By: Tom Dwyer

All of a sudden Skaneateles Artisans, a major local art cooperative that has thrived in Skaneateles, NY and grown to become a major outlet for high quality local art, is looking for a new home. With the approaching tourist season, time is of the essence.

Over the past four years, the Skaneateles Artisans’ gallery has become an integral part of the Central New York art community. As it readied itself as a headliner attraction for last weekend’s CNY Blooms Flower and Garden show, the artists were hit with the biggest hurdle of their gallery’s young life. The building they have called home since their founding in June of 2007 had been sold, leaving the artisans with 30 days to make room for the new owners – and hopefully find a new home.

With the same “can do” spirit that had launched the popular gallery four years ago, 11 artisans rallied on the stage at the Onondaga County War Memorial for a record breaking weekend. In momentary breaks between customers, the artists, ranging from a watercolorist to jewelry designers and wildlife sculptor to faux painter and glass artists, brainstormed ideas about how to keep their cooperative dream alive.

“We want to stay in Skaneateles,” one artist after another confirmed. “And, if we can have our wish,” said Faux Painter Teresa Vitale, “we’ll land on our feet, on Genesee St., the main street in this historic village.”

Keeping the Skaneateles Artisans in the Village is a “must do” goal to the artists who began the village’s popular “First Friday Art Night” shortly after it’s grand opening in June of 2007. It has become a well attended and much appreciated monthly draw for village and area residents. In fact, other businesses within the village have joinedin the monthly celebration of the arts making it an ever more important night for whole community.

The artisans are hoping that someone with knowledge of an available retail space will learn of the artisans’ dilemma and be able to accommodate their new home.

The number of artists represented by the co-op has doubled from 30-60 local artists since its inception making it by some measures one of the largest art cooperatives in the New York State, according to watercolorist Bob Ripley. Beginning with just 3,000 square feet of gallery space, today the artists occupy nearly 4,500 square feet and regularly rotate a wide variety of art through the gallery.

Businesses like the Artisans are important to our community and add immeasurably to the community’s quality of life. It’s difficult to shop at the major department stores in Central New York and find the variety and quality the Skaneateles Artisans offer.

The artists have proven to be good “corporate citizens” beginning with their first year of operation and continuing through the present time with their annual silent auction of original art, donated by co-op artists and helping to fund the Skaneateles Outreach program locally, as well as the St. James Clear Water Project in the ravaged island of Haiti.

When the co-op’s newest member, Lisa Twombly, moved from the Rochester area to nearby Marcellus, NY she immediately began looking for a connection through which she could present her handcrafted gemstone jewelry to the Central New York Community. “I had previously participated in shows in Naples, NY and at Sonnenberg Gardens,” she said. “Skaneateles Artisans had a reputation for the high quality of work its artisans present and I could not have been more happy to be invited to join such a professional organization.”

Many co-op artists believe that an important part of their mission as a cooperative is to educate the community, especially children. Ed Levine, a watercolorist and former art teacher, notes that the arts have historically been integral to a community’s well-being and quality of life. That’s the foundation for his and the artisans’ interaction with area students as hosts of an annual student art contest.

Anyone with village property that could become the new home of the Skaneateles Artisans is encouraged to contact: Teresa Vitale at (315) 689-5037.