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Tucked away along rocky coast of Maine are numerous individuals who continue the tradition of building items by hand. The finished products are timeless antiques of the future that reflect the pride and individuality of the artisan today.
In the fall of 2003 a group of Boothbay artisans decided that there was a need for a gallery that could represent work made by local craftsmen. The Gallery would be a collaborative venture that would help the individual owners to market their work in a well designed venue that would require a minimum of time away from their workshops.
The only visible space was an empty farm stand on Route 27 owned by Chetley and Joan Rittall. With hat in hand and only an idea the concept was explained to the Rittals. Their reaction was the catalyst that launched the project. With many years of building and his own individual carving craftsmanship Chettley showed considerable enthusiasm for supporting an idea that would benefit local artisans now and in the future. Encouraged by Joan he said “You go and see if you can find the number of artisans that will make this work, and in the meantime, don’t worry about the building. If you come back with positive results you can get started to make this a reality”.
Within a week the project was launched by the five charter members who had the confidence that ten more would join. The Rittals agreed to provide materials to upgrade the building and the artisans agreed to do the labor. Working in their free time during the winter with space heaters and continuing into the late spring the group renovated the building. The work load lightened as new members joined until there were 15 owners. Unlike a cooperative, the business is a corporation and each member is an equal shareholder who reflects the pride of ownership in the business.
Joining 15 independent individuals may sound difficult, but was possible because each shared the same vision to provide a space to display the products they are so proud of. Every one of the owners and the Rittal’s made a significant contribution to accomplish the opening of the gallery on June 5, 2004.
If you visit the gallery or buy online you will always be conducting business with one of the artisan/owners and you will feel confident that your item is unique and handmade in Maine.
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