As the recession takes its toll on discretionary spending, artists are finding it difficult to find buyers for their work. A cooperative of 12 artists is responding by opening a gallery in downtown San Mateo today to display their art.

The gallery, Avenue Art, is taking up residence in a former cinema at 60 E. Third Ave., next to the Ben Franklin Hotel. Though a sign had yet to be placed on the marquee Thursday afternoon, doors were set to open at 5 p.m. today for an inaugural reception free to the public.

Two massive front windows display an expansive space and assortment of pieces in various styles and mediums. Floral oil paintings in the foreground and more modern work in the back reveal the gallery's contents to be as eclectic as its members.

The artists represent a diverse cross-section of the Bay Area art scene. They range in age from 30s to 80s and produce visual pieces in a variety of mediums. All items are for sale, including the found-material jewelry by Shelley Bond on display in glass cases.

But some of the most eye-catching pieces come from Tim Christensen of Menlo Park. His large-scale nudes take up three-by-five feet each of stark white wall space. The 49-year-old New Zealand native said he would like to own his own gallery one day, but until then he's willing to give a co-op a shot for the opportunity to grow with other artists.

Avenue Art founder Jackie Jones of San Mateo is also hoping the shared space

She said the work leading up to today's opening has given her a headache. However, a co-op by nature is a democratically run organization — so artists have to take on other responsibilities to be a part of it. All of them are going to be working shifts during operating hours, which will be 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Not all members are professional artists, but membership is by invitation only and requires a critical screening process to keep a high caliber of work on display, according to Jones.

"I knew there was untapped talent in the Bay Area," she said Thursday.

Audrey Fellows, 87, of Hillsborough, submitted several pastel portraits to the gallery opening, as well as an old drawing she did in Acapulco, Mexico.

"I have a whole body of work I intend to put down there eventually as we change," she said.

For details about Avenue Art, go to www.avenueart.org.