Downtown Waukesha’s Busy Arts Mecca

by

Visual Arts

In October, the Almont Gallery will celebrate its 20th anniversary. The gallery is housed in the first free standing stone building in downtown Waukesha, dating back to the Civil War era on the corner of Main and Clinton Streets. Almont has been dubbed the “go-to place” by locals and outsiders alike.

At the helm of the Almont Gallery is Lynn Gaffey, herself a fused glass artist, former musician and singer. Known fondly as, “the lady with the purple hair,” she wears many hats. Gaffey started out in the Waukesha gallery scene in 1997. Renting space at the former Goff House Gallery on Clinton Street, now Mia’s Pizza, she got her first taste of Waukesha Art Crawls.

Five years later, she began renting the Almont building. Gaffey says running the gallery “has been a fun ride” and has no plans to go anywhere any time soon. She has become a well-known and beloved figure in Waukesha. “The purple hair doesn’t hurt,” she quipped. Gaffey believes that artists are strong people, pushing through economic hard times, and that those who truly love what they do will continue to create.

Gaffey serves on many committees, donates to the National Endowment for the Arts, runs a book club with guest authors, (the upcoming book will be Jess Walter’s The Cold Millions) and holds fundraisers for her alma mater, Waukesha West high school music programs. She has also run the Waukesha Art Festival in Cutler Park, and the art fair at Bluesfest in Naga-Waukee Park in Delafield, hosted by the Waukesha Rotary Club. Being very involved in her community makes Gaffey happy. Talking with her, one gets her sense of pride in the city that she has always called home. Indeed, she is a fourth-generation family member of Waukesha.

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Inside the Almont Gallery, 18 very talented artists currently display their creations. There’s everything one would expect and want, including paintings, sculptures, photography, gourds, painted guitars and other decorated instruments, jewelry and much more. Operated as a co-op, participating artists volunteer their time each month, assisting customers and sometimes creating their masterpieces on site, too. They rent space, but do not pay a commission on their sales. The gallery is located at 342 W. Main Street. Open seven days a week, hours are Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Visit almontgallery.org or call 262-542-1522.

Other arts organizations in downtown Waukesha include West End Artists, meeting at Magellan's on Main Street, at 370 West Main Street. Waukesha and surrounding area artists work to promote art in the city and its aesthetic enhancement. They meet the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m., discussing art crawls, community projects and exhibition opportunities. For more information, visit waukeshaart.com/about-west-end-artists.