Artist, teacher and curator Grace Kotze has opened a new gallery in Durban. Called Loading Bay Gallery (it is quite literally based in one), the space offers an eclectic mix of art - bronzes, oils, acrylics, jewellery, sculptures. If Kotze finds it appealing, she will exhibit it.She had been toying for some time with the idea of finding a place to extend her curating, so when a spot in the vibrant Station Road precinct became available she couldn't resist."I grabbed it by the horns," she says of the quirky gallery housed within Con Amour, a home store set in a refurbished warehouse.Kotze's dream is to create a dynamic, selling gallery."I'm not looking for funding or having shows that don't market the works. For me it's about allowing artists the space to paint, to eat and to stay in Durban rather than trying to move to greener pastures."She plans to use a small room off the gallery for workshops and teaching. This will allow her to find her feet while she gets down to the business of marketing.She is also inviting other artists to run workshops. Sharon McClelland of The Printing Press, for example, will soon be running both bookbinding and print- making courses.The gallery will promote all forms of art, adds Kotze. "Craft work has an inferior status to fine art. I want to help break downthe barriers and start a dialogue between them."Against a wall is a cabinet displaying ceramics and silver jewellery. More cabinets are on order for more artisanal work.Foot traffic from the Station Road precinct is driving a new market to the gallery - those who spend time shopping for farm-fresh ingredients at the Morning Trade on a Sunday, for example, or those popping in to browse at Con Amour, or Saint Verde Botanicals, which also has a space in the sprawling warehouse.The criteria for selection of what graces the walls of the gallery are down to her aesthetic and her eye.What she is looking for, she says, are well-rounded, substantial works."I have an academic training and the same rules that apply to a figure painting can be applied to an abstract. Even with graffiti there are similar principles that tell you if a work will endure."A lot of stuff out there is ordinary, but a lot of stuff is exceptional and it isn't being seen. I've had really interesting people reaching out to me from around the country."Loading Bay opened a month ago. It's gone well says Kotze; a lot of the works now on the walls were not there at the opening."I've been surprised by the sales. Some were old clients, but others were people I'd never seen before. I think some just stumbled in."Kotze, who has an extensive collection of other artists' works, bought herself yet another piece of art as a "present" when she opened the gallery."Unfortunately I can't do that at every opening, but I love being surrounded by beautiful works."Creativity is such a valuable way of breathing. Humanity breathes in many ways and some of them are so destructive. This way is full of life and energy," Kotze says.Loading Bay Gallery, 15 Station Drive, 082-560-5045. Open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday to Sunday 9am to 1pm...