3 Pears Gallery
41 Church St . Dorset VT , 05251
3pearsgallery . com Owner – Greg DeLuca
Q : How did you first get involved in the Southern Vermont arts scene ?
A : My wife , Judith , and I first opened 3 Pears Gallery eight years ago . It all began with a series of sequential events . First , we did a pop-up gallery in Manchester for Columbus Day weekend that went really well . Then , the following weekend , I opened up a temporary gallery in our barn space in Pawlet on Route 30 , which flourished throughout the whole summer . After that , we were looking for a permanent space , and we found one on the Dorset Green . I have a really good relationship with a lot of artists in the area , and I have an extensive background in arts , design , marketing , and agenting . When I first started , I thought that running the gallery would be a wonderful way to combine my past experiences with my love for fine art , my love for artisan pieces , and my love for Vermont .
Q : How would you describe your gallery ’ s presentation , ambience , and aesthetic ?
A : Our gallery is very unique in the sense that we carry both high-end fine art and artisanal pieces . At a lot of other galleries , you will find that it ’ s usually one or the other , but we have a wonderful and finely-curated mix of works here . Coming into our gallery , you ’ ll see everything from $ 40 mugs to $ 15,000 paintings . Every piece in our gallery – regardless of the price range – has an incredible level of craftsmanship , passion and expertise behind it . The majority of our artists are Vermont artisans . If they ’ re not from Vermont , they ’ re from surrounding areas near Vermont . Our gallery is very welcoming and warm . It ’ s a healing environment . When you bring something into your home from our gallery , whether it ’ s a piece of art or an artisan piece , it ’ s like you ’ re bringing a new family member into your home . It ’ s joyful , and it ’ s organic in the sense of bringing the beauty of nature into your home . Vermont is a very seasonal and outdoorsy place , and we reflect that with the way that our gallery changes on a quarterly basis . We have big fall displays , holiday displays , spring , and summer displays . The ambience and décor in the gallery changes with the seasons , as do the art and artisan pieces that we show , and the manner in which they are merchandised . We ’ re always in a constant state of organic change . It ’ s not a static gallery at all .
Q : What goes into running an art gallery on a daily basis ?
A : Apart from the unglamorous stuff , such as bookkeeping , and typical daily operations , it ’ s a lot like running a show in a theatre . When you walk in , I ’ ve created an experience for you to feel . There ’ s a lot of work that goes into that . There ’ s the upkeep and the office work , but you also have to go out to artists ’ studios , talk with them , see where they are in their process , and see if they have any work that is currently salable that you can use in the gallery . Sometimes an artist will go in a totally different direction , and their work will not be salable at our gallery . You have to understand that artists go through a creative journey and work through it with them , so you can continue to have a prosperous relationship . I find the whole process of working with artists to be really exciting .
48 manchester life | manchesterlifemagazine . com