If you read through this month’s cover story profiling some of the city’s most notable artists (and I highly recommend doing so), you’ll notice many of them sell their work through M2 Gallery. It’s no coincidence. Headquartered in the historic SoMa district, M2 has become one of, if not the premier art seller in central Arkansas, and certainly in the top tier statewide.
To find out what’s in the secret sauce, I caught up with gallery owners Ashley and Mac Murphy.
How would you describe the ethos of M2?
“We strive to have an approachable gallery. Many times people are intimidated walking into a gallery, but at M2, we want seasoned collectors to feel just as comfortable as someone who is just buying for the first time or who just wants to look at great art. The same is true for the framing side of our business. Whether you have a Picasso or your child’s art, we are going to give you the same high quality service.”
The art on your walls is very eclectic, but what is something all of your artists have in common?
“Our artists are all carefully chosen by us. We personally love all of the artists we carry — both the work they create and the people they are. It’s just as important to us to sell amazing work as it is to help support artists who truly appreciate our clients and collectors.”
How has moving to SoMa impacted the gallery?
“Moving to SoMa was a big risk for us, but one we felt would pay off. We considered the move seven years ago, but the area was still building and the location we truly wanted was not available. Then two and a half years ago, we were able to get into the space we wanted. We feel it is one of the best locations in the state and things have been amazing for us since we moved. We loved building our business in west Little Rock, but SoMa is home. It has felt so incredibly right since the first day.”
What kind of role do you think M2 plays in the community?
“We never really wanted just a business. We wanted to create a place people look forward to going to. We wanted to create a place our neighbors would be proud to have in our city.”
We’ve seen a handful of local galleries drop off the radar in the past few years, particularly during the pandemic. What is it about M2 that you think helps it stay the course?
“We are a true family business. We pour everything we have into the gallery. We have raised our children there. It is absolutely just as much our home as our actual house. I think people see that and appreciate the dedication. We are also constantly looking ahead to keep things fresh and exciting.”
We know you have expansion plans in the works. What can you tell us about those?
“We have added 4,000 square feet upstairs making us the largest gallery in the state, but the physical growth is just part of the plan. We are adding a full-service fine art printing shop downstairs, expanding our framing room, making our works on paper area more accessible (we have more work on paper than any gallery we know — it’s sort of a passion) as well as offering two conference areas for people to use. That’s in addition to our complete art installation service we expanded recently.”
What’s your favorite part about this job?
“Without a doubt, the people are our favorite part. Clients, artists, visitors, kids — every single person who chooses to step through that door and share a part of their life with us. Anyone who feels business is about numbers is missing the point. Our business is about relationships.”