Inner Space Fine Art Gradually Takes Shape After Delayed Opening

NORTH READING, MA — Allyson Paladino always knew that opening her first business after a later in life career change would come with challenges. But after having to adjust on the fly just as she was making final preparations to open a fine art gallery just before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Paladino has found a way to maintain a steady pace ever since.

After having to delay the opening of Inner Space Fine Art until mid-June, Paladino has taken the obstacles as they have come. Although she anticipated there would be days when the visitors to a remodeled hexagonal space in North Reading would be few, a feeling she can't quite put into words comes over her every time someone walks through the doors of the studio her business now occupies at 189 N. Main St.

The gallery space showcases original pieces of art from regional artists and artisans in a space that Paladino says is reflective of the spaces where people live both physically and internally and of the things that bring happiness or provoke thought.

Despite being open for a few months, Inner Space celebrated its launch with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week. While feeling admittedly surreal because the space had been open over the summer, Paladino said the intimate ceremony —attended only by members of the Chamber of Commerce and Paladino’s husband due to coronavirus safety precautions — provided an “official marker” that the studio is open for business.

For Paladino, who previously worked in print production and project management, the launch begins a new adventure.

“To be open – even if it’s for a small amount of people at first – it’s still thrilling every time someone comes through the door,” Paladino told Patch this week. “It’s like, ‘Oh, I’m really doing it. This is a real business.’”

Like many new small business owners, Paladino does a lot of self-marketing at a time when people may still be leery about venturing out because of the ongoing pandemic. Even with the uniqueness of the challenges that 2020 has brought to business owners across the country, Paladino realized that launching a business, especially one like a fine art gallery, would require patience and time as her new venture got off the ground.

Because she started with that mentality, Paladino said that the pace at which traffic has arrived in her space since opening this summer has given her time to see to other aspects of the business — like getting the word out. The traffic, she knows, will come in time.

The gallery is open from 1-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and from 12-4 p.m. on weekends. Paladino hopes to eventually host artist’s openings and other happy events, but for the time being, will keep things slow and steady as word grows about the space where her business dreams are coming true.

“I’m not going to blame it on COVID,” Paladino said. “I have to get the word out and I’m hoping as people feel a little bit more relaxed, especially with the holidays coming up around the corner, that they may be looking for somewhere new to poke around and check out. And with a fine art gallery, it’s not like I’ll have mobs of people in there at any one time. It’s more of a destination shop.”