Fusion Designs Gallery

Nestled along a commercial stretch of a Brooklyn street better known for its Middle Eastern restaurants, bars, and more recently, a couple of ubiquitous big-box shops, this pristine boutique-gallery is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Uniting the expertise of partners Lee Dillon and Greg Schmitz, the concept grew out of the duo’s complementary talents and a desire to showcase the works of Dillon—a fine artist equally skilled at illustration, sculpture and jewelry design—and his parents, the renowned illustrators, Leo and Diane Dillon. The gallery offers a selection of the company’s art cards which are sold individually ($3.25) and in boxed sets of ten ($16). The stunning assortment ranges from painterly, hand-drawn work to more abstract computer-generated images based on seasonal themes. There’s also a delightful selection of fantasy animals geared toward little ones. “A customer came in the other day and purchased a box of our animal cards and she was going to frame them for her child’s room,” says Schmitz. The stationery line has been sold internationally since 2001. Now the gallery, with a roster of shows curated by Schmitz, offers the perfect blend of commerce and culture while introducing collectors, aficionados, and the greater public to the inimitable creative talents of the Dillons.