- Video shows Gallery n Gifts in downtown Tehachapi, an arts co-op showcasing the work of 35 local artists.
- The gallery first opened in 1979, and as a not-for-profit store, they support future artists with scholarships for high schoolers who pursue art education.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For over 40 years, the Tehachapi Valley Arts Association, or TVAA, artisan co-op “Gallery n Gifts” has been right downtown supporting local artists and drawing people in as they walk by.
23ABC asked stain and fuse glass artist Irene Rippy, “How does it make you feel to see your art on display like this at the gallery?”
“Proud…I feel very proud,” Rippy replied.
The TVAA has been displaying local artwork since they first opened the gallery in 1979.
Rather than spending the money to have a single storefront for artwork, artists come together as members of the TVAA to display their works together. TVAA President Gale Caldwell says this saves money and helps create meaningful connections in the art world.
“Everybody does something a little bit different. It’s a great group, and it’s worth coming in and stopping by,” said Caldwell.
In order to put a face with the artwork, all 35 artists work in the gallery twice a month, something painter Terry Albert says fosters strong connections with everyone who comes in.
“So it’s really nice to feel like the community knows you and you start to feel like you know them,” said Albert.
Since opening, the gallery has been not-for-profit, and they give back to the local art community at the gallery and beyond.
“Every year, we give out three scholarships to high schoolers that are going on in the arts. It’s just all about supporting and nurturing the creative process,” said Caldwell.
Linda Ulmer is co-owner of Tehachapi Wine Barrel Designs, a company making art from re-purposed wine barrels. She says the TVAA has made a great impact on her art, and how far it reaches within the community.
“We all work together. We’re all artisans, so we all support each other,” said Ulmer. “It’s a great store.”
Photographer Bob Hardy has been a member of the gallery since 2012, showcasing his photos on metal prints.
He said after retiring in Tehachapi in 2003, he first set foot in the gallery to buy a birthday gift for his wife. While there, he connected with the photographer who took the picture he purchased. After they spoke, the artist wanted to see where he planned to hang it up, and they got together at his home. Once she learned Hardy was also a photographer, she encouraged him to consider showcasing his photos.
“She said, ‘Oh, you should be in a gallery,’ and I said, ‘No, no, I don’t want to be in a gallery…’ and she kept twisting my arm and finally, I consented, and I’m glad I did,” Hardy said. “[This is] high-quality stuff…it’s not stuff you’d find in a department store.”
Artists are local to Tehachapi, and they say art is a creative outlet.
“I find I’m walking around wondering what to do with myself if I’m not painting every day,” said Albert. “It keeps me busy and it keeps me inspired.”
Artists say even though they all work with different mediums, the group supports one another and celebrates creativity. For more information on the history of the TVAA, you can visittheir website.
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