There comes a time in the working life of an emerging artist when ideas, scale, capacity, and commitment to a career in art have to match the working space. Geraldina Interiano Wise and John Cryer III, FAIA, classmates at Glassell School of Art of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, reached that time in synchronicity in 2016, and the result was the acquisition of 1819 Sawyer, a building designed for a photography studio by architect and fellow Rice Alumna Natalye Appel FAIA. 

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Located in the Washington Arts District, and a block away from the Silos on Sawyer, to be connected to the larger art community was important to them. They saw the potential to host art salons, fundraisers and specialty exhibits while using the gallery space to show their own work or rent as a pop-up gallery. 

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They have hosted studio visits by high school and university students, patrons and curators, art lunches, artists gatherings, and corporate events.