For nearly three years, Jan Lukens looked out from his Revolution Mill art studio onto a mostly-empty gallery space across the hall.
Lukens creates paintings in the historic former textile mill off Yanceyville Street, now a campus of offices, studios, event areas, apartments and restaurants.
Back in 2016, UNCG’s Weatherspoon Art Museum and Revolution Mill managers had arranged for Raleigh-based artist James Marshall (aka Dalek) to paint a colorful geometric design on the walls of the 2,800-square-foot space with 18-foot ceilings.
They called it Gallery 1250 for the building’s address on Revolution Mill Drive.
They wanted to make that mural the first in a series of collaborations, reflecting a commitment to present bold and imaginative exhibitions and reach new audiences.
But there it stood. Weatherspoon didn’t receive the grants needed to proceed with other artists’ projects there. Campus tenants used the space for meetings.
This year, Lukens proposed another idea for Gallery 1250 to Revolution Mill’s managers.
“Give it to me,” Lukens said.
They did.
On Oct. 11, Gallery 1250 will reopen as an art exhibition space.