GGFA Watercolorist

Mary Anne Barkley

Local watercolorist Mary Anne Barkley started the Gulfport Galleria of Fine Art in summer 2007, with her close friend Kathy McCall. “After Hurricane Katrina, our local artists found themselves with very few locations to display their work. But in structuring the organization as a cooperative, rather than a gallery, we found a better way. Really, there has always been a need for this.”

“It’s more than being able to sell your artwork more affordably,” Barkley said of the co-op. “It’s a social outlet, too, a way to meet friends and to learn things from other artists. And the public has been really good to us. Ultimately, we want to return the favor and support the community. We want to be good neighbors.”