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couple’s home as workspace in the tiny gallery is limited. Besides framing for individual customers, the gallery does all the framing for the prints on display.
Working with Mill Pond and other art dealers, the couple orders prints through catalogues. The prints — often limited editions or first releases — arrive unframed. Using her own artistic talents, Mrs. Sutton designs the layout, the mats and frames while Mr. Sutton, in turn, cuts the glass and frames the pieces.
The finished products are sometimes bold and bright, filling an entire wall, while others are small and concise, perfect for a comer space. Prices, ranging from $100 to $700 — reflect the work dedicated to each piece.
Prints depicting scenes from Civil War battles, wildlife in its natural habitat, famous faces, still lifes or facsimilies, fill nearly every inch of wall and display space in the shop.
“We’re competing with national galleries for these prints,” Mr. Sutton said, waving his arm to indicate the artwork filling the gallery. “We have to order to build our record,” he said, explaining the reason for his home display of several pieces.
The tiny one room gallery can only hold so much. Besides the nationally acclaimed work, it features several local artists and the couple plans to add to their list in the future. As a member of Rappahannock Association for Arts in the Community, the gallery intends to encourage local artist exhibits, planning future displays in conjunction with Middle Street Gallery and other galleries.
Presently, building their reputation with national distributors is important. Mr. Sutton explained that if records show a lag in ordering in his account, distributors would be less likely to send later orders where sales may not be assured.
In order to keep sales equivalent with order purchases, the couple plans future business with corporate offices and interior designers.
“Especially during the winter months,” Mrs. Sutton said, adding that business was steady through the spring and summer, but the couple anticipates a lag as winter keeps tourists away and sales down.
“We’re not in this to make a fortune, though,” Mr. Sutton said of his new business venture with his wife. “We would like to be successful with our gallery but like any new business, time will decide.”
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