HOWL Gallery/Tattoo is a hybrid fine art gallery and high-end tattoo studio more common to cities like New York, Chicago and L.a., yet you’ll find it in the downtown Fort Myers River District, where it is not only an Art Walk and Music Walk Partner, but a leader in the sizzling local art scene.
Facilities. HOWL Gallery/Tattoo is located at 1514 Broadway in the shadows of the Barbara Jo Revelle ceramic tile mural that overlooks the courtyard that the gallery shares with Hotel Indigo and the new federal courthouse.
With 14-foot high ceilings, exposed spiral ductwork and gleaming white walls, the bright, spacious gallery is well-suited to the display of artworks. there is a comfortable living room ensemble in the center of the gallery space for patrons who wish to stay awhile, as well as ample room for sculpture, racks of prints and art posters, and the large crowds that the gallery attracts during its Art Walk and Music Walk meet-and-greet receptions for its featured artists.
The tattoo studios and administrative offices are seamlessly integrated into the gallery, discretely and unobtrusively tucked to one side.
Courtyard Access. Access to the gallery can be gained either through its main entrance on Broadway or through the back door leading from the courtyard that HOWL shares with the federal courthouse, Hotel Indigo and Starbucks Coffee House. During Art Walk and Music Walk, the courtyard becomes a gathering place in which to enjoy the live music and entertainment the gallery provides for these occasions.
Genres and Media. “If we’re showing it,” says co-owner Andy Howl, “it’s gonna have some kind of pop culture slant.” with that as prelude, it will come as no surprise that HOWL Gallery offers an eclectic mix of contemporary pop and op art; urban, lowbrow and graffiti art; vintage rock and movie posters; folk art and even traditional art from the far East. Collectors can really get a feel for the type of contemporary and pop art toward which the gallery gravitates by familiarizing themselves with Juxtapoz and Beautiful Decay magazines.
Most of the art that HOWL Gallery/Tattoo showcases is provided by the emerging and mid-career artists it features on a monthly, rotating basis with exhibitions and receptions coinciding with Art Walk. But the gallery does maintain some original art on consignment, including Day of the Dead skulls, art prints and giant wood robots. you will find a wide array of art books, comics and graphic novels, art magazines, posters, prints and collectible art toys in the displays and print racks located in the center of the gallery.
Hours. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from noon until 10 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.
Telephone Number and Website. the gallery’s telephone number is 239-332-0161. you can find HOWL Gallery/Tattoo online at http://www.howlgallery.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/HOWL-GalleryTattoo/46113307420?sk=info.
Ownership. HOWL Gallery/Tattoo was conceived and is owned, operated and curated by Andy Howl and Alainna Zwiernik.
Andy Howl is a Michigan transplant who graduated from the Savannah College of Art & Design in 1988 with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in Sequential Art (comic book art/visual storytelling). In addition to tattooing, he paints, illustrates and does graphic design work. In the latter capacity, he recently completed illustrations, graphic designs and the logo for a national Harley-Davidson dealership event entitled “Rock Iron and Ink.” Andy also designed for the City of Fort Myers all of the roadway banners that hang on U.S. 41, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and S.R. 80.
Howl was instrumental in launching Art Walk, which he still co-chairs, providing much of the graphic and web design and the logo eventually adopted by the participating members. He also founded and chairs Music Walk, which he strives assiduously to give its own identity. In recognition of his role in both Art Walk and Music Walk, Andy was named one of four Trailblazers of the Year in 2010 by the Fort Myers News-Press, and he was nominated two years in a row (2010 and 2011) for a Lee County Alliance for the Arts Angels of the Arts award in recognition of his leadership role in the arts community.
In addition to his work with Art Walk and Music Walk, Andy serves on the board of the River District Alliance and is involved with Digital Lee, the first-ever Digital Arts Expo for Lee County Public School students.
The administrative force in the partnership, Alainna Zwiernik is content to quietly run the operation with precision and efficiency, albeit out of the limelight.
Now playing. On exhibit throughout the balance of May is an exhibition of signed and limited edition framed and unframed screened prints by some of the world’s most celebrated concert poster artists including Derek Hess, Frank Kozik, Todd Slater, Print Mafia, Aesthetic Apparatus, Clint Wilson, Michael Michael Motorcycle, Leia Bell, Bob Masse and Gary Grimshaw.
Coming Attractions.
- For Music Walk on May 21, HOWL is holding a special event titled “The Monarch and Love in War.”
- In June, the gallery will host a 3-man show featuring the detailed work of Matt Lackey (who is one of the gallery’s tattoo artists), Jason McDonald and Chris Lacoste.
- July is the time for the third Annual Group Show, SWFL Lives! the show features the best artists living in southwest Florida, for which the gallery is presently accepting submissions.
- World-famous rock poster artist Derek Hess will be featured in a solo exhibition during the month of September.
Fast Facts.
- The gallery celebrated its 2-year anniversary on March 18, 2011.
- In 2010, Florida Weekly named HOWL Gallery/Tattoo the Best Cutting Edge Art Space.
- On August 12, 2010, Andy Howl made a guest appearance on National Public Radio’s Gulf Coast Live Arts Edition to promote Sugar Ninjas, an all-female comic art anthology published by the founder of the Savannah College of Art & Designs Sequential Art Program, Prof. Bob Pendarvis.
- On May 26 and 28, 2010, HOWL Gallery/Tattoo was filmed for several episodes of TATTOO BERLIN, a Discovery DMAX Channel television production airing in Germany, Austria and Sweden that is similar to Miami Ink and LA Ink in the U.S.
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