Earthen Vessel Gallery has been in Durango a lot longer than most residents. Opened in 1976 as a pottery gallery and sold in 2003, the gallery has evolved to include much more than that.
Owner Valerie Schwiderski said Earthen Vessel is a fine-crafts gallery.
“What that really means is handcrafted work,” she said. “People can find gifts here at a good price point, and it’s all handmade.”
The gallery represents about 75 artists, Schwiderski said, and when you walk in, you can find anything from pottery to jewelry to metal art to clothing.
“We have fiber art – we actually sell hand-sewn and hand-dyed clothing,” she said. “When I took the store in 2003, it was a pottery shop. Since I’ve had it, we’ve moved to all different types of art. We have wood, we have glass, you name it, we have it.”
And in a town that’s not hurting for galleries, Schwiderski said what Earthen Vessel offers is handmade art that’s accessible.
“For people who love art, it’s a great place for them to add to their collection,” she said. “They can buy a really nice piece made by the artist’s hand for $100. It’s all about bringing art to people, surrounding themselves with things that are made by others.”
It’s that handmade element that comes across in the individual pieces that make each work unique.
“You can kind of feel the energy in the pieces that they produce,” Schwiderski said. “It’s opening up art to everyone.”
katie@durangoherald.com
If you go
What: Earthen Vessel Gallery
Where: 115 W. Ninth St.
More information: Visit
or call 247- 1281
