LOCAL WORLD GALLERY, a Fine Arts and gift shop in downtown Wabasha, MN will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Sunday, June 2nd, 2024. There will be refreshments, door prizes and a chance to meet some artists. Throughout the afternoon, relax in the backyard and enjoy the live music from these local musicians.
1:00 Bradley Weller
2:00 Eric Pierson and Rob Stealcheat
3:00 Mac Cherry and Katie Henry
In 2019, Rob Trussell and Judy Anderson established Local World Gallery, driven by their attraction to river towns and particularly the Driftless area. They wanted to share their own artistic backgrounds and to cast a light on artists from the area. The gallery has become a point of pride for Wabasha. It is conveniently located one and a half blocks from the National Eagle Center.
Anderson’s pottery is the star of the show. She depicts an ever-expanding repertoire of regional wildlife: birds, animals, insects and wildflowers. Using a decorating technique called “Sgraffito,” she scrapes and carves away a contrasting surface layer to reveal the image. Some of her local favorites are Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, and River Otters. Anderson says, “I don’t always know what I’ll be carving on any given day. I might be inspired by a creature I spied on my morning walk. And it is fun to see what resonates with people. Everyone seems to have a favorite animal or bird,”. Anderson has a degree in ceramics from the University of Minnesota and taught pottery in Minneapolis for many years.
In addition to Anderson’s pottery, artists from the Twin Cities and beyond make beautifully glazed work and sculptural pieces. Look for hand-dyed silk scarves, and other textiles, books by local authors, greeting cards and more.
Upon opening, they had a roster of seven artists. Among them, Hannah C. Heyer, an award-winning painter of farmlands and the Driftless area. Since then, the couple has curated an outstanding group of about twenty-five artists from the region. They have paintings by Janet Runions, as well as Jewelry by Jan Mrachek. Both artists had parents who were local artists, too. Prolific painter John Meyer, recently deceased, had been painting in this area since 1970. His work is prominently featured throughout the store. His watercolor, pastel and oil paintings depict farm and bluff scenes and small towns from Pepin to Trempealeau, Wisconsin. So very Driftless.
Trussell, aka Rob Stealcheat, aka Buddy Goodfellow, a figure in the original music scene in Minneapolis, teaches beginning guitar in the music studio of Local World Gallery and this explains why they carry guitars and guitar accessories. As far as the vintage vinyl records go, Trussell said, “People of all ages love records these days,”. Trussell is also a member of RJAC, River Junctions Arts Council, which hosts “Meet Me Under the Bridge”, a summer series of Friday night concerts in Wabasha.
The couple wanted to offer a complete sensory experience. The rich warmth of the vintage sound system and the subtly fragrant handmade soaps add depth to the atmosphere.
Shoppers love jewelry, so the gallery has recently expanded its jewelry display space.
They’ve also created a beautiful “Glam” tiled restroom, complete with a chandelier. When asked, they boastfully reply, “Yes, we do! Please…visit our restroom!”
By Rob Trussell
