Established in 1983 in San Francisco, Caldwell Snyder Gallery has since expanded to three locations: Sutter Street in San Francisco's renowned Union Square district, downtown St. Helena, Napa Valley, in the turn-of-the-century Star Building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and Montecito, and intimate location in the heart of Santa Barbara. The gallery features a combined 12,000 square feet of exhibition space with shows changing monthly, and is an active member of the San Francisco Art Dealers Association.

 

In addition to mounting exhibitions, gallery staff work closely with private collectors in building their collections, locating works of art, providing art advisory services, and assisting individuals in home or corporate installations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Founded by Oliver Caldwell and Susan Snyder in San Francisco in 1983, the gallery has grown from its early roots in an industrial space in the South of Market district to a contemporary gallery with international reach, representing a roster of over 50 artists from the U.S., Europe, and Latin America, with a focus on innovative painting and sculpture. In its three decades of continuous operation—a rare feat for a contemporary art gallery—Caldwell Snyder has opened satellite galleries in New York and St. Helena, California, mounted over 500 exhibitions, and participated in countless international art fairs.

 

The gallery’s flagship San Francisco location, which the owners purchased in the late ‘90s and transformed from a former restaurant into a light-filled, 9,000-square-foot exhibition space, has become a Union Square landmark. “Acquiring the Sutter Street building was a statement that the gallery was taking the long view,” says co-owner Oliver Caldwell. “By making that brick-and-mortar investment, we took a risk and did away with our escape hatch. We wanted to signal to our artists, our clients, and the public that we were in for the long haul.”

 

Over three decades, the gallery has built lasting relationships with collectors and artists. “One of the things I’m proudest of is the way we’ve nurtured artists and stood by them as they’ve evolved their styles,” says co-owner Susan Snyder. “It’s been gratifying to build trust among our artists and clients and to see people respond to the work we’ve put our faith in.”

 

Going into its fourth decade, the gallery will continue its dynamic program, remaining agile in response to new art and ways of communicating with the public, while maintaining the strong identity and aesthetic base that has marked its success for over 30 years. “Art audiences today are inundated with imagery,” Caldwell says. “Collectors have seen a million landscapes, abstract works, and figures. The challenge is to be a distinctive and meaningful voice.”

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