Lauren Halpern, 8. Nov. 2025.
A new art gallery in Fort Myers is opening its doors, showcasing works by some of history’s most iconic artists. WINK News was at SH Modern’s collectors preview to get a sneak peek of this exciting addition to the arts community.
Inside SH Modern, the walls are adorned with original pieces by modern masters like Dalí and Matisse. Gallery owner Sallie Hirshberg is focused on more than just unveiling a collection.
“We also obviously want to do good things in the community, so with this first exhibition, we’re partnering with Art for the Alliance, and we’re donating a portion of proceeds to their organization to help raise money for children’s programs,” said Sallie Hirshberg.
Hirshberg spent decades running a gallery in Boston before moving to Southwest Florida, and many of her clients followed her.
“This is a wonderful thing. I mean, I followed her all through obviously Boston and her career there. And now she moved down here and she’s in brick and mortar, so people can come see what she has. And as you can see, everything here is just done so well. And she’s just such an amazing, knowledgeable person that she’s going to be such an asset to the area,” said Wendy Walker, a client of SH Modern.
Collectors like Jodi Kaplan say SH Modern offers rare access to pieces that once seemed out of reach.
“Whatever you’re looking for, she can find. Whether it be a fabulous Warhol you’ve always dreamed of having on your wall, or a spectacular piano done by, I’m going blank on the artist’s name, but I just bought one of her pieces. So just whatever you love that she can find, or she has access to,” said Kaplan.
A portion of every sale through December will benefit the Alliance for the Arts.
“We’ll meet people wherever they are so that we can make sure that they can have access to arts and culture. Because we know that when people get access to arts and culture, we see great things happen in our community, from a health standpoint, an economic standpoint, and just a quality of life standpoint,” said Neil Volz, executive director of the Alliance for the Arts.
The gallery is open to the public starting Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and by appointment.