The aptly-named Corner Gallery sits comfortably between Scarcroft Road and Nunmill Lane and already has amassed a devoted following in its short time on the York art scene.

A passer-by would be hard pressed to resist peering through the windows of the small studio at the eclectic collection of original oil paintings, pencil drawings and prints that adorn the walls. However, that passer-by might not realise that every delicate piece on the other side of the glass is the work of one of the gallery owners, husband and wife Andres Jaroslavsky and Veronica Ongaro.

The family arrived in York from Argentina in 2000, after Veronica won a scholarship to undertake a PhD in biology at the University of York. “We’ve lived in South Bank for many years and have always liked the neighbourhood feel, especially around Bishopthorpe Road,” says Andres.

The Bishopthorpe Road community, in its turn, has taken the Corner Gallery to its heart. “We’ve received such a fantastic welcome,” says Veronica.

A friendly ethos marks out a gallery where you are welcome to ask the artists questions as they work and will inevitably be fascinated by the skill and concentration required to complete one of Veronica’s precisely-layered linocut prints or Andres’ incredibly detailed oil paintings.

In conversation, the couple’s deep love for their project shines through. “Our unique selling point, what makes us different from other galleries, is that anyone can come in and see us, the artists, at work inside,” says Veronica. “Lots of people drop by to sit, watch and chat while our pieces are created.”

Andres adds: “People often commission or reserve a piece, and regularly return to the gallery a few days later to see how it’s progressing.”

Images by Veronica and Andres hang together upon the walls and the arrangement of the art changes weekly as more people discover the gallery and find they can’t resist taking away a memento.

The intimate gallery-cum-studio opens during the couple’s spare time, as both have demanding careers – Andres gives piano lessons, while Veronica works in project management at the University of York’s department of biology.

Their careers enrich and inspire their work; Veronica’s beautiful, intricate prints and etchings depict aspects of the natural world from fish to flowers, while Andres has been commissioned to paint portraits of the head boy and girl of Pocklington School.

In September, the Corner Gallery will begin more commercial enterprises: greetings cards will feature Veronica’s instantly-recognisable prints, while Andres is working on 12 pencil drawings of the South Bank area for a 2011 Corner Gallery calendar.

“The calendar idea is already popular, and people often come in to suggest locations around the area. I don’t generally decide which month the picture will be used for until I’m finished, although this…” he says, gesturing at a minutely-detailed image of a lively, bustling Bishopthorpe Road, “…is definitely a summer one.”

The Corner Gallery is open on Thursdays, 4pm to 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am to 5pm. For more information, go to www.cornergallery.net, or email cornergallery@hotmail.com.

- Lydia Onyett