We were sad to hear the news (via blogger Kriston Capps) that Numark Gallery is closing its doors for good next month. Owner Cheryl Numark sent out a press release yesterday explaning that due to “the demands of running a contemporary space — maintaining a quality exhibition program and truly ‘representing’ artists in the manner to which they are entitled,” she’s decided to step back and start a new venture advising art collectors.

Many people started to wonder about the gallery’s fate when Numark still hadn’t released an exhibition schedule by October; in fact, DCist actually called the gallery yesterday morning to find out what was going on, and was only told their next show would open late in the month. A few hours later the press release was sent out, explaning that that exhibit would, in fact, be The Last Show, and will open October 28.

Numark Gallery opened in 1995 and has consistently received high praise for both the quality of its artists — including Doug Hall and Dan Steinhilber (whose show we noted as one of the best in the city last year) — and the space itself. We’re sad to see the gallery go, especially in the wake of Fusebox leaving not so long ago, but we’ll definitly stop by later this month to say our goodbyes and good lucks.

Read more about the gallery and what Cheryl Numark did for the arts scene over the past decade at grammar.police and MidAtlantic Art News.

Photo courtesy of Numark Gallery.