Dedicated to Artful Living- Surround yourself with the Extraordinary
Just walking in the Little Gallery on the corner of Kirk Avenue and Market Street makes me smile. Original artwork, art glass, jewelry and finely crafted pottery are among the treasures you will find there. From the ornate to the whimsical there is something special in this shop for everyone.
Pam Fridley owns this second location that opened earlier this month. Her passion for artwork was all the encouragement she needed to purchase the Little Gallery at Smith Mountain Lake in 2014. She enjoys looking through local, regional and national artist’s portfolios to find the perfect paintings, sculpture and one of a kind jewelry for her shop.
Lots of folks visit the gallery from out of town as they stroll through the downtown market and they love the iconic Roanoke pieces.  One of the first items that she sold in her Roanoke gallery was a painting of the Texas Tavern by local artist Lisa Floyd. I am particularly fond of her Dr Pepper painting that currently hangs in the gallery.Â
One of the best things about the gallery is that it is so colorful and welcoming to all ages and tastes. There is a wide range of items priced for anyone’s pocketbook along with some fancier artwork that naturally comes with a higher price tag. It is the perfect place to find a unique contemporary or classic hostess gift.Â
With gifts in mind, I was particularly taken with the Hilborn pottery. Hilborn Pottery Design, owned and operated by Rick and Nancy Hilborn, has been producing Canadian handmade pottery since 1975. I fell in love with their asparagus dish, berry bowl and brie baker. I could easily fill my cupboards and complete my holiday gift list with just this pretty pottery. It is fully functional, food and drink safe as well as oven, microwave and dishwasher safe.Â
Another one of my favorite pieces in the gallery are the Kinzig Design lamps. These lamps are artistically handcrafted in the US by sisters-in-law Susan and Caryn Kinzig. Each piece incorporates their distinctive designs with a celebration of color and texture to be treasured for generations. Quite unique and certainly whimsical!Â
I plan to visit the gallery often to check off items on my holiday gift list but mostly because walking in this little gallery makes me smile!
About the Writer:
Following her career in healthcare dining and nutrition management, Becky Ellis followed her passion to create Bubblybee, a champagne and food blog. Her motto is “Don’t wait to celebrate! Pop the cork now!” She loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative recipes and champagne tasting notes at bubblybee.net and Instagram @bubblybeeboop.
