First Friday Follow-Up: Galleries +2, -1

The Good News: The Main St. art scene looks to have two new galleries in the new year. Art mogul-in-the-making Naomi Arin has purchased a building, with apparent plans for two galleries and a coffeehouse/cafe eventually residing in it. Naomi, along with Jerry Misko, are co-proprietors of Dust Gallery. There are other plans afoot, which will come to light in the new year as well. Want to know... can't tell you yet!

The Bad News: Godt-Cleary Gallery is closing down its Mandalay Place gallery. The gallery's website now just lists the Main St. location as its only location.

The Mandalay Place location seemed quite important to the continued success of Godt-Cleary. Director Michele Quinn was recently interviewed in the Las Vegas Weekly and seemed to state as much when discussing the then newly opened Godt-Cleary Projects.

"You know, we won't necessarily be living off the traffic like we do at Mandalay, but I think, what I've found, even working in Soho, you can build your awareness and your core audience without having to have daily interaction with hundreds of people."

Hopefully, she and Glenn Schaeffer will be able to continue on with the gallery, as their experience and financial success would aid in the health and reputation of the arts district.