ST. PAUL, MN.- St. Paul, MN: Water and Oil Art Gallery has opened its doors just one mile east of downtown St. Paul, offering Minnesotans a fresh resource for viewing and purchasing fine art. The 7,000 square foot gallery houses a collection of over 1,000 original works of art, and is perched above the historic site of Swede Hollow, Saint Paul’s immigrant enclave of yore.

With a heavy emphasis on artists from Sweden and Denmark, Water and Oil has imported its collection of paintings, drawings, lithographs, sculptures and furniture from a variety of Northern European countries. The pieces range broadly in style, and vary in date from the mid 1800s to the present.

Gallery owner Jim Davidson has a long history of traveling to Sweden, and during his time overseas he has noticed the high volume of original yet affordable artwork found in the area. An art collector himself since the mid-80s, Davidson became inspired by the idea of sharing this niche market with those in the Midwest who are unaware of its existence, cannot speak the language, or are unable to travel abroad. He notes that, in his own experience, discerning art buyers often resort to purchasing prints or giclées of foreign pieces due to a lack of availability of originals in this region.

A lifelong Saint Paul native, Davidson has owned the building in which the gallery resides for the past twenty five years and plans to make it available for local gatherings, events and receptions. There are also plans in the works to give the century-old renovated warehouse a facelift in 2008, with the addition of a 3,000 – 6,000 sq. ft. expansion that will be reserved solely as meeting and catering space.

Melding artspace with cyberspace, this gallery goes the extra distance to serve its visitors by offering a comprehensive website which allows viewers to peruse the entire collection online. Water and Oil is a unique destination that seeks to pique the interest of seasoned art aficionados, event planners in search of an intimate venue, new home owners with walls to fill, and any and all curious passersby.

About Water and Oil: Established in 2007, Water and Oil Art Gallery specializes in offering the Midwest a diverse selection of original yet affordable European and Nordic artwork. A source of fine art. For more information or to view the collection online, visit www.waterandoil.com, or follow the hyperlink below to press coverage by Marisa Helms, former award-winning metro-area reporter for Minnesota Public Radio, who wrote the following article for Minnpost.com on December 5th.