Beacon residents might know the faces of the artists, Barbara A.G. Riddle and Steven Paul Riddle, who created and curate Marion Royael Gallery. Over the years, the gallery has been located on both ends of Main Street, and is currently based at 159 Main St., next door to Kitchen Sink. Onlookers who have walked past the directed migrating installations that appear each month in the gallery, may not yet have walked in, or walked all the way in, and stepped into the back patio known as Mr. Yard, which was the location of our Mystery Photo.

The installation that occupies Mr. Yard this year, Marion Royael's garden plot beside Kitchen Sink's back patio, was the location of our last Mystery Photo Contest that stumped everyone for days. That contest required four hints before somebody finally won! So now is the time for the big reveal and the virtual walk-through of this exhibit that is kid- and dog-friendly, and beckons for you to explore.

Reminder of the Mystery Photo

This was the mystery photo. Where was this taken?

About Marion Royael Gallery

Marion Royael Gallery highlights the work of emerging and mid-career artists through a scheduled series of exhibitions. The gallery acts as a forum for exploring fundamental ideas and concepts in contemporary art as they relate to prevailing topical events. Steven and Barbara seek to create a vibrant cross-generational dialogue about art and culture among the general public, collectors, curators, artists and critics. Marion Royael Gallery creates what they call "Directed Migrating Installations," which are rooted in themes that the gallery sends out to regular artists, who send art in response to be displayed. The gallery represents artists and sells contemporary fine art originals, editions and objects.

So Where Is This Dinosaur?

This purple dinosaur lives inside of the outdoor installation, "Mr. Yard Presents Knock Knock Underground Emoji," and behind at least two sets of doors. There is a total of 76 doors in the installation, 45 of which open and close, and some of which are painted. Appearing across all of the doors are 300 emojis representing different emotions. Why emojis and doors?

The installation is an exploration of what people do with their emotions, says Steven Paul Riddle. "It's about emotions. Whatever you do with your emotions. Some people show them very clearly, and you can see right through them. Other people hide them." The doors represent what the emotions are hidden behind. Closed doors, open doors, crooked doors, sideways doors.

Walking through is a lot like walking through a chapter in Alice in Wonderland. Explore at night or during the day, and the experience will still be steeped in curiosity as different corners reveal themselves to you in different lights, or through your own mood at the moment.

Continue to virtually walk through this installation via the pictures in this article, and then head down to Marion Royael Gallery to experience it yourself in person. Bring the kids! The doors are for sale as a piece of art, should something move you, but Barbara and Steven giggle at the thought of pricing it out, as they are so deeply rooted in the creation process.

Photo Credits: All photos were taken by Katie Hellmuth Martin