by Richelle Tremaine

Scene from inside the gallery.

One step inside, and the visitor is enveloped in warmth and whimsy. Noted as a gallery of contemporary art and fine crafts, there is a creative energy, a magnetism of sorts. Customers feel it and apparently so do many artists.

Recently the gallery was presented with the Niche Top 100 Retailers of American Craft Award for the fourth consecutive year. Recipients are noted for promoting and marketing American craft, treating artists fairly and giving back to the community. The award is presented annually to 100 galleries spanning the country and voted on by artists.

“A lot of those galleries are in a quaint little town, but close to a major urban area. Decorah is really a great little town, but we’re quite away from a metropolitan area,” Magnuson says.

he doors of Agora Arts first opened in 1992. A professional artist herself, the gallery seemed to be a natural path for Magnuson. After all, she’s done art shows for several years and was ready for something more.

Scene from inside the gallery.

When it was first opened, the gallery carried the creations of about 30 local artists. Now, the business showcases the art and fine craft of more than 200 local, regional and national artists. “I really, truly believe in American artists,” she says. “Today they are up against so much. And, I believe art enhances and enriches life. So I want to promote it as much as I can.”

This is Magnuson’s third location and she’s transformed 1,200 square feet into something virtually irresistible for passers-by. “All that light coming in on all that art is just beautiful,” she shares.

Today Agora Arts is at home in the historic Hotel Winneshiek, though the gallery has its own street-front entrance and an expansive span of front windows. “My windows are my best asset. I have a 23-foot-long front wall of windows and people always come in commenting about what drew them inside.”

Scene from inside the gallery.

But what sets this gallery apart from others is what Magnuson calls a combination of things — the sheer quantity of unique creations, how the space is arranged to maximize the work, and the overall feel of the space. “I want my store to have something you can’t find elsewhere. I want people to come in to my place and say ‘Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this before,’” says the Decorah native.

Part of the attraction for Magnuson is her affinity for unique items. “I choose things to carry in the gallery that are exceptional. I do think I can pick things that often people just love and can’t find other places.”

She stays true to that requirement. For instance, once Nordstrom or another large department store picks up a jeweler, she doesn’t carry them any longer.

gora Arts carries a wide array of creations. Since taste and money don’t always go hand and hand, there’s a range in selection of art — prices start out at $5 and run up through $5,000.

Owner Gail Magnuson inside the gallery.

Magnuson’s passion and dedication for art is evident everywhere in the gallery and in her work with the artists she represents. Gena Ollendieck, a mixed media artist who’s worked with Magnuson for years shares, “Gail thinks about the artist. She understands them and is really concerned. She’s always out there trying to promote our work and is not just a middleman.”

Potter Tim Langholz has worked with Magnuson since she opened Agora Arts. “Gail really does a public service to educate people about the arts. And, she’s always done a great job. She displays the work well and treats it with respect,” he says. “Another great thing is she is excellent with paperwork, always accurate and timely. She’s consistent as a gallery owner and for me, that’s very valuable.”

Ceramics inside the gallery.

Magnuson’s own background in art gives her a solid understanding of what the artist as a business owner goes through. Every January, she does a running inventory of all of the consignment artists’ work. Currently, she works with many artists on primarily a wholesale basis, but does carry several consignment artists as well. Most of the consignment artists are based locally. “They know me and trust me. Two reasons this works so well is first, I can showcase so much more of their work if I don’t have to pay for it up front. Second, it allows the artist to try new things and do some market testing here.”  

To keep at the forefront of the crafts industry, Magnuson attends numerous art shows. “When I travel, I go into all kinds of galleries, stores and art shows. Because of that, almost unconsciously, I’m doing market research.”

As for the marketing part of the business, Magnuson shares she has found very little luck with newspaper advertising, limited results with radio and she’s just now trying a television campaign.

She offers a few suggestions for artists new to working with galleries: “One thing an artist needs to recognize is the sheer volume of requests a gallery owner gets. There are so many e-mails, postcards and letters. Don’t take it personally to not get a response. There’s just not enough time with that volume.” Magnuson usually receives about 40 to 50 e-mails or other correspondence daily from artists.

Second, she adds, never, ever send something to a gallery owner without return postage if it needs to be sent back.

ecorah itself attracts artists with the classic draw: the area is beautiful, it has a great cost of living and access is easy. Many shows in the country are six hours away by car. Decorah is a two-and-a-half hour drive from Minneapolis, four hours from Des Moines, and five hours from Chicago. The town has been described as a little Vermont. The downtown area isn’t the type of place that is in every small town, regardless of how quaint or progressive. In part due to the presence of Luther College and in part due to the people who call the place home. According to Magnuson, a lot of artists live in Decorah because of the quality of life.

Perhaps Langholz summed it up best when he chimed in, “Decorah is not anywhere in particular, but it’s close to a lot of stuff that works for artists.”

Richelle Tremaine is a free-lance writer living in Olathe, Kan.

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