As downtown Tyler continues to thrive with revitalization projects and new development, a fresh creative space is opening at one of its key corners: Tyler Fine Art Gallery. Set for its grand opening this weekend, the gallery isn’t just showcasing local talent — it’s bringing it together.

“I wanted a nice space that looks like it would carry high-end arts,” said gallery owner Aaron Hinds. “I think artists are going to be very excited; I think the general public is going to be very excited about it.”

The grand opening will kick off with a VIP event from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday followed by a community open house from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the gallery, located at 119 W. Ferguson St.

“I wanted to create a collective with other artists so that the talent in East Texas can have a high-end place to show and attract buyers without having to go to Dallas or Houston,” Hinds said.

Hinds opened Hinds Fine Art Gallery two years ago in a 26,000-square-foot event space located at 117 S. Broadway. Designed not only to showcase local artists and their work, the space also aimed to accommodate events like weddings and birthday parties, blending art with community gatherings.

The gallery closed a year later when the building’s owners opted to pursue other investment opportunities. The space is now home to The Loft, an antique mall. But Hinds didn’t give up.

“Tyler has such great potential for artists,” he said. “I’m trying to do my small part in getting more and more people to see that.”

According to Hinds, the self-titled gallery drew visitors to Tyler who may not have otherwise discovered the city’s growing art scene. He believes the space helped spark a broader appreciation for local artists and made art more accessible to the community.

“I want to do more to bolster Tyler’s reputation as an art and music town,” he said. “With our changing population, there needs to be more things to do for families. And I think the population is sophisticated enough to know there’s some high-end artwork here.”

The newly opened gallery may be modest in size, but it’s undergone a transformation, with thoughtful renovations that make the most of the space.

“This was just another unique spot in Tyler,” Hinds said. “The building owner had a lot of offers but no one was serious… some stuff needed to be done but I’m a professional carpenter, I could absolutely do it.”

Hinds said the gallery’s interior was built almost entirely from materials already on site. The wood — every two-by-four, every piece of trim — was repurposed from shelving left behind in the building, which once housed a shoe store. By using what was available, he renovated the space for a minimal cost and without outside funding.

The gallery retains its original hardwood floors, worn just right, giving the space a cozy, lived-in feel that contrasts beautifully with the vibrant artwork. Vintage chandeliers cast soft, warm light, while the exposed tin ceiling adds an industrial touch. The blend of East Texas charm with a modern vibe creates the perfect backdrop for pieces created by local artists.

“It’s been great to see the transformation of this space,” said Diane Frossard, an oil painter featured at the gallery. “Aaron did an amazing job, finishing out this beautiful old building. It’s been very exciting and it’s been really fun to work with everyone, a really nice group of artists and talent.”

Hinds and the artists play an active role in the gallery’s operation, working together to curate exhibitions, engage with visitors, and foster a supportive, collaborative environment that goes beyond just selling art.

“I wouldn’t be able to do this by myself anyway,” Hinds said. “I needed these people… if I want to make this work, I have to create what they call a ‘parallel economy.’”

The gallery’s opening exhibition features a range of mediums, including work by painters, photographers, a pen-and-ink artist, and artists working in graphite and pencil.

“(The gallery) is such a labor of love,” said artist Mileah Lorenz. “I was brought in just a few weeks to a couple of months after its inception, so I’ve been able to see a whole lot of the process of before the space was even renovated, all the junk that was in here — it was just filled to the brim with books and furniture and random stuff that had to be cleaned out before any of the improvements were made. So it’s been really fun to watch all that come together and work with other artists.”

Lorenz, one of the featured artists, specializes in hyperrealism, using pencils to create strikingly detailed and lifelike works.

“It’s as close to a photo as I can get it, so it looks realistic,” she said. “I’m very focused on the details, so precision is important to me. I know a lot of artists, their drive is through emotion, which is wonderful, but for me, it’s all about the technical approach.”

Abstract expressionist painter Joe Hopps and renowned photographer Jeanne Shepherd Harford are also featured in the gallery, presenting their distinctive works alongside those of other talented artists in East Texas, including Don Bristow, Doug Carter, Craig Daugherty, and Mac Miller III.

“There is definitely a strong art league here in Tyler,” Frossard said. “I think there’s a lot of people who want to improve the art scene and expand. Hopefully, this gallery will reach a lot of people.”

The gallery’s exhibitions are juried, with all submitted works reviewed by a panel of experts who select pieces based on quality, originality, and their alignment with the current show or theme. Artists interested in submitting their work can easily visit the gallery’s website, where they’ll find a submission form to fill out, share details about their art, and upload images for review. For more information, visit tylerfineartgallery.com.