Rennie Trautenberg’s grandparents had a small family art gallery called Plaza Gallery in the 1980s and 1990s. The gallery acquired paintings and frames from other dealers, wholesalers, exporters, and consigners. Some works were purchased already stretched, and others were custom stretched at the gallery. The gallery carried original individually painted oils, and other works such as mass-produced prints, lithographs, giclees, etc. Reproductions of Norman Rockwell prints and old masters such as “The Last Supper” were popular. The gallery also worked with a few artists who created custom-order paintings from photographs of family, children, pets, or more rarely, from photos of favorite celebrity figures. Customers could buy paintings unframed, or framed, or bring in their own artwork to have framed or repaired.

The gallery was in business for about 20 years and then was closed due to family illness. The artwork was stored with the intent to reopen the gallery at a later date, but it languished in storage, forgotten for many years. At this point, they are too dated to be sold, and we are very happy that they are being repurposed and given new life instead of dying in a landfill. 

We believe these beautiful ornate frames and diverse art pieces have old forgotten souls. We are thrilled that they will live on at LBHS and be reborn with new paint and creations, thus becoming new souls to be appreciated for years.