Diane Macrae
Shop owner for local indie artists

Venue

• http://www.venueballard.com

I own a unique shop called Venue which is the combination of work studios and boutique exclusive to local artists in the heart of downtown Ballard.

Many people ask how Venue was started. This is the quick reply:

Venue was started from a personal need to have a work studio away from the home and a storefront to sell my wares. (I am a handbag designer.) After giving it some thought, I realized if I had this need, there must be more artists/designers out there with the very same need. So rather than do this independently, I figured if I could create a bigger space that provided many studios and a showroom that could contain a plethora of arts it would be more of a draw, be more beneficial to more people and overall, make better sense. Thus, the idea of Venue was born because artists are always searching for a great "venue" to sell their work.
We wanted to be a place that is all about creativity and local talent. Venue facilitates classes, workshops and seminars from time to time to give others a chance to tap into their creative side or to learn more about what it takes to run your own business. Venue is all about making connections and community and selling great art !

We celebrate 3 years of being in business at the end of July '08.

We really do our best at bringing exposure to the artists who show in our shop. We also have received great compliments at the quality and variety of work that we proudly display. We also work very hard behind the scenes making sure that Venue is always a great place to shop.

Venue is always looking for fresh original work by local artists and designers. Over 30+ artists are benefiting from consigning at Venue. Check out our shop or explore our website to see what we're about and if you like what you see, then come by Venue to pick up an application. (We currently have a waiting list for photographers and jewelry artists.)

We also have studios available for those who want their work space in storefront environment having greater access to customers and the bonus of working around other creative, dynamic people.

If either of these options interest you, please contact us for more details.

A little of this, a little of that, but most of my education comes from...well, just getting out there and doing it...and all the ups, downs and sideways that comes with it !

Looking back: I've done a wide variety of things, traveled to and fro, and have taken on some amazing opportunities in life...all preparing me for what's next, so it seems.

Looking ahead: I'm ready to experience more. Life has so much to offer and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface.