Art in action at San Francisco's 1890 Bryant St. Studios

SAN FRANCISCO -- Once a mayonnaise factory in San Francisco's Mission District, 1890 Bryant St. Studios now hums with the creative energy of more than 100 resident artists. The space is a rare sanctuary for those devoted to their craft in a city where studio space has become increasingly hard to find.

"We have toy makers, ceramicists, jewelers, painters, drawers, charcoal artists, photographers," lists Catherine Mackey, painter and mixed media artist who works from studio #204. For Mackey, her space is both a retreat and a wellspring of inspiration. "It's great because I can close the door and get my alone space," she says. "I'm one of those artists that, to get my creative flow going, I have to be quiet. I can't, I mustn't see anybody."

Up in studio #417, jewelry designer Peggy Li meticulously centers a beautifully pale purple gemstone onto a necklace. Her journey began when she started making jewelry she wanted to wear herself. "People would stop me on the street and ask me where I got my jewelry," she recalls. That encouragement pushed her to turn her passion into a full-time business, one that now sees her pieces featured in television and film productions.

"1890 really prides itself in being a building that houses not only new artists, but artists that have been working on their craft for decades," Li explains. "That exchange of ideas and experiences is what drew me to the building."

Mackey adds that, despite her need for solitude, she loves being surrounded by a community of artists. "If there's a sunny Friday evening, somebody will call a happy hour and we've got a roof terrace," she says. "People will tell you, 'Have you heard about this juried exhibition? Have you heard about this grant we can apply for? It's all this swapping of information, which is invaluable because there is no book about how to be an artist in San Francisco."

That openness also defines the buildings public events. "1890 Bryant often organizes to open its doors to the public several times a year," says Li. The largest of these is the Fall Open Studios, part of ArtSpans citywide celebration, along with spring and holiday showcases. "We hope people will come and check it out," Li says. "That dialog between artists and the public is so vital to our work."

Mackey explains the benefits of having a permanent space to both work and meet the public. "People have been coming in, maybe they're in their early 30s and they're not in a position to buy a painting. Then they get into their 40s and they've had promotions, they've bought their first house, and they come in, and buy a big painting. And that's why it really works to stay put, to get people knowing where you are."

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