Interior decor shop Home Sweet Home on Annan’s High Street has officially launched the ‘Artist’s Hallway’ — as a dedicated upstairs display area for work by local talent.
Co-owner Michael Graham, 29, said: “We’ve got nearly ten different people — all local.
“They all have different styles.”
The ten artists featured so far range from Brenda Brown, who is retired, to teenager Iona Mundell, and the mediums include paintings, photographs, and even computer generated creations.
Michael opened Home Sweet Home in July with business partner and friend since childhood, Craig Carroll.
And Michael said: “We wanted to have local suppliers, local artists and just local people bringing their stuff in and showing what they can make and what they can do, because we’re quite Annan-oriented ourselves.”
He added: “I just thought it would be nice to have some beautiful art pieces in the shop, and we’re thrilled with all the different styles.”
The hallway has quickly filled up, but there is still space to show off and sell the work of other artists in the area.
Hailing the initiative, photographer Brenda Brown said: “I think it’s really very kind of these very enterprising young men to include local people in their shop, because I don’t know any other shops that do it.
“And I’ve never shown any of my photographic work except in camera club exhibitions, so you tend to put them on a door and nobody ever sees them.”
And Annan artist Jack O’Hara said: “There’s lots of people who are doing work at home, and it’s nice to let the public see the work when you’re often working in isolation.”
Brenda has donated one of her photographs to be raffled off, with tickets being made available free to shoppers in Home Sweet Home this Saturday before a draw that evening.
Meanwhile, Jack O’Hara and Michael are donating the proceeds from the sale of one of his paintings to Annan Christmas Lights.
BUTTERFLY . . . Michael Graham and photographer Brenda Brown
