For the first time in Gaslamp history, a small business is owned and operated by a Native American. Ruth-Ann Thorn, a member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, celebrated the opening of Exclusive Collections gallery on Sept. 15. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by several council members, from tribes and the city alike.
“It’s my great honor and privilege to be here opening a gallery in the historic Gaslamp, in a place where at one time we were not allowed to step foot into this region— and we’ve come a long way,” Thorn told a crowd of supporters.
Sycuan acquired the U.S. Grant Hotel in 2003 but since it is operated by the Marriott, Thorn is the first Native operator for a small business in the area.
“This is not a win just for me or for this gallery. It’s a win for all Native people,” Thorn said.
Thorn has operated many art galleries across the region since her first gallery opened in La Jolla in 1998. At one point, she was operating multiple locations at once before choosing to downsize so she could focus on moving to the reservation to serve her people and care for her dad. Her one remaining gallery was in Solana Beach, but for the last five years she has looked for places in the Gaslamp where she believes exposure will help sell the eclectic art from world-renowned artists that fill her collection. It was this spring that she found an available location and moved in.
“Gaslamp is the hub of San Diego,” Thorn explained in an interview. “It just felt like that would be a really great place to be able to interact with people from all over San Diego and then all over the world.”
City councilman Stephen Whitburn thanked Thorn for seeing the potential of the neighborhood.
“I really appreciate your investing in the Gaslamp,” Whitburn said. “I think you’re gonna find this to be a very successful business as we continue to have more and more people patronize in this area. So on behalf of the City of San Diego, it’s taken too long, but welcome to Downtown San Diego.”
Thorn shared the history of Indigenous people not being allowed in Downtown public spaces for many years. “There were signs posted saying, ‘Indians: $25 a head. Dead or Alive.’”
California’s 1850 Act for the Governance and Protection of Indians allowed for any Native person deemed a ‘vagrant’ to be pressed into indentured servitude and sold at a public auction as well as the sanctioned kidnapping of Native children.
Reservations were created around this time that Jamul Indian Village Chairwoman Erica Pinto described as unbuildable without economic opportunities.
“Welcome back to your land,” Pinto declared.
The Native people who remained near Downtown for jobs largely resided in a village led by Florida Canyon Kumeyaay Band until the village was demolished to make way for the creation of Balboa Park ahead of the 1915 California-Panama Exposition. It was still many years before Native Americans were allowed to open businesses.
“I’m standing here with a tribal member who is opening her own business. Who thought I’d live to see that? Many wonders of the world that I have witnessed. I have seen women empowered. Seen my people empowered. That’s the biggest goal of all,” said Rincon Council woman Laurie Gonzalez.
The gallery is located in one of the oldest structures in the Gaslamp. The one-story brick building at 621 Fifth Ave. in Victorian commercial style architecture was built around 1880 as the Combination Store, according to Gaslamp historian Sandee Wilhoit.
“The building I’m in right now was the very first mercantile in the Gaslamp… the very first store in San Diego ever created,” Thorn said. “I think it’s kind of funny that I’m in that store now doing business as a Native.”
The gallery is host to a variety of artists from Thorn’s own mother Gloria Lee, who is a top seller, to rock n’ roll artist Stickman, who will appear live at the gallery on Oct. 6th and 7th to showcase his music-based visual art.
“I’m Native American, but I think my personal philosophy on art and just on living is that everybody is invited,” Thorn said. “We we were trading with people from all over the world for 23,000 years. So my feeling is if you go into the gallery, you’ll notice there is such a vast variety of art. And I do that purposely.”
She is one of the few gallerists in the world allowed to sell Dr. Seuss art. Tom Everhart’s Snoopy art is also in the collection. Thorn highlights a few native artists, Lee, Jason Salazar and Votan Henriquez among them, with central placement.
Not all items are limited to flat canvases. Steve Barton’s wavy frames with ocean scenes, Nic McGuire’s glass art, and Paul Lotz’ fantasy sculptures are also included.
“Art is for everyone,” Thorn declared, inviting people to walk through the gallery or attend special events.
Exclusive Collections is open from 1 to 9 p.m. each day. Call (619) 756-8996 for more information or visit ecgallery.com.
