Artisan Center Showcases Martinsville and Henry County Cultural Offerings
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In a thriving arts environment‚ the Patrick Henry Community College Artisan Center in Uptown Martinsville is a hub for artisans‚ local residents and tourists alike.
PHCC opened the center in a former furniture store in 2005. It includes a gallery‚ classes and its most recent addition – a welcome center for visitors to the area.
The gallery features works in a variety of media from local artists‚ students and instructors from the PHCC School of Craft and Design‚ says Carolyn Beale‚ coordinator for the school of craft and design.
The idea behind the visitor center is to bring people into the artisan center‚ as well as inform them about area attractions‚ says David Rotenizer‚ director of tourism for the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. “There’s a lot going on in Uptown Martinsville‚ and we want to enhance that‚” he says. “The bottom-line objective is to help the artisan center.”
A new awning and a new front door‚ plus a circular front desk‚ are designed to give visitors a welcoming introduction to the arts and other area attractions. Other new features include brochure racks and a flat-screen television. The visitor center component is designed so it can be moved elsewhere if the artisan center continues to grow.
PHCC offers career studies certificates at the center in stained glass‚ fine woodworking‚ pottery‚ decorative painting‚ weaving‚ quilting and metalworking. Noncredit classes and offerings for younger students are also available. The PHCC culinary program was moved into the center in summer 2007‚ Beale says.
“The gallery has been open since February 2007 and the school [of craft and design] has been open two years‚” Beale says. “We started with 10 artisans and now we have 72‚ so we’ve grown a lot in the last year and a half.”
Story by Anne Gillem
Photo by Ian Curcio
