There’s a new West Berkeley art gallery in a former fishing supply shop

Debera McKee, the artist who runs the new Berkeley Bait and Tackle Art Gallery. Credit: Nathan Dalton

For more than 40 years, Berkeley Bait and Tackle on San Pablo Avenue provided local anglers with all their fishing needs. It was a small shop, crammed from floor to ceiling with second hand rods, reels, lures, sinkers, hooks and fishing line, plus multiple fridges—some full of bait, others full of beer. It was run by CJ McGowen, a legendary figure in the fishing community, who fell ill and was forced to close his shop in 2017. 

The space was taken over briefly by a clothing store called Dash In Boutique, but it mostly sat vacant since McGowen sold his last container of worms. 

But late last year, the building’s owner, William Curry, decided to open an art gallery in the space and tapped his longtime friend and caretaker Debera McKee to run it. In a nod to the building’s long history, Curry decided to call the new art space Berkeley Bait and Tackle Art Gallery. It opened in December.

The gallery currently features work from more than a dozen local artists including painters, ceramicists, photographers, sculptors, and jewelry makers. All the artwork is for sale, with the gallery taking a percentage to cover rent and utilities. 

“We are trying to represent people in the neighborhood,” said McKee, who is an artist herself. “People that maybe are marginalized, people that have never shown their artwork. We’re totally open to having fresh people come through the gallery and showing their artwork and their crafts.”

One such artist is Shawn Moore, who bills himself as a “soap artist,” and carves flowers and other objects out of bars of Ivory. Another artist, Alan Burley, is currently living in a homeless shelter, according to McKee. He makes large colorful peace signs. Ivan Suspiro, a Guadalajara-born, Oakland-based artist makes small creatures out of recycled felt. 

There is also a wall McKee has set aside for children’s art, which she is hoping to fill soon. 

The shop also rents space to small businesses including Motherland Accessories, which sells traditional Kenyan clothing, hats, bags and jewelry. Sophie’s Succulents, a Hayward based business, also sells a variety of small potted plants inside the gallery. 

McKee stands outside the gallery, which currently features work from more than a dozen local artists including painters, ceramicists, photographers, sculptors, and jewelry makers. Credit: Nathan Dalton

McKee is hoping to host live music events in the future, as well as food pop-ups, art workshops and other events. And she is always on the lookout for new artists who want to show their work in the space.

“I want the place to be a place where people can come and they can gather and they can create art together,” said McKee. “ I’m not trying to gouge the artists. I want the artists to flourish.”

Berkeley Bait and Tackle Art Gallery, 2221 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.