Under the watchful gaze of a large, metal dragonfly painted and named "Scrappy" by a Westview Elementary School class, visitors enter Chrysalis Gallery. A canvas hanging just inside the front door depicts a playful bear chasing butterflies, while the tantalizing smell of kettle corn hangs in the air.
On Spokane's lower South Hill, the cozy space inside offers a diverse range of art from wire-wrapped jewelry, ceramic smoking pipes, unique masks, paintings in all types of media and aromatic bags of kettle corn.
Denny Carman is the man behind this creative and eclectic mix, opening Chrysalis in December 2022. The gallery's origin, however, traces back to the early 2000s when an accident resulting in a severe back injury ended Carman's 32-year career as a journeyman plumber. The subsequent loss, pain and medication fog sent him into a depression for years.
"I'm very thankful I got injured," he says now. "It's really changed my life."
One day in the aftermath of his injury, Carman's artist son, Shawn, showed him how to use oil paints. From that moment, Carman became hooked on art.
"Art saved me. I think that's why I'm so devoted to helping others with it," he says.
With no formal art training, Carman started painting what came to his mind: trees.
"Since I was on pain meds, it was easy to paint limbs on a tree," he says. "I came up with my own style, and they just somehow came together. I just painted trees for quite a while."
Carman eventually started showing his work after being encouraged by fellow Spokane artist Christina Deubel. His confidence was further boosted after a series of his elegant tree paintings — heavily detailed, two-dimensional silhouette-style depictions — on display at the Liberty Building Gallery sold in 2008.
After spending several years on pain meds, Carman decided to taper off.
About a year later, when he couldn't create enough new paintings to show at the multiple galleries interested in showcasing his art, he instead offered some of the opportunities to other local artists. This was the beginning of his mission to help fellow creatives.
"Over the years, I always told my wife, wouldn't that just be cool to live in a place and have a gallery down below?" he recalls. "But I never, ever, would have guessed that would happen."
Chrysalis Gallery's location, like art, serendipitously crept into Carman's life. He was looking for a way out of the "cracker box" house he and his wife hated. He'd shared his dream of creating a combined home-gallery space with a fellow artist who also works in real estate. She happened to know of the perfect place with room for a gallery in the basement, a dark blue house with aqua trim across the street from Huckleberry's Natural Market on South Monroe Street. Chrysalis Gallery has now been there for two years.
"We have a lot of talent in our community, and not just established talent," Carman says. "I'm using [my place] as a tool to get this talent out in the community. I saw that young artists, disabled artists, really didn't have opportunities. If you're an up-and-coming artist, people just weren't there for them."
Carman invites other underrepresented groups to the gallery, including veterans and children. Through November, the gallery is showcasing art by 10 local veterans, including the butterfly-chasing bear by the front door painted by Nancy Reid Isaak.
"I saw that art would help veterans to express what they went through or what they're going through," Carman says. "It just got into my blood because I know I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing if the veterans didn't sacrifice to put me here."
Other work in the exhibit is by Vietnam veteran Dan Cronyn, whose paintings include majestic mountain landscapes. Cronyn is also colorblind, although viewers wouldn't know it when viewing his work. Daniel Droz, meanwhile, transforms former musical instruments into fascinating art pieces. This includes a saxophone made into a lamp, and a violin decked out with metal hands poised as if about to play the instrument.
Clinton Barnes paints bold watercolors. Among the 82-year-old vet's work is a barn bathed in warm sunlight. Bright paintings by Ken Kuszmaul, also in the show, include a UFO pausing to pick up surprised passengers.
Striking digital portraits in the gallery were captured by Antonio Romero. These include an inspiring portrait of another veteran, who died before the artist completed it. Romero donates each service member's portrait he creates to their families.
Carman is also delighted by children's art. Chrysalis has a section of beaded and wire jewelry created by his granddaughter, but she's not the only youth artist whose work he displays.
Art for kids "helps them inside. It gives them confidence," he notes. "A lot of kids can't express themselves, but put a canvas in front of them, they just bloom."
Carman reserves a special wall in the gallery each month for an artist between the age of 2 1/2 and 11. At the end of the month, he then takes the work to Yoke's Fresh Market on Indian Trail Road where it's displayed and for sale for another month.
Carman also collects art supplies throughout the year to donate to local elementary schools and kids who visit the gallery.
This December, Chrysalis Gallery is showcasing even more local, young talent. So far Carman has two kids signed up, but he'd like to feature about a dozen.
"If you're a kid or an older person, I want everybody to come in here and feel like they're home. If you leave here without smiling, there's something wrong," Carman says. "I just want everybody to have a great experience when they come here." ♦
Chrysalis Gallery • 911 S. Monroe St. • Open Wed-Sat from 9 am-4 pm and Sun from 9 am-3 pm • theartchrysalis.com
