Barbara Gagel Art Gallery

Barbara Gagel was part of the Winchester Public School system as an art teacher for nineteen years. She introduced young students to a variety of materials that allowed them to build with hands, minds and spirits. For sometime our local community lost Ms. Gagel, as she moved on to new experiences and endeavors in New Mexico. When there she was a recipient of New Mexico Women Artists Annual “Originals” Award and exhibited her work at The Millicent Rogers Museum, Zane Bennett Gallery, The Encaustic Art Institute, and Vivo Contemporary. Over the past few years, she has exhibited her work at her current residence at Ayer Lofts Gallery in Lowell, as well as the Kobalt Gallery in Provincetown. In the past eight years she has conceived eight solo shows, and has participated in numerous other group shows.

The parents of her students valued the art process, and the teachings of Barbara Gagel. Before long she was giving after school classes, which eventually led to creating a business model in downtown Winchester. Before heading West Ms. Gagel worked along side her fellow collaborators, Brian Milauskas of Kidstock! and Debbie Boyle of Ballet Arts Centre, to create the educational arts center "ArtSpace" orignally located at 750 Main Street. Since then Milauskas and Boyle have established the NextDoor Theater located at 40-50 Cross Street in Winchester, adjacent to their existing businesses. The lobby of the theater serves as an art gallery, and was named in honor of their friend, collaborator and fellow artist, Barbara Gagel.