The Roanoker - March/April 2018 - 18

THE
GIST!

THE CURRENT
COLLECTION
OF THE
COLLECTIVE

"GREY STUDY 1"
BY MAGGIE PERRIN-KEY
OF STUDIO SIX

EMBROIDERED
WALL HANGING
BY MEAGAN MORGAN
OF LETTERED &
LOVELY CO.

HALF MOON
CROSSBODY BAGS
BY TRICIA HASH OF
TREE FAIRFAX

New Downtown Venture
Spotlights Artists and Makers

FRAMED WEAVING
BY ARIEL LEV

The gallery offers local artwork and community impact.
is giving the creative economy
some extra fuel by promoting
local culture and artists. By taking on
the administrative burden of branding,
inventorying, marketing and packaging,
the venture gives creators with a significant
connection to Virginia a platform to bring
their work to the public.
"I'm using the lean entrepreneurial
skills I learned in my previous work
at the CoLab to go with what the
community and my customers want
and need," says founder and owner
Ariel Lev.
In addition to helping artists and
makers grow their reach, the space will
also be used to host events, classes and
networking events.
With Virginia Design Collective, Lev
combines her love for the arts with her vast
marketing and communication experience.
"I talked to friends who are artists and
makers and this business idea came out of
those conversations. Most of them were
doing it as a hobby. They had no time to
run a store or build a brand," says Lev.
Initially, her thought was to simply run
Etsy stores for her artists, but the idea grew
18

MARCH/APRIL 2018

into a larger idea of not just selling art, but
raising awareness about the impact of arts
and culture on the local economy.
The carefully curated collection exudes
a minimalist aesthetic that's also affordable
and approachable. The collective hopes
to attract shoppers who don't consider
themselves art buyers or collectors.
"This is for shoppers who appreciate
beautiful, handmade things, and love local,
but aren't yet willing, or able, to pay fine art
gallery prices," Lev explains.
As the business grows, she'd like to
expand on the concept. "Eventually, I'd
like to take inventory on the road and
set up shops in abandoned store fronts in
the towns where our artists live. I want to
use this project to inject some beauty and
creativity into overlooked or neglected
spaces and demonstrate that the creative
economy can be a driver for the holistic
economy," say Lev.
Sign up for Virginia Design Collective's
newsletter to hear about upcoming events. To
see their line of eclectic prints, handcrafted
bags, embroidery and more, browse online
at virginiadesigncollective.com or shop in
person at 425 Campbell Ave SW. I
-LIZETTA STAPLEFOOTE

WEAVED OWLS
BY HEATHER
MARCINIEC

"ABSTRACT 4"
BY MARTHA PARK

TABLETOP
VOTIVE
LANTERN
BY NED MITCHELL

"KURT TAKES
OUT THE TRASH"
BY GRANT KITTRELL

"THE ROSE"
BY SYDNEY BARTON

"SENTIENT DEVICES XIV"
BY JENNIFER ANDERSON-PRINTZ

Visit VirginiaDesignCollective.com for
more information on these pieces!

TheRoanoker.com

COURTESY OF VIRGINIA DESIGN COLLECTIVE

V

IRGINIA DESIGN COLLECTIVE
http://www.virginiadesigncollective.com http://www.VirginiaDesignCollective.com http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker - March/April 2018

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