Peter Fowler (pictured) told me he was opening a new gallery space over a year ago. Because his “old” space on Allen Street was so unusual and appealing—a loft space with large windows and details that only two artists building their own space could put together, and art everywhere—I looked forward to the new gallery opening. I expected to see that happen months before it actually did, in November. The new space for Kepa3 Gallery was well worth the wait. Again unique and comfortable, the space has huge windows looking onto Barker Street and movable colorful walls offering a full range of exhibition opportunities.

Fowler and his partner Kathi Roussel decided to move the gallery space they ran for many years, “primarily because the gallery was in our house,” he told me. “Having 200 of your closest friends in your house every couple of months just wasn’t working.” The birth of their son Henry several years ago added to the eclectic feeling of the gallery; he often welcomed visitors in his diapers, ate Cheerios, and showed off his favorite truck during gallery hours. Fowler told me that this sometimes made visitors uncomfortable.

Fowler, a painter, and Roussel, a ceramic artist and jeweler, are exceptional in Buffalo in that they both are managing to survive as full-time artists. He does share the duties of being co-owner of the building on Allen where Rust Belt Books and La Tee Da (a new restaurant in the old Cybele’s space) are located, and Roussel sometimes teaches classes at Buffalo Arts Studio. Nonetheless, their primary income source is their artwork, so a space that showcases their talents is crucial. The space at 31 Barker Street—a two-block street that runs between Delaware and Main between Summer and Bryant—was put together to justly show their multiple talents.

These two could not have gotten the new gallery together were it not for a generous landlord who gave them the opportunity to make use of the space and, as Fowler tells it, “…did us a lot of favors to get us in here.”

The new Kepa3 has largely the same mission as their space on Allen, but more room and flexibility to achieve it.

“We are always walking the line. Kathi and I are artists first and gallery people second. That’s a problem because artists are egotistical and they want to promote their work first,” Fowler says.

With about four separate spaces created by rolling walls that are painted warm reds, oranges and yellows, there is room for a real range of work at any given time. The possibility for change is evident; you get the feeling you might be on a television or theatre set. There is a gift shop in the front window that features jewelry, ceramics, and small art by Roussel and other local artists, and three other more typical gallery spaces. Fowler and Roussel will feature other artists work throughout the year, while having their own on permanent and rotating display.

"Slide 21A," by Peter Fowler, is on display in his wonderful new Kepa3 space.

(photo: Rose Mattrey)

Currently, the other half of the front windows holds an exhibit that is anything but predictable. In the midst of a season when we are all searching for toys for our children or distant nieces, the Kepa3 Gallery is filled with oddly depraved, stuffed animals and human dolls. The windows are nicely filled, the walls scattered with the odd yet endearing Kreepy Dolls by Dan Baxter and Jeffrey Vincent.(For more info, see “Gifts of the Weird” on page 17 in this issue.)

Fowler and Roussel will continue to showcase the work of other artists, asking artists to create works for the space that will remain there for a year. The hope is to provide artists and friends with a high-level exhibition opportunity that might bring in some respectable sales.

However, Peter Fowler’s work will always be the primary focus of this space. He has one area that is devoted to a semi-permanent collection of his finest works, ranging from figurative to abstract, and often very large in scale. These works are quite romantic, with luscious paint and depicting intimate moments of his life with Roussel and their son. Clearly, his muse is full of inspiration, as the paint seems to ooze from his being. He is a prolific painter who is constantly creating works of beauty.

Fowler will also have space for his most recent works: currently, a group of paintings with veils of a rose-colored field creating a screen over a loosely painted landscape. On top of that, the landscape paintings he does “plein air” (outside on location) during better weather, will always be on hand. He says that the landscapes are popular, and are often the bread and butter of his sales. These paintings show off his bravura brushwork at the same time as describing familiar street scenes, water scenes and nature. Like the Wizard, when you visit the space Fowler may come out from a hidden space where he is painting.

This artist pair have created yet another special space to add to the Buffalo art scene. The ambience alone is worth a visit, and the artistry is distinctive.