Bunnell Street Arts Center’s mission is to nurture and support innovative art of exceptional quality in all media.
The seeds for the success of this gallery were sown in 1989 by a small group of artists led by Joni Whitmore who collectively expressed the vision and energy to plant a dream of a gallery to which Homer would be quickly and deeply attached. Driven by a need for warm studio space and the promise of art sales, these folks identified gallery potential in the historic, albeit dilapidated, Inlet Trading Post. Down by the shore of Bishop’s Beach overlooking spectacular Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountain Range, the setting commanded appreciation and idealism. Claiming the first floor of the old building, the original “Great Company Gallery” invoked substantial renovations, resuscitating the beloved old building into an inviting gallery space. Ancient linoleum was scraped up to reveal hardwood floors in fine condition. Innumerable hardware bins and partitions were removed to expose the space to sunny southern exposure. The gallery was a mix of studio and retail areas. Tie-dyed T-shirts multiplied beside stoneware pottery, silver jewelry, wild-flower notecards and paintings of fantasy scenes. The collection was spirited, zany, and funky.