Couple Turns Art Collection Into Dealership : Janice and James King’s Creative Images in Irvine is tapping into Orange County’s demand for African-American art.

For more than five years, Janice King dreamed of starting her own business.

A thorough and deliberate person, King considered her various options--including opening a franchise--when the answer finally came to her one day while sitting in her living room, where she and her husband display their personal collection of African-American artwork.

“When our friends would come over, they would always say, ‘Oh, where did you get that beautiful art on the walls?’ And finally it hit me that I should go into the art business,” she said.

Although she has no academic art background, King and her husband, James, know what they like. They consider themselves avid collectors. Whenever they travel to San Francisco, San Diego or New Orleans, the couple buys paintings that illustrate the black experience.

So 10 months ago, armed with $6,000 in savings, King decided to open a gallery based from her home called Creative Images. The word has spread, and King expects her first year’s revenue to hit $12,000 and double her investment.

Her paintings range from abstract works to realistic images reflecting contemporary blacks. And they vary from oil paintings to the very unusual, such as a portrait of Miles Davis painted on a slate of marble. Prices range from $20 to nearly $2,000.

King, 50, has one of the largest collections in Orange County of original paintings and limited edition prints by such artists as Charles A. Bibbs, Leroy Campbell, Albert Fennell, Varnette Honeywood and Brenda Joysmith.

“Many blacks are feeling they want to adorn their walls with African-American art. Not only is it beautiful, but it presents positive role models, especially for children,” she said. “For years, blacks have had art on our walls that did not reflect us.”

Although there are several galleries in Los Angeles that exhibit art work by living African-American artists, King said there are not many such galleries in Orange County although there are thousands of affluent African-Americans and other area residents interested in African-American art.

“I think today, blacks as well as others are finding the quality of black art,” said King, noting that the prices for many of these works have doubled or tripled with time.

Vanessa Ashford Bussey, a 35-year-old African-American artist who lives in Lake Forest, has sold several pieces to King for exhibit in her gallery. She said she is convinced that King’s gallery will be a success because African-American art is popular right now.

“It’s kind of hot right now. People are interested in African-American art,” she said.

Bussey’s abstract, brightly-colored paintings include a piece called “African Princess Playing a Guitar,” which depicts a women with brightly colored hair playing a wooden guitar, and, she says, illustrates female independence.

King has many contacts in the black community, as she is president of the African-American Council of the Multi-Cultural Center in Irvine. This helps spread word-of-mouth about her company and to develop contacts, whom she invites to special gallery showings in her home. She also will hold shows in a potential client’s home, giving advice on framing and placement of the artworks.

In the next few years, King said she hopes to earn enough money to open a free-standing gallery, possibly in Tustin.

Because of the cash flow problems inherent in starting a new business, King has decided to keep her day job at a local community college. But King said she eventually wants to work at her gallery full-time, so she has been taking business courses to improve her management skills.

Creative Images’ next big event is a large holiday art show planned for Nov. 7. For information, call (714) 552-0566.

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