Starting a business can be challenging, especially when considering a storefront. A group of women in Santa Monica, Calif., tackle that problem with teamwork.
The Carol Duvall Show cameras visit the shop to get a glimpse of how it got started.
The Ten Women Gallery Co-op on Santa Monica's busy Main Street is a tiny space with a lot to show. The idea started nearly seven years ago when co-owner Joanne Licardo and a friend hosted a show in the space where the shop is now. They decided to keep the space and transform it into an artists' co-op. Licardo and her friend called all of the artists they knew to get them involved with the idea. "A lot of the people had never shown their art before," she says. "They were just doing their crafts and their fine art as hobbies and giving it away as gifts, so it was a new experience for all of us."
This transition from hobbyists to businesswomen resulted in the need for flexible but simple rules. The group keeps their membership number at 10, however sometimes, nine women at a time have actively participated in the co-op. Also, occasionally, a man has been accepted to share his work. The cost for the rent and utilities is split among the women. They equally divide the hours to run the shop so that each woman works about five hours per week. The artists set their own prices for their work, and all of the profit goes directly to them. No percentage of it goes to the store. When a new artist joins the co-op, she or he pays an initial joining fee of $150, which is used to pay for advertising or building maintenance.
The artwork at the gallery is as varied as the women who create it. Different influences are apparent everywhere in the co-op. Some of the pieces include fine jewelry with a Chinese flair, bright pieces using decoupage techniques, handmade textured eye pillows, folk art made from recycled materials, photography from around the country, crocheted hand bags, ceramics and more.
Artist and co-op member Phyllis Eagle Kalionzes uses sterling silver, wire and vintage glass to create her handmade jewelry. She just recently started using turquoise and pearls in her work, but making jewelry with wire is her strength. Another co-op member, ceramic painter Outi Harma began painting books and cards with acrylic paints and recently started painting canvases.
While the artists all have their own distinct styles, they find that being around other artists is a source for new inspiration. For some, the co-op also provides a haven for serenity. "As a mother, I really need that creative outlet, a place to come where it's quieter than at my house and have people coming to visit and giving positive feedback about my art and about everyone's art," says Licardo. "It's just a very positive place to be."
Later, Carol interviews co-op members Roz Brody and Sara Cron in studio. Brody made her way into the co-op with the desire to display and sell her crocheted purses. In attempts to make vintage-looking buttons for the purses, she branched out to start making jewelry. Cron uses the art of decoupage to create everything from decorative bowls to wall hangings. Through her work with the co-op, she gets the opportunity to paint a variety of items. "If it's not nailed down, I'm going to paint or glue something to it," she says.
The co-op has received so much interest from artists who wish to join, the group has recently opened a second location in Venice, Calif.
Apart from the co-op, Brody and Cron have other outlets to sell their work as well. Brody participates in art shows and has a sales representative in Los Angeles. Cron participates in local craft shows and sell her work in some of the retail establishments in West Los Angeles.
Brody and Cron say that anyone who wishes to start up a business similar to the Ten Women Gallery Co-op should always start out with seed money to cover a lease, utilities, building maintenance and advertising. They also suggest keeping the types of items that are for sell as diverse as possible so that there isn't competition among the artists.
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