Thus far in our exploration of downtown art, we’ve seen that great art is local, comes in many forms, and reflects surroundings. What does Whitehall Gallery bring to this ongoing discussion of art? Simply put, a merge of all three tenets, if you will. Whitehall does, however, add that art can be convenient and incite a range of emotions. We discovered more about this gallery on a recent visit there and now, you can too.
In this case, the present offerings of Whitehall outshine the history, though we can note that Whitehall Gallery has been around for more than fifteen years. The gallery sits on the bottom floor of a historic building downtown. As you come onto West Street from Calvert Street, the gallery is located right in front of you. This prime real estate allows the gallery to show off its eclectic artwork to frequent passerbys.
Inside the gallery, you’ll find a range of artwork. We established that great art is local art and Whitehall certainly adheres to this sentiment. One seminal artist represented at the gallery is none other than Annapolis resident Laura R. Howell. Her oil, acrylic, and watercolor masterpieces depict life at the seashore, rolling pillowy clouds against a blue horizon, Italian everyday activities, and, most significant to us, the beauty of Annapolis area waters. Judith Fulmer’s work is another staple at Whitehall Gallery. A participant of Paint Annapolis yearly, Fulmer has full command of her settings and thus, boats, houses on the water, and neighborhoods show up in her oil, acrylic, and watercolor pieces. Cheri Coulter is also represented at the gallery. Her work of portraits, space and Earth landscapes, flowers, and animals is only shown locally. Frank Robertson’s art is only shown at Whitehall Gallery and is specific to scenes of the Chesapeake Bay region. His “Blue Crab” painting on canvas (see bottom), “Old Annapolis Maryland,” and “St. Mary’s Church” all exhibit his ability to capture the essence of Annapolis and frame it. His style is coastal and celebrates many pastel colors.
Aside from these local artists, Whitehall provides the work of photographers, faraway artists, and even old documents. These works of art, along with the various acrylic, oil, and watercolor pieces by local artists speak to Whitehall’s understanding that art comes in many forms. The gallery also features maps, etchings, biographies, and Asian drawings.
As many galleries do, Whitehall provides custom framing services as well. Most of the artwork in the gallery is framed, allowing for ease of display after purchase.
Thanks to the local artists who paint Annapolis, we can conclude that art truly does reflect surroundings. However, the photography there that shows one proud woman graduating from the Naval Academy with all men and the representations of peaceful shorelines also inspire emotions. Of course, art is something to be experienced in person and emotions accompany this real-life viewing. So, next time you feel the need to be surrounded by the intangible beauty that makes Annapolis so vivid, visit Whitehall. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, the hours of operation are 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The gallery is located at 57 West Street. You can also visit the gallery on the Web at www.artinannapolis.com/whitehall.html.
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