Joseph Art Gallery

My shop, Joseph Art Gallery, is right near the East Gate. It’s a busy little area, especially being so close to the Fish Market. You can usually smell the morning catch if the wind is blowing the right way. Koil Road stays crowded because of the temple visitors, and they often stop to peek in at what we’re doing. It’s not a big, shiny gallery like you see in the city. We have frames stacked up against the walls and bits of wood shavings on the floor. Most days, it's just me working on a canvas or helping someone pick a frame for an old family photo. The Old Mariamman area has its own rhythm, and we’ve been part of it for quite a while now. At Shop No. 84, the space is tight, but we make it work. I keep the door open to get a bit of air, even if it means the street noise comes right in. It gets really bright in the afternoons when the sun hits the front of the building. I’ve lived around here most of my life, so I know most of the people walking by. People drop in to chat more than to buy art sometimes, which is fine by me. We do what we can with the tools we have. It’s just a regular place where things get made by hand, slowly. No rush, just daily work. It’s a quiet life here.