Self-proclaimed the heart of the North Village Arts District, the PS Gallery took to [social media](https://www.facebook.com/36763530792/photos/a.10151831331230793.1073741846.36763530792/10152732687140793/?type=1&theater) May 20 to announce its new name. Now the Sager Braudis Gallery, it was renamed to reflect a recent change in ownership.

Gallery Director Stephanie Flakne said the new name reflects its new owners, Joel Sager and Scott Braudis.

“Although much of the character of the gallery remains the same, we felt like the change in direction necessitated formal acknowledgment,” Flakne said.

The gallery decided to continue the trend of being named after the owners to preserve their small business feel.

“The gallery has always been locally owned,” Flakne said. “The name ‘PS Gallery’ was a reflection of the two owners, (Jennifer) Perlow and (Chris) Stevens. ‘Sager Braudis Gallery’ signifies the gallery’s identity as a small, locally-owned business — via owners Joel Sager and Scott Braudis — and reinforces our commitment to preserve the same artist and community-driven focus.”

In addition to the change in ownership and name, the gallery plans on growing their presence in the art community, not only in Columbia but on a larger basis as well.

“While the fiber of the gallery will remain the same, we will continue to evolve,” Flakne said. “We will continue to broaden the scope our efforts to promote our represented artists, on a local, regional and national level and we will work to enhance the presence of arts in our community. We also believe it is important to forge relationships with local businesses, organizations and individuals who believe in the vitality and necessity of visual arts, so that will be a big focus for us too.”

The gallery features an even mixture of local and non-local artists, both established and up-and-coming.

Their exhibits change every two months and are marked by a reception on the first Friday of the exhibit. Their upcoming June 5 reception will inaugurate the studio as the Sager Brudis Gallery and give the community a chance to stop by, check out the new exhibit and get to know the staff. It will feature work from four artists: Dana Brown, Ken Nichols, Tom Pfannerstill and Sager.

“Joel will show a few times a year,” Flakne said. “But since he is a represented artist, we will always have access to his work for patrons who are interested in acquiring when he is not showing in a current exhibit.”

Sager’s work is described on his website as through still-lifes and portraiture, “a dark perspective of such imagery, juxtaposing the seemingly mundane and lifeless with subtle allegory and vitality … (it) serves as a redemptive and simultaneously disquieting examination of the sometimes deep effectiveness and other times absurdity of existence.”

The reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.