Back in 1988 a group of eight female watercolorists saw an opportunity and took it. They got together when fledgling Ward Centre was looking for tenants.

"They were given the space for free (utilities included) originally," said painter Cindy Conklin.

That was the beginning of an artists’ cooperative now known as The Gallery at Ward Centre.

"Gradually the concept became more credible," said Conklin, who has been with the co-op for 22 years. "We’ve been a legitimate gallery for a long time now."

The gallery, with a co-op of 17 artists, is set to close May 24 as the Howard Hughes Corp.’s planned Ward Village mixed-use development will see many shops shuttering in the coming months.

"We’ve been like a family for a very long time," Conklin said. "You see their families change … children being born … people dying … you become very aware of how very connected we are. It’s like a death. It’s very difficult.

"We would probably have been able to continue if we weren’t in the middle of the development area where people are no longer shopping," Conklin continued. "It was very clear that we just couldn’t continue."

Co-op president Mark Norseth, who has been with the gallery for about 15 years, agrees. But he also believes the art market has declined.

"The Hughes Corp. has been wonderful to us, but it’s going to be a couple of years before the dust settles down there. … The general economy, buying habits of people and the location wasn’t serving us very well.

"Just nationally and maybe even internationally, the art market has not been sturdy for quite a while. The amount of work that is going on down there (at Ward) has put a damper on the enthusiasm for that location."

with the store’s impending closure, a few of the artists are offering special prices on their pieces.

Norseth said that while some of the artists want the co-op to continue, no one has the time to devote to running a gallery.

So, instead, at least for now, the artists are finding a home online at hawaiifineartists.com.

"As a sculptor I’m guarded in my optimism," said co-op member Jackie Mild Lau of the online format. "It’s different to take a picture of a sculpture. … You can get an idea, but it’s hard to fall in love with a picture."

Conklin also has her doubts about the website but said the e-gallery was a way to hold the group together.

"My gut feeling is that it probably is not going to work," Conklin said. "Our customers like to browse and talk to the artist on duty, and there’s no way to duplicate that online. … At best it will provide links to the artists’ individual sites. … We’ll hope for the best."

In the meantime, as part of their co-op duties, the artists take shifts manning the gallery.

"I’m gonna miss my gallery mates and having regular conversations with other artists," said Mild Lau, who has been with the co-op for five years. "You become friendly with the person you overlap (shifts) with. We have monthly meetings where we meet each other. … There really aren’t places where all the artists meet regularly."