Best Gallery

Late Show owner and curator Tom Deatherage makes no attempt to kiss up to potential viewers or buyers. That's why his home-operated gallery has such an honest feel to it. Deatherage's selections are not based on what he thinks will appeal to a wide viewership or go along with trends. Whether it's Greg Eltringham's paintings of women wearing boxing gloves, Rob Chester's out-of-kilter, low-angle portraits of people standing next to imposing buildings, or Lori Raye Erikson's multimedia pastel "Fluff" pieces, the art at the Late Show just looks good. And because the gallery is in Deatherage's home, there's always a little something to look at beyond the current show -- pieces that hang permanently on his walls or art from previous and future shows sitting haphazardly on the enclosed back porch where Deatherage does his framing. He has even been known to allow viewers to rummage through his basement. None of this would matter if it weren't for Deatherage's fabulous taste. He searches out good work, often detecting it long before anyone else.