Daisha Board Gallery is Back and Better Than Ever

Now in the Apprentice Creative Space, Daisha Board Gallery’s new location offers a fresh, promising start.

 On June 7th, contemporary gallery founder and curator Daisha Board held the opening event for the Daisha Board Gallery’s third location, located at 919 Morrell Avenue at the Apprentice Creative Space. 

The event began at 6 pm, inside of Apprentice, with an attached courtyard available to visitors. In it, Amapiano House DJ Xtina Starr was set up in the corner. On the other end, there was an open bar provided by General Orders No.3, and non-alcoholic matcha provided by Studio Good Green, with both (and all businesses present) being Black-owned. 

Photographer Briana Jones discovered Daisha’s gallery when she first moved to Texas from Atlanta after researching Black-owned galleries and collections. Daisha Board Gallery was the first one to pop up. Since then, she’s been a follower of her work. 

The art featured in the main area was available for sale, with prints priced as low as $100. Daisha stated that gallery visits will be by appointment only in order to foster a more engaging and intentional art buying experience.   

“You have me for 30 minutes, an hour or whatever you need to make a conscious decision on how you want to begin a collection, learn more about the artists and learn more about the mediums,” Daisha said. That’s why I’m here, right? So, I want to make it very much more intentional for my buyers, and for the people who engage and support us to have this opportunity and to, you know, have one-on-one time with me.” 

The decision to move from the previous space was unfortunately due to being priced out of Dallas’ tenth district, which is currently in the throes of gentrification. 

“[The previous district 10 space] had become very unaffordable for us to keep growing in that space,” Daisha said. “And I wanted to be around other creatives. I wanted to do more with the money that I was spending in that space.”

The new space also offers more opportunities to do more for the artists that she works with, and the chance for expansion. There is an additional space that Daisha announced she would be utilized as well, with the completion of the expansion planned for December. 

Daisha encouraged guests to take a look around the building, including her office, a majority of which were done by artist Joshua Gordon. 

Gordon’s work is eclectic, multi-faceted and carries a consistent theme of a focus on the eye. According to Gordon, the emphasis on eyes as a way to make people feel understood. 

“I want people to feel seen, I want them to feel heard. I think that’s what a lot of us want. Any community: the Black community, Gay community, whatever community; we all just want to be seen.”

Gordon originally connected with Daisha via DM, asking if  he could produce twelve pieces, launching their partnership. At that time, Gordon had recently lost his job working in a warehouse. 

“She came at the right time, she could have chosen anybody, you know she didn’t even have to help when she hadn’t even met me and was just going off of the work that I showed her. She saw something, and she believed in me even when I didn’t really believe in myself, she believed in me.”

Gordon stated when people come to view his work, he wants them to feel a warm, inviting energy from the space. 

“I want people to come in here and I want them to feel loved,” Gordon said. “I want them to feel welcome, as long as my art is in her, that’s what I want.”