Grand Avenue has another new venue for artists brought by Sherri and Gino Belassen. Belhaus opened April 6 in the historic Bragg’s Pie Factory building.
The showroom is a now a shared studio for Sherri and Gino Belassen’s work, which started when Sherri leased the space in February 2017. After hearing his mother got the space, Gino Belassen decided to move back to his hometown of Phoenix from Southern California.
He then helped his mother turn her studio into a showroom that would display mostly their own work.
“The point of me doing this is to bring something different to Phoenix,” Gino said. “I’m not trying to do more of the same.”
Both are full time artists. Sherri said her son talked her into becoming more involved in the art community and opening her doors to showcase work.
“I want people in New York to know about it,” Gino said. “I want people in LA to know about it. I want people in Miami to know about it.”
Belhaus is also collaborating with a local coffee company called Caffio Espresso Bar. The owner of Caffio, Anthony Fiorelli, makes his coffee on a 1982 Vespa cart. During a showing on April 6, the cart was set up outside the gallery. The plan is to have him inside the space once they make a few updates.
With this collaboration, Fiorelli hopes to expand the Phoenix coffee and art scenes into more of the Grand neighborhood.
Sherri was excited about the fresh energy that both Fiorelli and her son bring, as she has been in the industry for over 30 years.
According to Gino, Belhaus isn’t necessarily interested in representing artists, it is more of a place to create and exhibit, as well as sell. Although becoming a full-blown gallery is not the current direction for the Belhaus, it’s still up in the air.
“I can’t foresee the future, because it might change,” Gino said.
Gino said updates on the space can be followed on instagram at @belhaus.
Correction April 18: Due to a reporting error, a previous version of this article said Sherri Belassen owns the space. It has been updated to correct that she leases it.
Correction April 18: Due to a reporting error, a previous version of the article said the artwork was not for sale. It has been corrected to say the art is sold.
Correction April 18: Due to an editing error previously named Belhaus as a gallery. The space is considered an art venue.
Contact the reporter at Kayla.Satterfield@asu.edu
