Formerly a firehouse, this renovated gallery offers studio space and residency for artists, as well as workshops, classes, a gift shop and 1,000 square feet of gallery space. It features 2-D and 3-D artwork.
Trade Winds Gallery, located in downtown Mystic, specializes in antique maps, nautical charts and fine art paintings and prints, many by New England artists. Its selection is constantly changing. The gallery also offers custom, conservation and preservation framing, and gift certificates are available.
The Funky Monkey Cafe & Gallery is a small restaurant that allows its customers to enjoy not only the delicious food, but also the artwork on display. Every month, the Funky Monkey features a new artist, along with an occasional stand-up comedian and live music. The Funky Monkey offers a varied menu, including grilled panini sandwiches, salads and desserts. For more information, please visit the website.
Ursel Shaffer and her staff can provide on-site, custom framing using museum-quality, acid-free archival matting and backing boards and a choice of glazing materials, including ones that reduce glare and protect artwork by filtering out ultraviolet light. Urel's Web has been in business in Middletown since 1980 and they can frame almost anything: prints, paintings, photographs, needlepoint, memorabilia and family heirlooms. Free estimates are available. A gallery displays prints, paintings, photographs and other works by local artists. A native of Germany, Ursel's other offerings reflect her origins. She sells intricate, blown-glass ornaments, mobiles and carved wooden music boxes handmade by German artists. Check out the "smokemen," incense burners carved in the shapes of men and women that are a Christmas tradition in Germany. Also wooden nutcrackers, hand- painted Bavarian pewter, Belgian snow globes and intricate butterflies and other figures done in Chinese cloisonee.
The unique Quanza Hut houses Gallery Raffael, which sells world treasures such as jewelry, hand-blown glass, paintings, boutique clothing, hair accessories, handbags and much more. The eclectic gallery originally in New Haven has found a home and continues to host its loyal customers. The focus is on American hand-crafted art. Visit the Facebook page for more information.
Branford Art Studio is located on East Main Street and offers classes in basic drawing, sculpture, oil painting, mixed media, colored pencil, life drawing, color theory and portrait drawing. The school was founded in 2002 and has three main instructors: Marc Massaro, Jean Galli and Jody Lynn. All classes are held for groups, and are mainly geared toward adults.
Estate Buys of West Hartford has a pleasant surprise around every corner. It specializes in estate items, antiques, jewelry and art, but also have plenty of other collectibles that cannot be categorized. The merchandise is constantly changing, so even if you don't find what you're looking for on a particular day, you may be in luck on a return visit a week later.
One could spend hours unearthing trinkets, tinkering with toys, or flipping through books and comics from times past. The front of the store is dedicated to glass cases featuring bracelets, necklaces and rings made from a variety of materials and accented with numerous types of stones and jewels.
The shop's owner, Stephen, has been in the antiques and jewelry business for 30 years and is quick with a smile and lighthearted conversation. If you're lucky you may even be greeted by the resident chihuahua and designated co-owner, Big Shot. Whether looking to buy, sell or browse, a visit to Estate Buys is time and money well spent.
Bovano Home Gallery sells one-of-a-kind glass enamel sculptures that are hand made at the Cheshire facility. They are made with Soyer Enamels from France and are offered in Bovano, Steve Buenis, The Irish Tinner and Winifred Cole brands. Several categories of sculptures are offered, including: birds, butterflies, botanical, art deco, jewelery, marine life and wine racks. Take a look at Bovano's Web site to view a video of the unique sculpting process and browse its gallery.
