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The Art Company of Davis
The Art Company Gallery got its start in a former company store, built in 1905 - 1907 by the Babcock Lumber and Boom Company. It was then called The Davis Supply Store. The 8,000 square foot frame structure is made from a mixture of native woods. The store stocked everything from groceries, meat, dry goods, furniture, to building and work supplies. The gallery has since moved to a new location up closer to the bridge.
In 1989, a group of interested artists and craftspeople applied, under the auspices of The Tucker County Arts Council, for a grant to form an artists cooperative in Davis, WV; between Canaan Valley State Park and Blackwater Falls State Park. Under the Division of Culture and History, Department of Arts and Education, Project 20/21 program, a grant was awarded in the amount of $10,000 to conduct a feasibility and develope a plan for this project. The momentum for the initiation of this project was so strong, by the participants in this study, at the completion of the report to the Division of Culture and History, that the Steering Committee decided to proceed with the cooperative business without delay.
The Art Company opened its doors to business on May 26, 1990, with participation in inventory by approximately 30 artisans. One quarter of the gallery space was prepared, the remaining space was still undergoing work and renovation. The actual inventory was placed for sale on a consignment basis.Our premise, as stated in the feasibility study, was to begin tjosbusiness with an experienced core of working artisans, to prove consistant and steady inventory while building confidence and quality amoung le4ss experienced artis and craftspeople from the area. All indication have been that this is a sound and very workable approach. It eliminates the need for upfront capital for inventory, risk is minimal, in that, if work doesn't sell it is returned after 3 months to the producer, and it enables the gallery to provide constant and changing inventory.
As stated in our 20/21 Grant Report, our customers are primarily tourists to West Virginia from the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia metropolitan areas. Theya are accustomed to good quality and attuned to artistic and original works. They are affluent and educated. They come to West Virginia to vacation and excape urban stress and they seek to take something back with them from this area. Being only 4 hours from these metro centers, and being located in a very visible location on the major route into and out of the area has been an important factor in our early sucess.
The Art Company is located on Rt. 32, in Davis, WV, and a short distance from Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley.
Phone: 304-259-4218 Address: PO Box 452 City: Potomac Highlands~ State: WV Zip: 26260 Region: Potomac Highlands Url: http://www.artcompanyofdavis.com Canaan Valley - Albright - Davis - - Mathias - Keyser - Thomas - Berkeley Springs - Potomac Highlands~ - Fayetteville - Harpers Ferry - West Virginia Regions - Roanoke - Moorefield - Beckley - Eastern Panhandle~ - Hico - Cass - Petersburg - Snowshoe - Elkins - Hatfield-McCoyMountains~ - Ansted - Franklin - Philippi - Fairmont - Buckhannon - NewRiverGreenbriarValley~ |
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Phone: (301) 330-0307
