A Brief History of Handscapes
Gallery
 Handscapes Gallery began about 25 years ago in the historic
sailing village of Beaufort, North Carolina. Two small
galleries existed near each other. Front Street
Gallery was owned by jeweler Jane Minihan and managed by
glass artist Alison Brooks. The Potter's Place, a
combination health food store and pottery shop, was owned by
Jeanne Douillard, a local potter.
When Jane Minihan decided to move to the West Coast, the two
shops combined forces and became Handscapes Gallery.
Jeanne Douillard retained ownership and Alison Brooks took
an active role, but the gallery was run much like a co-op,
featuring local artists who also worked in the shop.
In 1986 Jeanne Douillard returned to her New Englan d roots
and Alison Brooks took over ownership of the gallery.
At this time, Alison decided to give Handscapes Gallery a
broader base, featuring the work of other North Carolina
artists as well as local artists. She also eliminated
the "co-op" aspect of the gallery, feeling that most artists
preferred to spend their time being creative rather than
sitting in a shop. As time went on, Alison came into
contact with artists from all across the country and began
to incorporate them into the gallery as well. The
gallery has grown considerably over the years, outgrowing
three locations.
Currently, Handscapes Gallery represents over 200 artists
and was named to NICHE magazine's list of top 100 galleries
in 2003 and 2004. It is and has always been the goal
at Handscapes Gallery to promote the American Craft movement
and its artists and to provide the public with beautiful
handmade goods. We also feel a responsibility to help
educate people to the unique value of handcrafted items.
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Alison |
Jill & Suki |
Kate |
Linda |
Sharon |
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