By Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published May 19, 2009 at 11:12 AM

In January we were saddened to ring in a new year with the news that Spackle Gallery was showing its final exhibit. And now, less than two weeks away from Paper Boat Gallery's last day (May 31), we've caught word that Armoury Gallery, 1718 N. 1st St., closed with the end of its last show on May 2.

Owners Cassandra Smith and Jessica Steeber say there were many reasons contributing to their decision, some of them financial.

In a letter to the friends of the gallery, they go on to say,

"While we will be closing the doors on the physical gallery space, we are looking forward to new projects and new ways to connect with artists both locally and nationally. It has been a wonderfully enriching experience both of us, and we have worked hard over the last 18 months, garnering numerous benefits personally and professionally. We hope to continue working, collaborating and connecting with people, expanding our horizons and channeling our energy into new projects in the near future.

"We will continue to maintain the Armoury Gallery online as an archive of our past shows and you can still contact us at this email address if you have questions about the gallery or any past artists."

Armoury Gallery opened in early 2008.

 

Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com

OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.

As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”