The Alderson Artisans Gallery in the old bank building on Railroad Avenue is a bright and inviting space, filled with color and talent.
“We sell everything that Appalachian hands can make,” said artist and director Jo Perez.
Paintings, photography, sculptures, pottery, fabrics, leather bags, jewelry, stained glass and greeting cards are just some of the items that can be browsed in the open rooms.
The non-profit co-op was started in 2015 by Alderson Main Street on the other side of the river in a smaller space with just a handful of artists. The idea was to give local artists a place to display their work.
They’ve been doing so well, they moved to the larger space in October, and they have a waitlist of artists wanting to show. “It’s surprising to see how many people show up when we say, ‘We have a place to show your work,’” Perez said.
All the work is juried in, and most of it comes from professional artists, many from the local area. The co-op is run entirely by volunteers, who help with everything from bookkeeping to cleaning.
“When you walk in here, you’re always going to run into some artists,” she said.
Perez said the new space has been great for the co-op. “We’ve seen more traffic, and people enjoy being able to browse through the open rooms,” she said. “And it gives Alderson a nice shopping venue.”
She added, “It’s a lot of different things and styles. There’s usually something everybody can come in and fall in love with. It’s a great place to buy things for yourself, and it supports local artists.”
