Hands Gallery Crafts Co-op
Downtown Boone

November 2009

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2009 - present
All Rights Reserved
See links to article references at the end of the article.

Hands Gallery has been the leading area crafts cooperative since 1975. A crafts co-op is owned by its "members", the artists who sell their work in the co-op's gallery. Several of Hands' current members have been so since the 1970s. The number of members ranges over time from around 12 to 18 and the work and experience of all members are juried.

Each member of the co-op takes on responsibilities for some part of running the gallery, from handling the finances to coordinating the new artist jury process. And - a real winner for the gallery's visitors - the gallery is staffed daily by a working artist. Artists can be frequently found painting, sewing or making jewelry in the gallery while working.

The group moved to downtown Boone in 1996 from the Foscoe community. Their current location near the Jones House Community Arts Center, the Turchin Arts Center and other galleries puts them in the center of the Boone arts community. The co-op has been the model for other crafts co-ops in the region including Main Street Gallery and Co-op in Blowing Rock and River Rock Gallery and Co-op in West Jefferson.

The gallery displays a wide variety of juried crafts including not only the work of all of its members and but also of other regional artists. Their windows on King St. offer peeks at their year 'round feature shows and seasonal displays.

Hands Gallery is open every day except Christmas and Easter from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their phone number is and their website is www.HandsGallery.org . And in 2010 they will celebrate their 35th anniversary, making it one of the oldest crafts co-ops in the Southeast.

Links related to this article:

• Hands member Sharon Bass website
• Hands member Miters Touch's website
• Learn more about Hands member Joan Mexiell