Tyler Fine Art Gallery brings collective vision to downtown

Editor’s Note: This is one in an ongoing series of stories spotlighting downtown Tyler businesses in need of support from patrons during ongoing construction for the Downtown Improvement Project expected to continue through January 2028. The Tyler Morning Telegraph’s goal through this series, which began Jan. 1, is to reach a wider audience and drive more patrons into the businesses to experience what each of them has to offer. Stay tuned for more features in the coming weeks.

At the corner of North College Avenue and Ferguson Street, an intimate gallery space is reshaping how local art is displayed and supported in downtown Tyler. Founded and curated by Aaron Hinds, the Tyler Fine Art Gallery operates as an artist collective, giving East Texas creatives a place to showcase and sell contemporary work.

“I wanted to do something different than a traditional gallery,” Hinds said. “The artists share the space and help sustain it, which makes it more about the work and the community than just selling pieces.”

Featured artists at the gallery

The gallery currently features 11 East Texas artists, each working across a variety of mediums, from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media:

Don Bristow — a fractal artist working in dye-sublimation on aluminum, Bristow combines his background in photography and mathematics to create intricate, digitally generated landscapes inspired by mathematical equations.

Doug Carter — a Tyler-based painter, Carter creates oil and acrylic landscapes that emphasize light, atmosphere, and the emotional impact of nature.

Craig Daugherty — a professional photographer specializing in portrait, commercial, editorial, and event work, Daugherty focuses on capturing the personality and essence of his subjects.

Diane Frossard — an impressionist oil painter, Frossard draws on a lifelong connection to horses and nature, creating works that emphasize movement, light, and tranquility.

Jeanne Harford — an internationally recognized photographer, Harford is known for her equine, wildlife, and landscape imagery, often traveling extensively to capture dynamic, fleeting moments.

Aaron Hinds — a painter working in oils and acrylics, Hinds creates contemporary interpretations of biblical narratives, blending historical influence with a modern perspective.

Joe Hopps — a self-taught abstract impressionist painter, Hopps brings an intuitive and exploratory approach to his work, embracing spontaneity and creative freedom.

Denise LaRue Mahlke — working in pastel and charcoal, Mahlke produces atmospheric landscapes that highlight subtle light, expansive skies, and quiet natural moments.

Mac K. Miller III — an internationally published photographer, Miller’s work spans portraits, commercial photography, and fine art, often driven by imaginative and conceptual ideas.

Ματθίας — a pen-and-ink artist, Ματθίας explores figurative mysticism through a distinctive visual language that reflects on human experience and deeper existential themes.

Bruce Peil — known for his American landscape paintings, Peil focuses on capturing the fleeting qualities of light and atmosphere to evoke a strong sense of place and time.

A different business model

Operating as a collective rather than a traditional gallery, Tyler Fine Art Gallery has each member sharing costs through a tiered rent system based on the amount of wall space each artist uses. Monthly costs range from about $75 for a smaller space to $150 for larger space.

“I wanted to do a little bit different of a business model instead of it being just a gallery that shows local artists,” Hinds said. “I wanted it to be more of a collective and get a group in there that maintained the place, helped me build it, helped work in it so that it just didn’t depend on retail sales to stay alive.”

Keeping art alive downtown

Before opening the Tyler Fine Art Gallery, Hinds operated Hinds Fine Art Gallery & Event Space, a 26,000-square-foot downtown venue that functioned as both a gallery and event space. The location closed in early 2024 after NORF Companies, which owned the building, decided to repurpose it for a new tenant.

“I was so devastated that I had to close my other gallery, and I had big plans for that space,” Hinds said. “NORF didn’t see it as viable, which is fair. I understand — it’s business. I think they’re very good for Tyler, and they didn’t do anything wrong; they just made a decision, and that was it.”

Wanting to keep art alive downtown, especially during the city’s revitalization phases, Hinds found a small corner space that could operate as a collective, with each artist helping to maintain and support the space. He felt the move was a positive trade-off.

“At the other location, people walking between the courthouse and the parking garage were on their phones — they didn’t even look up,” Hinds said. “I’d sit there and watch hundreds of people pass by the window without realizing we were there. Most people had no idea that 26,000-square-foot space even existed.”

According to Hinds, the new gallery space originally lacked walls, leaving little structure to define it. Ever the handy carpenter, he saw the potential and worked on shaping the space into something functional and inviting.

“It was just raw and open to the four corners of the walls,” Hinds said. “But … I took everything apart and was able to use all of the … historical wood from the 1860s that was already in the building. I didn’t buy any 2x4s or trim, so it’s just a pleasure to see this old space get some walls and form.”

The space included leftover building materials which Hinds used to renovate the interior, creating functional galleries and larger ADA-accessible facilities while preserving the historic features. The Tyler Fine Art Gallery opened last summer, welcoming East Texas artists to a growing art scene in downtown Tyler.

Business as usual

Despite ongoing construction around the downtown square, Hinds said the gallery is operating as usual, continuing to welcome visitors and support local artists. The changes nearby have brought more foot traffic past the building, and he hopes the city’s revitalization will create even more opportunities for art to thrive in downtown Tyler.

“You don’t pick art galleries because you want to make a bunch of money,” Hinds said. “You pick art galleries because you care and you care about the culture of this town and in trying to elevate it.”

The Tyler Fine Art Gallery is located at 117 W. Ferguson Street, and is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 2 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Be sure to check out the gallery’s calendar for any changes or updates.

Options for parking

Several parking and transit options remain available for patrons within walking distance of downtown restaurants and businesses:

• The Plaza Tower and People’s Parking Lot A and B, located on North Bois D’Arc Avenue, are free after 5 p.m. and on weekends.
• The free Smith County Parking Garage, located at 210 East Ferguson Street.
• The free Fair Plaza Parking Garage, located at 208 South College Avenue.
• The Regions Bank Parking Lot, located at 100 East Ferguson Street.

Additionally, two-hour parking is available on any open street spots.

On Dec. 12, the city launched a partnership with Tyler Valet to offer a fixed-route shuttle service with clearly marked pick-up and drop-off points. This past week, the city announced this service is temporarily paused until the downtown team can find a replacement.

For a full downtown Tyler parking guide, visit tylerpaper.com/2025/12/28/parking-guide-navigating-downtown-tyler-during-ongoing-construction.

For more information on the gallery and its artists, visit tylerfineartgallery.com.

For more about the Downtown Improvement Project and proposed timelines, visit www.mytylertexas.com/downtown-improvement-project.