Danjou Anderson was just out of acting school when he was hired to work on a huge New York production.

He was only pulling the curtains, but was sure it would lead to his big break.

“It was a very important play starring Clarence Williams III and Hal Holden, called Suspenders,” he said. “I thought I would end up on stage the next week.”

Bermuda’s art community is likely glad that didn’t happen.

Mr Anderson opened The Windjammer 3 Gallery in Bluck’s last week. Diana Amos, Stephen Card, Sharon Wilson and Sheilagh Head are among the artists on show in the Front Street china store.

“It’s the most frightening thing I’ve ever done but the support of artists, family, friends and clients has made it far less frightening,” the 52-year-old said. Ironically, art teachers praised his “considerable talent” from an early age. Mr Anderson, however, was more interested in performing on the stage.

He managed to earn a spot at Herbert Berghof Studio in New York. Al Pacino, Jon Stewart and Whoopi Goldberg are on its list of notable alumni.

“It’s a highly regarded actors’ studio if you’re studying theatre,” Mr Anderson said. “I knew I could never come back to Bermuda and hope to find professional work.”

New York didn’t work out as he’d hoped but it offered him the chance to develop his skills here.

“I am so very grateful to Patricia Pogson,” he said. “For years she put on plays and was determined to develop a theatre troupe offering paid work. Along the way I had some very satisfying roles. I had the opportunity to play Macbeth three years ago and was in Six Degrees of Separation — my two favourite pieces to date. I also did voice-overs for radio and television and continue to do that if asked.”

An ex-girlfriend introduced him to the art of framing which led to a complete career change. “[She] worked as a framer for Jay Bluck at Heritage House, which then was the antique dealer on the Island,” Mr Anderson said. “I had the wonderful opportunity to train under seriously qualified gentlemen — Fred Snape, John Clarke and Billy Ferguson; old gentlemen who knew all the skill sets of carpentry. I was really honoured to work with them.”

Mr Bluck sent Mr Anderson to renowned Atlanta framers Larson-Juhl for further training and certification. He took over as Heritage House’s director after Laura Gorham left to join the Bermuda National Gallery.

“So my art career started in Heritage House, the same building where I now have an art gallery,” the 52-year-old said.

It was named after The Windjammer Gallery, started in 1980 by the late Susan Curtis. Artist Sheilagh Head established Windjammer II at the Hamilton Princess hotel six years ago and later hired Mr Anderson to manage the business.

“Sheilagh would’ve always passed it on to me but it happened quicker than we thought,” he said. “When the Princess deal ended we were given a month’s notice to get out. We scrambled around and had two or three interesting spots that we looked at but really didn’t work.

“I am so grateful to [Bluck’s owners] the Darlings. Peter Darling made this work. I didn’t know where we were going. I had a business but no bricks and mortar.

“I know there are many galleries that are online but, ideally, people want to see the art in life. It’s nice to be able to physically walk into a gallery in Hamilton and see well-lit beautifully displayed work.”

Visit The Windjammer 3 at 4 Front Street