Lovers of art can now enjoy an in-person gallery experience of original works right here in West Michigan, thanks to a new 3,000-square-foot viewing studio opened by AllArtWorks, an online art platform launched in 2018 with an inventory of more than 1,000 pieces of original artwork for sale.
Situated at 333 Grandville Ave SW across from the Grand Rapids Ballet in Downtown Grand Rapids, the new space is open to the public and will host monthly rotating art shows to benefit area charities. The works shown include a variety of diverse artists, 75% of which are women.
"AllArtWorks is built to connect people with art and empower them to discover their own tastes," said Tyler Loftis, founder of AllArtWorks and Grand Rapids native. "Our website exposes people to a variety of artists, and the viewing studio takes it a step further, where the community can experience original art in person, with no pressure to buy. It's an opportunity to truly connect artists with people in a welcoming environment."
In addition to the art on display at the physical gallery, iPads are available to easily search the entire collection. Visitors can request to see anything from the inventory in person, for as long as they want. Artwork is then retrieved from the on-site storage facility for people to view on the spot.
"People forget that although artists love and need to sell their work, they also love their work to be seen," said Loftis, who is an artist himself.
Loftis created AllArtWorks after realizing the need for artists to be recognized in the right environment so they could sell their pieces to a wider audience. All art on the site has been hand-selected by curators, who prioritize placing work from world-renowned artists and lesser-known artists side by side. Original artwork, available at a wide range of price points, ships quickly and comes with a high-quality frame, as well as a hook and nail so it's ready to hang.
"When you buy an original piece of art you're directly supporting the arts," Loftis said.
Beginning August 27th, AllArtWorks will host a rotating show every Saturday from 6 - 9 p.m., with their website sharing information about the featured artists ahead of each show. Come ArtPrize time, the viewing studio will host events specifically for ArtPrize, during which the regular rotating show schedule will be temporarily shifted. Starting in October, AllArtWorks will also host a charity partnership show one Saturday a month.
Learn more by visiting AllArtWorks, where all artwork continues to be viewable and available for purchase.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for West Michigan Woman.
Photos courtesy of AllArtWorks.
