Parklane Gallery is the only artist-owned gallery in the Kirkland, Washington arts community. Its more than 35 members share responsibility for all aspects of managing the gallery. Each of us volunteers our time to staff the gallery’s daily shifts, and to serve on the Board of Directors and the committees that keep the gallery running efficiently. All of our events, such as the Kirkland Art Walk and artist receptions, are volunteer activities.

Parklane Gallery artists commit to a minimum of six months as a member of the gallery, and many stay active for a number of years. One of our founding members, Ross Nicoll, has been with the gallery since day one.

Our new artists are selected by a jury of existing members on a monthly basis (click here for info). To maintain a sense of freshness, we rotate our wall spaces each month and all artists are encouraged to exhibit new work. Each month, Parklane also presents a Featured Artists exhibit in the front portion of the gallery.

Since 1991

Parklane Gallery started in 1991 when a Kirkland entrepreneur approached a local art club and offered the artists the opportunity to hang their work on the walls of a building he was leasing in downtown Kirkland.

Each artist was asked to pay a fee of $100 per month, with only 10% of each sale going to the owner. Recognizing a rare opportunity in the Kirkland arts community, several artists signed up to exhibit their work. Early sales were encouraging.

After three months, however, the owner decided the art gallery experiment wasn't profitable for him and decided to discontinue leasing the space. The artists, still excited about this unique opportunity to display their work in a shared space, decided to chip in and take over the lease and try their hand at creating a co-op art gallery. Thus, Parklane Gallery was born, becoming the only cooperative fine art gallery in Kirkland’s vibrant arts community.

After a few months of struggling, and with only a handful of members, the gallery was incorporated. Meanwhile gallery members spread the word to local art groups, recruiting enough new artists to give the gallery some much needed stability. After two years, the gallery moved to its present location, directly across the street from where it started.

Through the years, Parklane Gallery has evolved into one of the most prominent galleries in downtown Kirkland. Artist memberships have fluctuated over the years, with the current membership at about 35. Our artists cover the range of artistic expression...oil painting, sculpture, watercolor, handcrafted jewelry, photography and a variety of mixed media.