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| About Us | ||
 Our
Gallery History Evolving out of a changing retail environment, our available location was most recently an upscale ladies clothing shop and an associated custom furniture and gift store. Our local artists have significant on-going art histories without the benfit of a "home" gallery.Together they create an exciting new niche showcasing their talents worthy of taking the time to make a visit to Arthur. |
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| Our History | ||
| The
Villa and Downtown Arthur, Illinois as an art gallery our
history is brief. As retailers our history goes back quite a
ways. Back in the 1960's Arthur entrepenuer Delbert Taylor envisioned little Arthur as a retail metropolis. He never met a stranger and always made a new acquiantance ask about Arthur. His continuing love was renovations with a big city flair. Never one to do things half way, his experience as a menswear retailer led him to expand into womanswear. Purchasing an old grocery across the street from his menswear store, he embarked on a remodel that left the townsfolk wondering. His vision for the Villa was upscale far beyond the rural, small town downtown that he cherished. He took out walls and replace the furnishings with upscale decor. He expanded his inventory to include fine ladies fashions that drew customers from the big cities quite far away. Delbert always believed in quality! Family expansions As other family members joined the team, an adjacent building was converted to offer custom crafted fine furniture. Arthur and the surrounding Amish community has been known for hand crafted custom furniture for a long time. However the Amish craftsmen had worked from their farms or homes and had no actual retail presence. The Wood Loft opened with the cooperation of a number of the craftsmen to serve as their showroom in Arthur. Now after close to 30 years in operation, the Wood Loft remains one of the better sources for quality Amish crafted furniture in the Arthur area. Now, As casual work days and casual fashions overtake the ladieswear industry, and building on the family tradition of quality, floor space was offered to a local artist. Preparations for the one artist gallery attracted the attention of another local photographer, and that attracted a third... and the gallery concept was born. Now with a number of "resident" artists, all from the nearby area, and a constantly evolving number of galleries and exhibits from both established and upcoming area artists, the Villa Galleries is a new anchor attraction in the Arthur business community. |
 Photographic art suitable for every decor with landscapes, florals, still life to portraits. Six inches to six feet square.  Original watercolors, oils and chalk, landscapes and still lifes,, by recognized area artists. |
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