- December 4, 2025
After seven years in Ormond Beach, Ocean Art Gallery is returning to its original home, Flagler Beach.
“We want to be a part of the vibrant rejuvenation that's going on in Flagler Beach,” said owner Frank Gromling, a 26-year resident of Flagler County.
The gallery officially left the 3,000-square-foot space at Granada Plaza Shopping Center on Aug. 15 and is still searching for the right location for its new Flagler Beach home. But there is a possibility, Gromling said, that the gallery becomes 100% online.
“I need to find a space,” he said. He is looking at a couple locations in Flagler Beach, he said, but nothing is finalized. Gromling said he should know for sure by October what direction the gallery is taking.
Ocean Art Gallery was first opened in 2012 and moved to Ormond Beach in 2018. Over the years, Gromling said, he and his wife Bibi Gromling have hosted over 300 artists, from local residents to those of international acclaim, ranging across a variety of mediums.
Gromling said it was time to leave the Ormond Beach space after seeing a decrease in visitors. In his first year at the Ormond Beach location, he said, the gallery saw over 8,000 visitors.
“There were 2,300 last year,” Gromling said. “That’s a problem.”
In a press release sent out by the gallery, Gromling said he believes the Compass Hotel by Margaritaville was “the perfect opportunity for Ocean Art to return to its roots.”
“We want to be part of the vibrant rejuvenation of Flagler Beach,” he said.
But regardless of turning Ocean Art completely onto an online business or finding a site suited to their needs, Gromling said the gallery will be downsized. He said he and his wife are looking for locations that are around 1,000 square feet in size, which would eliminate the space for workshops.
Gromling said he also intends to narrow his focus on the number of artists presented at the gallery at one time. He plans to focus on “greater talent” with artists and only host a few at a time.
It won’t be until the fall that Gromling said the gallery would reopen, in some capacity. For now, the gallery’s website – www.oagart.com – is available and Gromling and Bibi Gromling are taking the time off to relax.
“I want this to be a part of my wife and I spending more time together,” he said. “We both came to the same agreement: We need to spend more time together, even if it's just at the beach where we live.”
Frank Gromling can be contacted at [email protected] or 386.317.9400.
