SPOTLIGHT
Alan Goolman, Director/Curator at The Lockwood Gallery (#139 on UAW Map)
Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? And how long you’ve been in your current position. I’ve been Director/Curator of The Lockwood Gallery for the past five and a half years. I’ve also recently taken on the role of Creative Director/Curator of 68 Prince Street Gallery in Kingston.
My passion for art is all-encompassing. Though my fascination with color has consistently been my primary motivator, my deep engagement with color began at 25, when I became national makeup artist for Christian Dior, which was followed by six years as premier artist for Chanel in the United States. These fifteen years allowed me to explore color theory, with Johannes Itten being particularly influential in shaping my understanding. This expertise led me to develop a color concept called “applied color theory,” which subsequently informed my work in color development, product development and ultimately, brand development. My experience in brand development served as a transition into gallery curation. I found that curating a beauty brand and curating an art gallery share fundamental similarities. In both, the aim is to cultivate an enriched experience that effectively communicates and reinforces the artists, brands and gallery’s core intention and identity.
Use three words to describe yourself: Creative, intuitive, committed … and exhausted. That’s four, sorry!
What brought you to the Hudson Valley/Catskill Mountains? 3-day weekends! We purchased our home 32 years ago. I was traveling 40 weeks a year, having a getaway, a home, and a community that I love was absolutely essential. We moved to Upstate NY in 2012.
What do you love about your job? There’s a vibrant and continually growing and changing arts community in the Hudson Valley. To have a job that allows me to be a part of this community and continue to explore everything I’ve learned from my previous career and grow…what’s not to love?
What exciting things do you have planned for UAW? The Lockwood Gallery is excited to announce Ethan Ryman: Four Years Built. A solo exhibition opening July 13th, 2025, the show marks the gallery's fifth anniversary installment of “Built,” a curation of work that fused the relationship between architecture and art, as well as the gallery's first exhibition of Ethan Ryman’s work.
The Lockwood Gallery will present this show in tandem with UAW, a celebration of art and culture in the Hudson Valley, from July 17th to July 21st. “Four Years Built” will feature a broad selection of sculptures and photo-sculptural works across four of Ethan Ryman’s series – Still Lifes, Dioramas, Perfect Flat Constructions, and Frontier. This show will also debut works from Ryman’s newest series, “Line Factory” and “Part Two-Ten Windows.” Additionally, on view for the first time will be a selection of Ryman Square Studies,” small-scale drawings that relate formally and conceptually to his fully realized works.
What is your favorite local store? Cheese Louise
What is your favorite art/creative space to visit? Dia Beacon: John Chamberlain, Richard Serra, Robert Ryman.
What is one tip for people experiencing UAW for the first time? Try to map your plan of action every day. Wear comfortable shoes. Hydrate. For instance, the Lockwood Gallery > is less than a ten-minute drive to Headstone Gallery > which is less than ten minutes from 68 Prince Street Gallery.
What is a fun fact about you that might surprise people? I danced professionally from 16 to 22 years old.
Now for the Speed Round! Pick one or the other.
Valley or Mountains? Mountains
Car or Train? Car in the States, Train in Europe
Walk or Hike? Walk
Sun or Snow? Sun
Indoors or Outdoors? Both
Diner or Restaurant? Diner
Market or Shop? Market
Clear or Clouds? Clear
Sunglasses or hat? Sunglasses
Abstract or Realist? Abstract
Contemporary or Modern? Both
Sculpture or Painting? Both
IRL or digital? IRL
Look or listen? Both
See or feel? Both