SKANEATELES - Kevin and Molly Lucas had driven through Skaneateles any number of times on their way to and from their homes in Syracuse and Owasco. But it was a late-night Memorial Day drive through, when the village was heavy with fog, that signaled to Kevin Lucas something that would change parts of both his personal and professional life.

“That night I kind of decided it would be really cool to have a business in the village,” said Lucas, who stopped to take some photographs of Genesee Street and the lakeshore.

Roughly seven months later, those photos - termed the Park Evening Series - are part of the first exhibition at Lucas Gallery, which had its grand opening Saturday.

The gallery, located on the first floor of the Lucas' new 33 Jordan St. home (with son Mitchell, 14, they moved from Syracuse last month), now includes artwork of various media, from paintings to collages to photography.

In addition to showcasing such items for the public, the Lucas#, goal is to create a space that serves as a meeting place for artists and their clients. Over the next few months, they also hope to turn what are now empty shelves into rows of portfolios where interior designers and architects can browse through artists#, works to see if there is something they would like to use - or just to get good ideas.

It is these ideas that will distinguish the gallery from the others in Skaneateles, Lucas said, noting his respect for neighboring galleries, such as that of professional photographer John Francis McCarthy.

“They all have a niche,” he said. “They are all very special.”

At 500 square feet, Lucas Gallery is small, but the white walls and partitions leave room for the display of several works. The current exhibit is comprised of six regional artists, including Melissa Tiffany, of Baldwinsville, who uses pieces of newspapers, magazines and flyers to create detailed, vibrant collages.

“They're really organic how they come together - I don't really have a master plan,” she said.

Tiffany had her own studio in Syracuse for a few years but has never been exhibited in a gallery before. It's a little scary being out in the open for everyone to see, she said, but there's also the opportunity to sell your work and to gain exposure for other shows in the future.

In stark contrast to Tiffany's colorful female forms are Al D'Agostino's gray acrylics. The somewhat ghostlike paintings convey a dark mood.

“They express a sort of state of mind. People say #+I hope you're not feeling that dark now,#, and I'm not,” D'Agostino of Fulton, said with a smile.

Lucas Gallery signs 90-day contracts with those exhibited, and it's Lucas#, intention to “keep a revolving stream” of artists so that things remain fresh and exciting. He'll also be rotating in a lot of his own pieces, be it photography or sculpture.

“He's never given himself enough credit for his work,” Molly Lucas said of her husband, who has no formal art training but maintains that he just knows what he likes.

Lucas Gallery will be open on weekends only, as the Lucases have no intentions of quitting their day jobs. Lucas is the director of information technology at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, and Molly Lucas is an employee at Welch Allyn in Skaneateles Falls.

“We really just want to play,” said Lucas, who is currently talking with Richard Merkin, whose artwork has been featured The New Yorker, on trying to arrange a mid-March exhibition of some of his illustrations.

But why here? Why play in Skaneateles?

Because, Lucas explained, not only is it a beautiful area physically, but it's also beautiful in terms of the way that Skaneateles residents understand graciousness and the need for there to be a connection among people.

“Because art is an expression of emotion and pathos, I think artists get it - they get that they're part of a larger community,” Lucas said, noting that there is a similar understanding among local residents.

D'Agostino who admitted that he's very picky about the venues in which he exhibits his art, said that he decided to show his paintings in Lucas Gallery because he felt comfortable with Lucas and trusted his taste and judgment.

“I think this area needs as many galleries as it can get,” D'Agostino said.