Acacia Tree Gallery

Set along Aviles Street, the oldest platted street in the United States and now the heart of St. Augustine’s small gallery district, Acacia Tree Gallery has built a reputation as a curated showcase for award winning local and regional artists working across a wide range of mediums. Unlike the larger cooperative galleries found elsewhere downtown, Acacia Tree operates with a tighter, more deliberately chosen roster, which gives the space a consistent point of view even as the specific pieces on display rotate throughout the year. Paintings, works on paper, and mixed media pieces share wall space with cases of handcrafted jewelry, giving visitors two distinct ways to bring home a piece of the local art scene, whether that means an original canvas for the wall or a wearable piece made by the same community of makers. The gallery’s commitment to accessibility extends beyond sales. Artist led painting classes give both beginners and more experienced hobbyists a chance to work directly with practicing professional artists in a relaxed, low pressure studio setting, turning the gallery into an active creative space rather than a purely retail storefront. That educational component sets Acacia Tree apart from many commercial galleries, which typically limit interaction with artists to the occasional opening reception. Commissioned artwork services also allow visitors and locals alike to work with gallery affiliated artists on custom pieces, whether a portrait, a pet painting, or a larger scale commission for a home or business, adding another layer to the gallery’s role as a working hub for the regional art community rather than simply a place to browse finished inventory. Located just steps from the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum and the Spanish Military Hospital, the gallery benefits from steady pedestrian traffic along one of the most walkable and historically dense blocks in the city, and it extends its hours during the First Friday Art Walk, when Aviles Street and the surrounding blocks fill with visitors moving between participating galleries. The gallery’s small footprint and single unit location, tucked into a courtyard style building typical of the street’s Spanish colonial layout, gives the space an intimate feel that larger commercial galleries elsewhere in Florida rarely match. For visitors and locals looking to buy directly from working artists, take a hands on class, or simply see a tightly curated selection of contemporary regional art in a historically significant setting, Acacia Tree Gallery offers one of the more personal and artist centered experiences available in downtown St. Augustine.