Who we are
Located in a converted two-stall garage, Hammerspace offers a new vision for presenting fine art. This intimate yet dynamic space will host rotating pop-up exhibitions throughout the year.
Beyond exhibitions, Hammerspace Gallery will foster a vibrant artistic community through its Artist Cohort, with a special focus on supporting parent artists. Members will participate in regular discussions, critiques, build accountability, and share opportunities, creating a supportive and inspiring network.
Founded by artist Hailey Johnson, Hammerspace Gallery seeks to champion creativity and innovation in Grand Rapids. Offering a space that fills a gap in the Grand Rapids art scene.
Meet the Team
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Hailey Johnson
DIRECTOR
Multidisciplinary artist; Hailey Johnson delves into the invisible forces that shape human experience. With a BA in sculpture and psychology, she combines her fascination with the mind and materiality. Inspired by language, spiritual consciousness, and motherhood, the concept of unseen threads that bind us is a common theme in Hailey’s work.
After working in both commercial and non profit art galleries Hailey became increasingly aware of gaps that exist in the art world. She was the founder of a mobile art gallery in Portland, Oregon, and recently launched Hammerspace Gallery in Wyoming, Michigan. Her goal is to expand preconceived boundaries and offer a new vision for presenting fine art.
As a mother and artist herself she understands the added complexity of maintaining an art practice and the importance of building a supportive network of other artist parents. Hailey found this support from Assistant Director; Emily Mayo and was inspired to pay it forward through the Artist Cohort.
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Emily Mayo
GALLERY MANAGER
Emily Mayo is an artist, educator, and curator committed to fostering creative spaces that support both artistic growth and the unique challenges of parenthood. She co-runs Hammerspace Gallery and Artist Cohort with Hailey Johnson, providing a platform for artists to connect and exhibit their work. As a Professor of Drawing and Gallery Preparator at Hope College, she brings expertise in exhibition design and curation, alongside her nationally recognized artistic practice.
Central to Emily’s work is the exploration of other-centric, self-sacrificial love—the kind that embodies pain with a purpose. Her artistic practice is deeply informed by her experiences as a mother, particularly the physical and emotional transformations of childbirth and child-rearing.
As both an artist and a mother, Emily is passionate about creating an artist-run gallery space that acknowledges the dual roles of caregiving and creative practice. She believes in fostering a supportive community where artists who are parents can navigate the challenges of making while raising children. Emily lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with her husband and two young boys.
www.emilyrosemayo.com
