BANGOR, Maine — With the holidays right around the corner, people are out in stores checking items off their Christmas lists, and one local business in Bangor is making it a little easier for people to purchase good, quality art as gifts.
The Rock and Art Shop in downtown Bangor puts on the All Small art gallery every year during the holiday season. The gallery features 50 local artists who create three small form paintings.
Annette Dodd, co-owner of the shop, said she believes hosting and organizing the All Small gallery is a great way to share art with the community and "encourage the gift of art."
"When you own a gallery, you're not only curating great amazing local talented artist, but you're also encouraging people to collect art and really to buy real art," Dodd explained.
She said this is the third year of hosting the All Small art gallery. The gallery is available from Nov. 1 to Jan. 1 each year, which allows the art to be displayed in the shop for everyone to see during the holiday season.
With the holidays being the busiest and highest earning time of the year, Dodd said many of the art pieces displayed in the art gallery become Christmas gifts.
"Encouraging local art and the sales of local art not only supports your local economy," Dodd said. "Because when you're giving money to people that are local, we can then spend it and then give it other local people. But also, the artist in general."
Artist Peter Walls said the All Small gallery allows him to turn big murals, which are usually pricey for consumers, into smaller, more affordable pieces.
"A lot of us, when we do larger shows, it takes a lot of work," Walls said. "You can't put small price tags on some of the bigger pieces."
Artist and manager at The Rock and Art Shop Randi Watson said sometimes there aren't enough hours in the day to balance work and still find extra time to create. She said even though her schedule is busy, her passion for creating and her desire to inspire her daughter motivate her to work a little harder, participating in extra activities like the All Small gallery.
"I just want her to know that she can have big dreams and make those things come true," Watson said. "So, I want to make work for her to be an example."
Dodd said finding new ways to support artists locally is something everyone should strive to do.
"You want artists in your community because they help beautify it," Dodd said. "They help make it a better, more unique place."
Dodd said the art pieces purchased from the gallery will be welcomed into their new homes on Jan. 1. Several pieces are still available for purchase.