Spokane artist Michael Dinning and his wife Stephanie opened D2 Gallery and Studio on May 2 in downtown Spokane, located at the corner of West First Avenue and South Bernard Street. The gallery focuses on showcasing local artists, with Jim Dhillon featured as the star for two consecutive months. Dinning, who has a background in museum curation and art management, returned to art after a decade-long hiatus and now creates mixed-media sculptures that combine painting with found objects like stone arrows and violin bows.
The gallery matters because it addresses a common struggle for visual artists: limited opportunities to exhibit and sell work. D2 Gallery takes a smaller 30% commission on sales, compared to the typical 40-50% at commercial galleries, and aims to support artists year-round rather than only during solo exhibitions. Dinning's decision to prioritize other artists over his own work reflects a community-focused model that challenges the traditional gallery profit structure, offering a more sustainable path for local creators in Spokane.