The Gallery in Harvard Square where I sell my cards is being forced to close.
It is a real shame….this gallery features local artists and jewelers, and it has created a nice community of us together. However, it is owned by a church, and the Standing Committee (the committee that oversees all activities of the church) says that running a ‘retail store’ is not in line with their mission. They would be happy with us having shows, but not selling any work. We have to cease selling by July 31.
It has been a place where I can talk about what I do, explore new ideas (and I do get a lot of inspiration from the other artists), and any money I make I donate to charity (Autism Society and John Hopkins Cancer Research). In the year my cards have been there, I think I have made about $150.00.
Now I will have to be more active in selling my cards and in marketing them. My Etsy shop has not been very helpful, but there are a couple of local stores that sell handcrafted items I could check out. Or I could redesign my Etsy shop, which I will do this summer. But it is a loss to me, to the other artists, and to the community. It will be missed.
Ohhh that’s a bummer! I wanted to come by the shop this summer if I had the chance… I’m really sorry for the community of artists and art appreciators.