Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Ting-Hopper.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My path to opening O Street Collection was not a traditional one. I spent much of my professional career as an attorney and entrepreneur, but I am also an artist. My own artwork has been represented by galleries on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and that gave me credibility and an opportunity to be discovered.
That experience stayed with me because there are many talented artists creating extraordinary work who simply do not have the visibility or access needed to reach an audience. I also learned something important from being on the artist side of the relationship: a gallery has a kind of power that an individual artist usually does not. A gallery has a space, an audience, relationships and the ability to introduce and elevate an artist’s work to people who might never otherwise encounter it. When we began thinking about O Street Collection, I wanted to use that platform to do for other artists in the greater Washington, D.C. area what gallery representation had done for me.
The idea really came to life when we found a remarkable historic property at 3213 O Street in Georgetown. The building dates to around 1800, and as we learned more about its history, we discovered that it had once been a gallery and coffee house in the early 1950s where poets gathered. After decades of other uses, including many years as a law office, there was something wonderfully fitting about bringing art back into the building.
That became O Street Collection. We have curated more than 50 works from over 10 contemporary artists, representing different generations, backgrounds, styles and stages of their artistic careers. I wanted the gallery to be a place where an emerging artist can be shown alongside an established artist, and where visitors can discover work because it speaks to them—not simply because they already recognize the artist’s name.
One of the unexpected pleasures of creating O Street Collection has been realizing that our little stretch of O Street is itself a hidden gem. Just off busy Wisconsin Avenue is a cobblestone block of independently owned businesses offering art, artisan chocolate, flowers, plants and garden goods, home furnishings, pet supplies and antiques. Each business is different, but together we have the ingredients of the kind of neighborhood experience that is becoming increasingly rare.
So O Street Collection has become about more than opening an art gallery. For me, it is about giving talented artists a platform, helping people discover original art, supporting independent businesses, and contributing to a little corner of Georgetown that deserves to be discovered.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No. Because we were transforming a historic property for a new use, the planning, permitting, and approval process took considerably more time—and patience—than I had anticipated. But that’s done. We made it!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
O Street Collection is a curated art boutique in Georgetown built around a simple idea: art to elevate your space, and artist-designed goods to elevate your mood. We bring together distinctive original artwork and beautifully designed objects for people who appreciate art, interiors, craftsmanship and pieces with a point of view.
Our collection includes more than 50 works from over 10 contemporary artists working in oil, acrylic, watercolor, alcohol ink and innovative mixed media. The artists represent different generations, backgrounds and stages of their careers—from emerging talent to accomplished artists whose work has been exhibited in museums, featured in national publications, and collected by celebrities and embassies. Many of the works were created exclusively for O Street Collection and cannot be found elsewhere.
Alongside the fine art, we offer a carefully edited collection of artist-designed goods—including distinctive bags, scarves, towels, coasters, as well as pieces inspired by the architecture of Georgetown and Washington, D.C. We approach these objects with the same sensibility as the artwork: they should be original, beautifully made and add something that lifts up your mood to everyday life. Our collection ranges from smaller artist-designed pieces to significant investment-quality works.
The setting is also an important part of our identity. O Street Collection occupies a circa-1800 Georgetown property with its own artistic history: in the early 1950s, it was a gallery and coffee house where poets gathered. After decades away from the arts, we are bringing art back to the building and giving this historic space a new creative chapter.
What I am most proud of is that O Street Collection gives talented artists a sophisticated platform while giving our clients the opportunity to discover work they are unlikely to encounter elsewhere. Currently we are particularly focused on artists who have ties to the greater Washington area—to collectors, designers and people who simply appreciate beautiful and original things. We have plans to expand our artists nationally and worldwide with an on-line presence, in the near future.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The Power of Art. I think one of the most interesting shifts over the next five to ten years will be a greater awareness of how art makes us feel, not simply how it looks in a room. We spend so much of our lives in our homes and personal spaces, and every piece of art brings a certain energy to that environment—a painting can make a room feel peaceful and restorative, joyful and vibrant, warm and comforting, or thoughtful and contemplative.
There is actually a connection here to the ancient practice of Feng Shui, which, at its most accessible level, considers how elements such as color, imagery, subject matter and placement influence the energy of a space. Certain colors and subjects have traditionally been associated with qualities such as harmony, prosperity, happiness or tranquility. All my paintings are mindful of how the composition delivers a certain energy. Whether or not someone follows Feng Shui, I think the broader idea is very intuitive: what we choose to surround ourselves with affects how a space feels and how we feel within it. For example, I recently painted bubbles, because it just makes you happy.
I think people will become increasingly mindful about choosing art for the feeling they want to create in a space, much as we already think about lighting, color, texture and the placement of furniture. There is something quite powerful about walking into a room and immediately feeling differently because of what surrounds you.
That philosophy is very much part of how I think about O Street Collection. Art doesn’t simply fill a wall; it changes the experience of a space. The right piece can completely alter the mood of a room and our emotional response to it. I think the future of collecting will become more personal in that way—less about what someone tells you that you should own and more about discovering the art that creates the energy, environment and feeling you want to live with every day.
Pricing:
- Art work $800-$20,000
- Most paintings around $5,000
- Products $50-$200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Ostreetcollection.com
- Instagram: Ostreetcollection
