Galería de Todos Santos
Erick Ochoa & Michael Cope
Many things have changed since my wife Pat and I opened Galeria de Todos Santos in 1994. There really weren’t many amenities, but dusty, unpaved streets and great colonial buildings from the late 1800’s early 1900’s were abundant. When we first arrived the historical area of Todos Santos seemed perfect for a gallery and we thought the timing was perfect too. We would be the first gallery to represent a group of artists that worked in different mediums; painters, sculptors and photographers. It took a while to discover artists who really were “artists'' whose lives were about their art and the process of making it. Anibal Angulo, Peter Cole along with Francisco Merino were saviors! They have been a great part of our gallery since the day we opened and happily still are.
As a foreigner getting started in the early 90’s wasn’t a piece of cake, it was extremely frustrating! Now I am more than happy to have made it through those difficult times. Today Todos Santos has become quite the place to visit.
After years in the fashion industry my plan was to kick back and have a studio for myself. I originally had no intention of opening a gallery let alone to get involved in the art community, it didn’t seem like there was much of one then. Now there is an inclusive art community here that includes writers, craftsmen, musicians and chefs.
In 2001 a young Mexican artist from Mexico City, Erick Ochoa joined us to help with sales and managing the gallery. It wasn’t long before he became our gallery’s most successful painter. He and I have shared a studio for over twenty years. While Erick and I show primarily in our gallery we occasionally have a show in San Jose which also has an active art scene.
I laughed when I read what writer, curator Pamela Ambrose wrote describing the two of us “Erick and Michael are a dynamic combination. A contrast in personality and temperament. Erick, with his warm, welcoming smile, is quiet and thoughtful, a listener whose own art reflects those qualities.” Then me “in contrast to his partner, Michael Cope is a wiry, energetic, occasionally frenetic man whose enthusiasm for talking about art bubbles up in casual conversation.”
My wife’s decision to retire in 2017 left Erick and I to manage the gallery, studios and restaurant. Luckily our studios and restaurant were at the gallery which gave us both the ability to interact with clients and customers one-on-one. We both enjoy meeting and interacting with new and interesting people from all over the world. In 2021 I made the life changing decision to close Michael’s at the Gallery. Being in my 70’s forced me to decide between focusing my energy on the gallery or the restaurant.
The challenges we now face are catching up with technology, a constantly changing art community including a new, younger and more sophisticated audience that has a hunger for new and different venues to explore in the arts.
Though we have more paved streets and amenities, the heart of Todos Santos’ historical center remains unchanged. Generations of Todos Santonians and new ones to come are actually what make this Pueblo a magical place. Our “Casa de La Cultura '' has a lot to offer showing the history of Todos Santos along with a restored mural from the 1930’s. Great old photographs, antiques and a few paintings are on display. They also do several shows a year featuring well known Mexican artists along with the occasional workshop.