After 16 years of fostering creativity, grayDUCK Gallery in Austin has officially closed its doors, but the farewell was less about sorrow and more about celebration. Owner Jill Schroeder hosted a wake to commemorate the gallery’s impact on the local art scene, drawing over 100 supporters who celebrated her journey since she first opened the gallery in a smaller space on South First Street.
The evening was notable for its upbeat atmosphere, contrasting with the typical somber tone of gallery closures. Schroeder’s decision to close came on her own terms, having purchased the property in late 2013, which safeguarded her from escalating rents and potential eviction. After over a decade and more than 120 exhibitions, she felt it was time to step back from the constant demands that came with running the gallery.
Reflecting on her experience, Schroeder expressed that the joy she once found in managing grayDUCK had dwindled. “I wasn’t getting the same joy as I was before,” she stated following the farewell event. “I was just ready for a change, ready to not worry about the gallery 24/7.”
From the outset, owning the building allowed Schroeder to curate exhibitions with greater freedom, enabling her to create a space where artists could experiment with their work. She took pride in grayDUCK’s ability to evolve, adjusting the gallery’s layout to accommodate unique installations that may not have thrived in conventional venues.
Many artists, such as San Antonio’s Raul Rene Gonzalez, benefited from Schroeder’s artist-centric vision. Gonzalez first exhibited at grayDUCK while still in graduate school and continued to showcase his evolving work there. He appreciated the collaborative relationship he maintained with Schroeder, which allowed him to explore personal themes in his art.
Gonzalez described grayDUCK as a critical support system in Austin’s art community. Even from afar, he felt connected to the local scene, with Schroeder frequently visiting him in San Antonio to bring his work back to Austin for exhibitions. “For me, that was really important just to be able to have a place in Austin where I truly felt like I was part of the Austin art scene for a long time,” he noted.
grayDUCK quickly gained a reputation as a go-to venue for collectors seeking fresh talent. Shalini Ramanathan, an art collector who began visiting the gallery at its original location, highlighted Schroeder’s distinctive aesthetic and how it influenced the gallery’s programming. “Jill has a very distinctive eye, and she’s very sure of her own taste,” she remarked, emphasizing the personal touch that defined grayDUCK’s exhibitions.
Visitors often marveled at how the gallery transformed its 1,100 square feet for various shows, accommodating everything from ceramics to performance art. At the closing event, the atmosphere was enhanced by looped animations and surreal installations from artist Yuliya Lanina, showcasing the gallery’s commitment to supporting artists’ visions.
Schroeder had contemplated closing grayDUCK for some time and even considered it during the gallery’s 15th anniversary last year. However, she decided to continue after being inspired by several exhibitions she wished to present before retiring the space. “I just couldn’t pass them up,” she explained, feeling that her final shows were the perfect way to conclude her journey.
Despite the closing of grayDUCK, both Schroeder and Ramanathan remain optimistic about Austin’s art scene. Schroeder noted that while the community has seen cycles of openings and closures, it currently appears more stable, with a solid base of support from collectors. Ramanathan pointed out that while grayDUCK will be missed, newer and established galleries continue to thrive, helping to showcase local and regional artists.
Looking ahead, Schroeder plans to maintain her presence in the arts community by potentially joining the board of Women & Their Work and exploring opportunities to curate elsewhere. However, she also anticipates a period of personal exploration, including travel plans to see the monarch butterflies in Mexico. “I’m going to travel more and kind of rest up and see what else is out there,” she shared, hinting at the possibility of returning to her own artistic endeavors in the future.
