The Blue Ladder Gallery was established in Chicago, 1993.  During the early years, the gallery was in the form of an 19th century apothecary. Oddly, the gallery was named "The Apothecary".  After several successful art openings, the focus shifted toward fine art.  In 1997 the Blue Ladder came into being. 

The majority of the works shown by the Blue Ladder invoke comparisons to Abstract Expressionism.  Artists represented here tend to be influenced by the Manifesto of Reductionism, which "...places utmost value on the creative act which originates as an aesthetic perception and a corresponding state or condition of being."(From Gallery Arcturus)