Wareham has a chance to stretch its artistic legs at a new space that gives locals a venue in which to showcase their talents.

The Bourne-Wareham Art association is leasing a space at Wareham Crossing, and local artists are invited to join the association and display their work.

"There are 15 artists that are here right now," said Tony Visco of the Bourne-Wareham Art Association.

The grand opening was Thursday, July 11, and the gallery will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The gallery has paintings, photographs, and sculptures among other mediums on display, making it clear that no matter how an artist makes art, there is space for them at the Association's gallery.

Members of the association hope that the gallery will pique the interest of local artists who haven't joined.

"We're looking for new blood, new people to come in," said Visco, who uses mediums ranging from tile to watercolor in his work.

The location at Wareham Crossing won't be there forever, but the association is going to make the most of it while it's there.

"It's a temporary store, we'll be here for a month, maybe two, until the store is leased," said Visco.

Setting up the gallery in an area bustling with commerce is a way to expose more people to the artists, and bring a little color to the mall.

"The people were gracious enough to let us use the facility" at a discount, according to Visco. "It's  a way for the owners of the mall to literally give back to the community by bringing local art to them."

The gallery sits where Friendly's once served waffle fries and ice cream to hungry customers, but from the warm and tasteful decor inside, you'd never know about the space's past.

The funky personality of the gallery fits right in, and from portraits to paintings of local wildlife, there's something for everyone.

Visco hopes to use the space to teach watercolor painting and to show local shoppers that there's a vibrant art scene right here in Wareham.

"There's a lot of value in local art," he says. "It's not always in Boston. There's a lot of talent on the South Shore."