have been challenging for art spaces given the restrictions of the pandemic, the Bill Lowe Gallery has actually flourished. Whereas in the past many collectors might travel to Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, or abroad to find artwork, when travel became less feasible many art lovers started looking for galleries to support closer to home.

“It is an ever expanding world,” explained Johnson, noting that the increased emphasis on their online presence has been key in keeping up with the times and weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. “The digital world is ever expanding. We have collectors in Europe and Australia, we have collectors everywhere now. Because of the political atmosphere and the economic development of the city, and because of the film industry and music industry, Atlanta is expanding at an exponential rate.”

Johnson expressed his belief that the Bill Lowe Gallery is uniquely positioned to remain one of the cornerstones of Miami Circle’s design district while also adapting to the times and the changing desires of art collectors.

“Atlanta has an opportunity to be reflective of the diversity of the city,” Johnson continued. “Our clients come from all walks of life and different demographics. We have a very diverse collector community here both in race and in age, I am hoping that I can expand that to class as well.”

A mural by Buckhead Murals welcomes visitors to Miami Circle. (Photo by Isadora Pennington)

Emily West with Anne Irwin Fine Art. Inside Thomas Deans Fine Art.