A great piece of artwork can pull a room together. But a great website can pull the art community together. That’s the idea behind The Artery, a virtual art gallery based in Madison, which features original pieces for sale by artists from across Wisconsin. The site makes it easier for people to support local artists.
Creator JJ Pagac is a web designer with roots in the Madison art community. Pagac was part owner of The Yellow Rose, a small State Street gallery dedicated to promoting local artists. That gallery closed last year, but Pagac wanted to continue providing local artists a venue for their work. “It’s like a normal art gallery, but with [a lower] commission,” says Pagac. “I don’t make much of a profit on it. Most artists don’t have the savvy to create a whole website to sell stuff on their own. That’s where I can help.”
Artists pay a membership fee to join The Artery, and Pagac sets them up with an online store. When a piece sells, the artist arranges shipment or local pickup with the customer. Shoppers will find a little of everything: dramatic paintings, candles decorated in intricate henna designs, landscape photography, hand-crafted works in wood — all available for purchase with a click. The online gallery offers wearable art, too: hammered-copper earrings and wire-wrapped stone pendants. Prices range from $2 for a refrigerator magnet to $2,880 for an oil painting. There are 71 Wisconsin artists featured at The Artery.
“It’s all local art,” says Pagac. “I’ve had inquiries from people out of state and turned them down, because I want the focus to be on Wisconsin. You’re guaranteed these are local artists that you can actually reach out to, not some international organization selling stuff from China. Everything is 100 percent handmade.”
The Artery
