Posted on Aug 20, 2024 at 2:36 pm by

By Joshua Anderson for the Peekskill Business Improvement District

A twisting, creaky staircase with beams that suspend potted plants leads to a narrow hallway and upper floor packed with working artists, galleries and unique businesses. Among these is The Flat Iron Gallery, just above the Peekskill Coffee House, at 105 S. Division Street.

Proprietor Wendie Garber, Peekskill’s First Lady of Art and the owner of The Flat Iron Gallery, greets visitors with a friendly smile. She is a well-respected member of the Peekskill art community and has been here from the start.

Garber is a retired public school teacher and painter who hosts art exhibitions at the Flat Iron Gallery located in the heart of the city. Her gallery showcases works by artists with diverse styles, creating a harmonious and energetic space. There’s contemporary fine art, paintings, hand-crafted jewelry, pottery, photography, hand-blown and stained glass, and clothes—on every wall and in every corner—each room is curated to perfection.

Garber shares how a strike of fate led her to discover her studio space in Peekskill in 1992, leading to the establishment of this gallery, as the city’s art scene flourished into what it is today.

“The mayor and the city, they were doing a lot to get artists to come to Peekskill. All the pieces started falling into place. It became a big art explosion in the 90s, and it’s still here, so we have a lot to celebrate,” Garber said.

In the early 1990s, Former Mayor Frances Gibbs and other city officials orchestrated a plan with local property owners and landlords to make vacant second and third-floor spaces available to artists. Lower rents for certified artists and creative individuals attracted even more of the same while giving property owners additional income from the rentals. Peekskill began to become an artist hub as it focused on hosting exhibitions and generating publicity around art. The plan worked; more restaurants were opening, and it was leading to a positive change in the city’s image.

Today, in this friendly town of Peekskill, lives a bustling community of inspiring artists, overflowing with talent and passion alike. One can immerse oneself in art by attending exhibitions, visiting the other artists or galleries and strolling through the historic downtown.  “When I started the gallery, I really worked hard on trying to get all the area newspapers to publish our openings and events,” Garber said. It wasn’t easy and it took a lot of support, but she got it done as evidenced by her many features in many different publications. “The New York Times used to have a Westchester section. I got in there a few times with images. It was really very good, because that drew people from all over,” Garber said.

As Peekskill continues to evolve, Garber recommends aspiring artists join the PAA (Peekskill Arts Alliance) to connect with other artists, exhibit work and learn about various artistic styles to fine tune their passion, and continue to grow Peekskill’s thriving arts community—a community that the New York Times in 2022 referred to as an “Artists’ Paradise.”

One tip Garber has for aspiring artists would be to never stop improving, make sure to spend time with your passion and foster new ideas. “I naturally evolve. I think everybody does. You have to start with a simple concept that you test to see if it’s working. I’d evaluate what went right, what went wrong, what could we do better next time,” Garber said.

Wendie’s overall message is that Peekskill is very much a friendly town, a well-crafted town of inspired creatives which is becoming more and more attractive to young couples from New York City as a place to settle down.

The Flat Iron Gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. or by appointment.  Email Wendie at flatiron105@optimum.net or call (914) 734-1894.

Make it a shopping spree! Stop by neighboring 222MuchSwag or nearby Stark Vintage.

If you are a downtown business and would like to be considered for an upcoming profile article, please email us at peekskillbid1@gmail.com and tell us why!

Some photos by Josh Anderson. Others courtesy Ms. Garber.

(C) 2024 Peekskill Business Improvement District.