Owner shuts gallery doors

A Laguna Beach art gallery owner has closed her doors to take care of her ailing mother, but she will still assist clients remotely.

Swenson Fine Art owner Laurie Swenson recently shuttered her storefront gallery, 460 S. Coast Hwy., after four years and will move back to her hometown of Austin, Texas, after nearly two decades in Laguna Beach. Swenson called the change bittersweet in an email, but said the rewards will outweigh the challenges.

“I wanted to let you all know that my trajectory has changed for now, due to a downturn in my mom’s health,” she said in a letter to the Coastline Pilot. “I had to give this my serious consideration, but in the end I know my decision is for the best — we only have one mom...It all comes full circle — I am happy to be able to assist her, as she is such a dear and wonderful friend.

“If I can bring some ease to her day and joy to her world, then I am happy!”

Swenson said she feels a sense of satisfaction to have created a successful business, but would have liked to have stayed to see the economy turn around.

“It was also very enriching to have this business that is such a passion for me,” she said in an email. “I really enjoyed meeting so many interesting people from all over the world every day, with a retail space, but as with most businesses these days, most things can be accomplished through the Internet.”

Although she will no longer have a brick-and mortar-gallery, she will still assist clients and hopes to stay in touch. All her contact information is on her website, https://www.swensonfineart.com.

Swenson’s been in the art consulting business for 22 years.

“Art has always been a passion for me, and at some point representing these amazing artists just made sense,” she said.

Swenson said she can’t foresee if she will ever reopen a gallery in Laguna, but she has been very happy for the years she did.

“I remember my dad teaching me that ‘there is nothing more constant than change’ and the best way to deal with it is to embrace it ...and so my journey continues,” she said in an email.

Britney.barnes@latimes.com

Twitter: @britneyjbarnes