The Hues of Autumn

Hello everyone,

Fall is officially upon us!   October is Here!!  October is a busy month in the art world.  National Picture Framing month and also includes American Craft week!    

American Craft Week is Oct. 2 – Oct. 11^th this year.  It’s an opportunity to celebrate the work of American Artists.  We are blessed to carry the work of hundreds of American Artists all year long here at the Gallery.  Most recent additions to the shop for fall are Jack Pine Pumpkins, Luke Adams Pumpkins, MJ Smith Pumpkin collages, Bev’s velvet Pumpkins.  it’s a Pumpkin Patch here!  We also have gotten in some beautiful Fall Flowers, some awesome Clocks, fabulous Scarves in hand painted boxes, glass Angels and Sterling and Hand painted jewelry!  

Autumn Day

Part of MJ Smith’s Fabric Collage Sweet Petite Line

Reminiscent of the perfect “Autumn Day.” A hand-sewn beauty, made from Battik fabric. A sweet little pumpkin amid falling leaves.

October is also National Picture Framing month.  We are excited for framing this fall because we added another Frame company to our Design Wall.  Now we have even more frames to choose from to help make your art a Masterpiece!  Custom framing does more than put a frame around your art,  it changes the presentation because it enhances the artwork by finishing it.   It will also preserve your art by keeping it safe from the elements.  Then you can hang it at home and enjoy it!

One of my favorite things to do in the Fall is be outside.  I love the crisp air, the rustling of leaves and the incredible colors!  I literally can’t get enough of it.  It even influences the colors I choose to use in my home.  I hope you have the opportunity to get out and enjoy this beautiful time of the year.  And if you are out and about (or would prefer a Zoom appointment), stop in and enjoy the work of the artists that create the beautiful items we have at the shop.  

Happy Fall,    

 Joan

Hello Everyone!

Hasn’t this been a crazy year?  We were closed for two months in the spring.  

We have, thankfully, been very busy at the Gallery since we opened back up in mid-May.  Along with all the safety protocols we now follow, we have added another frame company to our wall, we have gotten several new artists work in, shopped for new work for the fall season, we hosted several artApalooza artist shows in the side gallery, we have a new website www.gallery143art.com, I am back to writing a blog, and I have a NEW grandson!!  Whew!

I was thinking about all we’ve done this year and what we are planning for the fall season.  When artApalooza was cancelled due to Covid, I offered the artists my side gallery for weekend shows.  I had several artists take me up on the offer and I have to say it was so much fun I wish more of them had come and that more people could have experienced it.  We are blessed with some wonderful artists in this area and the chance to get to know them and their work a little better was really a highlight for me.  I had hoped it would help them since a lot of shows have been cancelled and I feel like I was the one who got the most out of it.  It really solidified in me why I do what I do.  The opportunity to purchase a piece of art made by someone is really special, whether you give it as a gift or keep it for yourself.  Talking to the artist and seeing how passionate and creative they are and how much they love what they do and all the knowledge they have is awesome!  I can look around the store and my home and absolutely breath in the beauty around me through the texture, color and creativity of each piece.

So, as we head into my favorite time of year with clean crisp air, warms colors, and all the awesome textures; let’s do it with kindness, gratitude, and appreciation of all the beauty that surrounds us.  

Gratefully,

Joan

Welcome!

We are really excited to introduce our new blog, “The Palette.” From tips about framing, an inside look at special events and seasonal art at Gallery 143 to a closer look at each of our talented artists and even a children’s corner; Gallery 143 and The Palette is truly where you will find the art to express your soul.

The Color Green

I’ve been busy in my gardens, weeding, planting, etc. and enjoying just being outside.  I can’t help but think about how artists are inspired by nature.  I am seeing so many shades of green as well as all the other gorgeous colors nature has to offer.  Subtle shades of color enhanced by dappled sunlight and even shade.  I know it inspires me with my fiber work. I love flowers and use a lot of them in my collages.  There is a lot of natural texture in the garden too.  The feel of the soft petal of an opening flower, the roughness of the leaves or  stem.

Artists have always been inspired by nature.  Maybe it’s the texture of the clay in a handmade ceramic mug or the shape of a flower or leaf in an earring.  The handmade nature of artists work is similar to the growth in a garden too.  The artist begins with basic materials and grows the work until it it has bloomed in front of their eyes and taken on new life.

Embrace nature this summer, in your garden, a park, or in the colors and textures of an artists work that you find at an art show or quaint shoppe on vacation.

Changes

I titled this post Changes because I haven’t blogged in about 2 years.  Lots has changed here since 2014.  At that time I had just started to combine my love of refinishing old furniture with the Gallery.  We have sanded, painted, distressed, waxed and glazed  our way into 2016.  We have displayed and sold many beautiful furniture pieces.

The Gallery has morphed into an even more creative space to be and work. Not only are we doing custom framing and carrying awesome work from artists all over the country but we have added canvas paint classes, painted furniture, furniture paint classes and even a line of chalk paint  (Country Chic).

The artists who work here with me are crazy talented!  They have embraced the new lines and ideas with enormous excitement. The extent of their talent is nothing short of amazing and my hope is to continue (with their help) to create inspiring work!

