Many people might miss the door next to the entrance of Worthington’s Tavern in downtown Riverside, if not for people pointing out its location on a busy first Thursday of the month. It is Artswalk. The other side of the door reveals a steep set of stairs that lead the curious to GOPA — The Gallery of Progressive Art.

 

Walking into GOPA, one is immediately struck by the sheer number of pieces on display.

 

“It’s amazing how much work by so many different artists gets put on those walls,” local artist Jon Brosious said. “But it’s always so well put together and in such seamless manner.

 

”Brosious said the second thing visitors will be struck by after entering the gallery is just how engaging GOPA’s manager Louie Solana is with the public. He introduces viewers to the various pieces on display, talking about the artists and their styles.

 

“When the gallery came about, I had a choice to do the standard museum layout,” Solano explained. “But I couldn’t stand the idea of watching opportunities pass where more could have been shown. Over time, I’ve been on this constant mission to recreate the gallery into a more efficient process of the viewer connecting with the artist and all their many talents.

 

”The idea for GOPA began just over two years ago when local artist Alex Connell contacted Solano with an idea for a gallery. Their original purpose, according to Solano, was “to help grow the art community in Riverside and the Inland Empire.

 

”“Response from the artists has been amazing,” Solano said. “Many of the artists began as viewers and were quickly intrigued by our non-standard approach. They’ve been very helpful assisting in the setup of each show, as well as contributing continuous suggestions for enhancing the network process....