Louisville CEO & Owner of Gallery K Interview

Gallery K is a unique art space… where its owner understands the game, exhibits art for art and artists sake, knows the power and art of coffee and takes it’s making a cup of Java as serious as Einstein’s formula matics…

Q. MRCPROMO: Hello Will, what’s good.. where are you from and where do you reside now?
A. WILL: I’m from a small blue collar town in Colorado, now in live Louisville Ky.

Q. MRCPROMO: What exactly is Gallery K and who’s idea was it to open? Was this something you’ve always wanted to do?
A. WILL: I was part of a group of artists that owned / ran a gallery in Colorado . When I moved to Louisville I was blown away with the depth of talent in the city and area. I felt like the well established gallery’s were doing some awesome things, but there was a market that a small gallery could fill. Selling art is a hard way to make money, I wanted a way to pay the bills with out having to take money out of the artist pockets.. that is why I also opened the coffee shop in the space.

Q. MRCPROMO: What’s an average day like at Gallery K?
A. WILL: On an average day from about 8-11 am we get the “off to work crowd” people who drop in for coffee and baked goods from Wiltshire on there way to work.. from let say 12-2 we get a lunch crowd who drop in for lunch, coffee and a snack.. from 3-5 we get the afternoon crowd who stop in to work on homework, have meetings, or to have a coffee relax and look at art… 6-close we get a late night crowd, mostly artist who stop in to have coffee and look at the art.

Q. MRCPROMO: What kinds of items are on the menu?
A. WILL: We have all the bases covered with our coffee menu, but what I am excited about is the specialties that set us apart, like our Bourbon Vanilla Latte and our White Espresso..

Q. MRCPROMO: Do you have an open mic night? How’s that and when?
A. WILL: Every Wednesday 8-11 pm. What I like about ours is the hosts change, so every other week its a musician then its comedy night.. but I have noticed the comedians like to come to the music night to try out jokes on fresh ears and the musician also do the same to the comics.

Q. MRCPROMO: Names some past events at Gallery K? Do you have a favorite?
A. WILL: Where to start, we have had some super fun art shows “The Black-light Show ” was awesome, The Giant butt was alot of fun.. you know just about everything we do here has been a favorite in its own way.

Q. MRCPROMO: Can anyone throw an event or have a showing at your venue? How should they contact you for booking?
A. WILL: No, I am picky about what I allow to happen at the gallery , but I am open to new ideas and events. I want to make sure that an event will hit on the vibe I am building for the coffee shop. But If you want to do something fun, cool, exciting, provocative, or progressive let me know at Williamashton@live.com or hit us up on Facebook under Gallery K.

Q. MRCPROMO: There is talk that your looking for more hip-hop acts, emcees and poets? What’s that about and when should we expect another hip-hop event?
A. WILL: Yes! I would love more Hip-hop , and rap at the shop. And I would love to see more Spoken word at the open Mic, hell I would love to see spoken word take over an open mic night. When ever a Hip-hop group wants to do a show. I have some powerful art shows coming in October.. I would love to book a show then.

Q. MRCPROMO: Where do you see Gallery K in the next five years? Franchise maybe?
A. WILL: In five years, I would love to be able to buy an old hotel or a building and make a place for artist to live and work.

Q. MRCPROMO: Last words or shouts?
A. WILL: Carl Grutt.. for helping keep the coffee on point, the guys across the street at Louis’s, the Tons, the Butchertown Neighborhood Association and all the awesome artists who have shown work and supported us. There’s so many more I could ramble for hours..