I promise to share more often what we are doing and planning on doing as the year unfolds.  Till then…

 

Inspirations

Our newest piece

Inspirations…..That’s what I am calling this blog. I got inspired in late summer of last year to combine my love of art with my love of antiques and furniture refinishing. I have been doing that for years and finally decided that I not only needed to display on lots of different kinds of furniture, but that I needed to add another dimension to it and start doing it myself again.   So, I started looking around and even found some new techniques to get the looks I wanted.   We introduced a few pieces in October and it was very well received! So, step two of the inspiration…I decided to take back the side gallery space that I had rented out a few years ago so that we had some space to not only do the work, but to display it as well.   And so, we are very excited to announce the opening of the Side Gallery!

We have created a space that now, not only houses the studio of a favorite artist of ours, Linda Parthemer (she does felted puppets, pillows, etc.) but also an area to work on furniture and an extended display space.

I am so happy with the furniture painting in this reclaimed area of the Gallery. It is such a good fit for ME. I sometimes ponder why I didn’t do it years ago, but just have to be happy that I finally got inspired to actually DO IT! I guess that’s just the way some things go. Perhaps the timing was just right now.

So, if you haven’t been in in a while, stop in and check out our new space. We are excited, not only to have our space back and what we have done with it, but also with all the new artist’s work we have brought in this spring. I have to say I have a wonderful group of artists that work with me and the creativity around here is just nuts….Truly Inspiring!!!

Joan

SPRING is Here !!!!!

Hello!  We are officially into Spring!!!!  I have to admit that there were a few times in February that I didn’t think I’d make it!  All that cold and ice! 

Spring is such a great time of the year.  We get to watch nature renew itself and color come back into our world.  What’s your favorite spring color?  I am always drawn to all the shades of green that start to show up.

Here at the Gallery, we are getting ready for spring too.  We got some wonderful hanging glass birds in from Bibelot in Canada and the colors are great!  We have some little glass birds that just arrived from Diane Markin also, along with some really fun and funky glass photo frames.  I’ve been shopping and have more shopping coming up soon – looking for great new artists work for the Gallery.

Ellen (our Gallery manager) just got back from the Tucson Gem Show and has made some incredible jewelry.  Some of you may not know that Ellen makes jewelry – you should stop and check it out.  Part of what she brought in is gold vermeil and it is absolutely gorgeous.  We have not had much gold here in the last few years and I think you will really like it.  We have lots of other great jewelry on it’s way for spring and summer too. 

We also continue to frame wonderful art that customers bring in and paint some awesome old furniture.  I am excited about all the new things happening here.  If you haven’t been in in a while, you should pop by…. We are renewing ourselves too. 

 Joan

 

 

 

A little bit of whimsy!

Hello all, Well we have survived the cold and snow so far and are now officially in the “dead of winter” We can make it to spring!!!

We have been busy at the Gallery. We have been re-organizing and re-stocking from the holiday season. Boy, things really pile up here in December! We have started painting furniture again and are excited to show you all our finished pieces soon. Have you been in to see the yellow dresser or the soft teal buffet? They are gorgeous! We have also gotten some great glass hearts for Valentines Day, some new chimes, framed curly girl images etc. It may be gloomy and cold outside but not in here.

This weekend on February 8th we start a three week frame sale. You get 10% off the first frame, 15% off the second and 25% off any more than that. It’s a perfect time to bring in those photos, vacation pieces etc., that you love and get them framed so you can enjoy them. Ya know, with me it’s not just about framing – it’s about creating something AWESOME with a piece that YOU LOVE so you can enjoy it for years to come. So, get in your closets and drawers and bring those pieces in while the sale is on and let us design something great – and save some money too!

And if you are feeling gloomy, stop in and let our whimsy surround you and brighten your day. And if you find something you can’t live without, that’s great too. We love sending great pieces home to be loved!

Hope to see you soon……….Joan

New Painted Vintage Furniture Now at Gallery 143

Welcome to 2014 at Gallery 143. It’s been a while since I posted anything. We have been busy here at the store. We introduced Handpainted Vintage Furniture into the Gallery in late September and that has kept us very busy. We are excited to add the painted furniture into the mix here at the Gallery. The handcrafted art looks awesome sitting on it too. It’s a nice mix of old and new. We currently have a gorgeous pale green buffet, several small accent tables, a large armoire and a funky yellow dresser. Lots to see and lots more to come.

As we step into the new year, we also look for great new art to bring your way. We have some framed Curly Girl prints that are adorable along with some metal Curly Girl Houses. We have glass hearts on their way for your favorite valentine and lots more to come.

I am excited about all that we can do in the new year. My mind is racing with ideas and I look forward to what the new year brings. Stop in and be inspired with the creativity of the artists we represent and if you find something you can’t live without, that’s great! I am always happy to send a piece home with someone who loves it!!!

Stay warm and stop in to see what’s new! Joan

Christmas in July Event This Weekend !!!

Hello everybody – hope you are having a good summer! 

Ok, so it’s the end of July and you say, why are you thinking about Christmas?? There is still lots of summer left.   Well, we thought we would do something different, so why not a Christmas in July Event!!  Besides, it’s been so darn hot – thinking of Christmas for a few minutes might not be so bad!  And, we have been busy placing orders for the Christmas Season, so it’s been on our brain.

So this weekend, Friday and Saturday,  we are going to run some special sales on merchandise that might just make a nice gift and we have a picture framing sale going on too.  We will also have some delicious Punch (nice and cold) and Christmas Cookies.  Just a little treat for stopping in.  So if you are out and about or in need of something “Cool” come to the Gallery on Friday or Saturday and see what’s happening.

Hope to see you,    Joan