Independent gallery brings a ‘pop of Joy’ to Shrewsbury

At a time when high street retailers are under increasing pressure from online giants and rising costs, a gallery owner from Telford is taking the plunge and expanding her business to establish a seasonal pop-up shop in Shrewsbury town centre.

Two For Joy is an independent art gallery established by former glass artist Jenny Fletcher in 2017. Based at the Maws Craft Centre in the Ironbridge Gorge, the gallery has quickly built up a dedicated following and reputation for its authentic, carefully-curated collection of contemporary glass, ceramics, textiles, wall art, jewellery and gifts.

Two for Joy

In a bid to introduce this collection to a wider audience, Jenny is working with Shrewsbury Shopping to bring an empty retail unit in Shropshire Council’s Darwin Centre back into use as a vibrant gallery, retail and workshop space.

Jenny said:-

“To be honest, it was a real spur-of-the-moment decision. I hadn’t planned on relocating or expanding my business for some time yet, but when I came across this unit I decided it was too good to miss. It’s a big step, but so many of my customers travel from all over Shropshire looking for beautiful yet affordable handmade items, that it made sense to bring them here. It’s about making beautiful things accessible without compromising on choice or quality.”

She added:-

“Two for Joy’s ethos has always been to discover hidden talent and to showcase the best of what’s on offer from emerging and established artists across the UK. I love seeking out new designer-makers or picking up on the latest trends to commission exclusive ranges which have not been seen before.”

In addition to Two for Joy’s portfolio of resident artists, the pop-up will also feature the work of a number of Shropshire-based guest makers, including artists Hazel McNab, Sandy Densem Winter and Sarah Fennell, jeweller Sue Chadwick and interior designer Debra Harris. They will work alongside Jenny to staff the pop-up and look forward to meeting customers and sharing their creative stories. From time to time, other local artists and makers will also take over the gallery for a day to demonstrate their work or run ‘mini’ shops.

“It’s all about giving as many artists as possible an opportunity to showcase their work and keeps things fresh for my customers. They, in turn, are helping to support the artists by buying from a bricks and mortar gallery where they can see and feel the items as well as discovering the story behind the artwork.”

Two For Joy pop-up will open on Monday 17 December 2018 and operate for a period of six weeks.

(scripted by www.buy-from.com)