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Galleries have transformed the Castleberry Hill district in Atlanta by bringing art to the masses and recapturing the heart of a community.

 Untitled #1, Tobiah Cole, 2005

Castleberry Hill in downtown Atlanta has a history as colorful and vivid as any painting you could imagine. Its early history, characterized by unsavory activities and brushes with complete lawlessness, eventually led to the unfortunate name of "Snake Nation" in the 1820s. Industry grew over the following century, remodeling Castleberry Hill as an important commercial and residential district for Atlanta. However, the community began to dissipate between the 1950s and early '80s. As businesses moved on, leaving warehouses empty, the area was left without a real soul... until the artists moved in and the true renaissance began.

Walking Figure,
Ernest Trova, 1986

Originally, artists flocked to Castleberry Hill because of the huge workspaces and low rents. But now that the district is home to around eleven full- and part-time galleries, it has become attractive to artisans and buyers alike, giving it growing credibility as Atlanta's most exciting arts district.

While the traditional gallery epicenter of Buckhead still boasts the largest number of venues in Atlanta, the ones in Castleberry Hill Arts District cover a much smaller area and offer a far more diverse experience. The benefits to the buyer or browser are two-fold: all of the galleries are within walking distance, so you can see them all in a day, on foot; the proximity also dictates a competitive creative atmosphere where a wide range of contemporary art sits side by side.

Front 205,
Ted Kincaid, 2005

Skot Foreman was the first to open his eponymous commercial gallery in Castleberry Hill, in July 2002, and remains committed to raising the profile of the district. "What has developed here is a shared vision to create a definitive arts destination like nothing else you would experience elsewhere. I knew this area had the potential and the grass-roots energy needed to succeed," he says.

New York Suite,
Stephen Knapp, 2003

His foresight seems to have been rewarded as more galleries begin to open, qualifying the area as a cultural hotspot. The Marcia Wood Gallery had been well-established in Buckhead since 1987, but relocated to Castleberry Hill in January 2004. Wood recalls her motives for moving: "It has a sense of history and is a unique place in Atlanta. Visiting Castleberry is about innovation, discovery and thinking outside the box, which is an excellent context in which to experience and contemplate contemporary art."

Castleberry Hill's reversal of fortune is remarkable. It is not just about the perseverance of individual entrepreneurs, but about a band of philanthropic bohemians determined to reclaim a community and recapture its soul. By working together as a unit, they have organized gallery open-houses and thoughtfully managed the inevitable progression of tourism and the art industry. And through their respectful renovations of the historic district, the Castleberry Hill artistic community is making people proud to be part of the district once again.

Max's Junkyard,
Chris Verene, 2002

Upcoming events:

Castleberry Hill Loft Tour
October 15-16 A guided trip around the galleries, restaurants and shops of Castleberry Hill. www.castleberryhill.org

Marcia Wood Gallery
October 1-22 Photography exhibition: Chris Verene-Galesburg: The New Chapters. www.marciawoodgallery.com

Romo Gallery
October 28-November 26 Embroidery from the Atlanta artist Leslie Kneisel. www.romogallery.com

Ty Stokes Gallery
October 27-December 3 Various-A Group Show of Gallery Artists. www.tystokes.com

Skot Foreman Gallery
October Wesselmann, Picasso & Dali: Black, White & Shades of Grey www.skotforeman.com

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