business pro f i l e s Almost ten years ago, Ann Pifer opened The Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul, Minnesota to showcase handmade American craft. Building on her successful model, Pifer opened a second gallery location in downtown Napa in 2012. She calls the location “a natural selection” due to family connections in the Bay Area and long relationships with artists and customers here, as well as Napa’s continuing renaissance as a cultural destination. Like its sister business in St. Paul, the Napa gallery features only handmade art and craft. It fills a needed niche in the valley that customers remark upon every day, according to gallery staff. “Our clients are very interested in getting to know the stories behind every piece we sell. And of course, every piece of art reflects the personality of its maker,” explains Nicole Kelly, Grand Hand’s Art Consultant. “At the gallery, we also bring groups of creative people together so they can share their passion for handmade work.” Of course, living in a place full of creative, talented artists helps the gallery spotlight the connection between objects and their makers. The gallery presents regular events designed to allow visitors to meet artists, watch demonstrations, ask questions and sometimes even participate themselves. As part of this year’s Arts in April program, the gallery hosted a progressive window installation by local artist Mikey Kelly from April 1-6, and then celebrated the finished piece with a public reception on April 6. “In this time of standardization and mass 62 www.nAPAVA L L E Y L I F Emagaz ine. c om Above are scenes from interactive Grand Hand Gallery events: a young member of the public participates during “Speed Craft”; Napa weaver Barbara Stafford demonstrates how she spins locally farmed wool; and Silvi Alestri of the poetry store delights customers with poems written on request on her red Royal typewriter during the gallery’s recent Valentine’s Day event, “The Grand Gesture.” Photos by Israel Valencia, Infinity Visuals production of so many of the things that we have and use in our homes today, people are drawn to things that are clearly one-of-a-kind and made by hand,” explains Pifer. “We love work that feels in some way that it springs from the people, the land, the history and culture of that place.” If we value knowing the level of post-consumer waste in our grocery bags, might we similarly value knowing something about the person who made our favorite coffee mug? Or where the artist found the redwood stump he later made into the salad bowl we are now giving as a wedding gift? When an object has been formed by another person’s hands, something else is transferred into it besides shape and form. The human touch can sometimes transform a “thing” into an heirloom with a story to tell. hand hand to Grand Hand Galery features artisan-made art and objects Artisanal. Local. Authentic. Heirloom. All familiar words in Napa Valley, usually in relation to food and wine. Grand Hand Gallery owner Ann Pifer brings the same passion to finding the highest quality artisan-made objects for the home. advertorial feat ure
NVLife_MayJune_2014
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