Greetings!

 

My name is Andrew Thornton.  I am a fine artist, writer and jewelry designer who left the hustle and bustle of New York City for rural Pennsylvania.  A unique opportunity presented itself to me and my partner, William Jones.  A space in nearby historic Ligonier became available and was offered to us to do what we'd like.  We were inspired to make a creative space that taps into several different communities and bridges them with self-expression and the making of ideas and objects.  Thus Allegory Gallery was born.  It's one part bead store, one part fine art gallery, one part jewelry boutique, and one part gift shop.  The amalgamation is not so unusual.  It's all about arts and crafts, seeing, and showing.  

 

Beads are one of the oldest markers of civilization and body adornment pre-dates even written language as one of the most basic factors of the evolving human mind and irrepressible artistic spirit.  Beads offered in the store come from all over the world, span thousands of years, are indicative of bygone years and fashion trends, and are made by hand by artisan craftspeople or are the result of the latest human technology and mechanical thinking.

 

Allegory Gallery is also home to a project space for fine artists that specializes in small-scale works at affordable prices.  All of the work shown is roughly the size of a legal sized sheet of paper or smaller and is less than $1000.  Here work from across the globe is shown.  Here contemporary artists working in many different styles, mediums, and schools of thought present work in curated shows on a monthly basis.

 

The idea of the "gift shop" is related closely to that of the "souvenir".  The nomadic fire that burns within humans compels them to go forth and travel.  Souvenirs were a physical touchstone to connect those with their memories of their travels and adventures.  Now with the internet and advanced traveling methods, we belong to a global community where we can share those "touchstones" from the makers from around the world.

 

At this point, you're probably asking yourself... what does this have to do with me?  

 

We at Allegory Gallery strive to promote two main tenants:  Educate and Build Community.

 

We're constantly looking for local artists, craftspeople, and arts educators to showcase and promote.  While we can get artists from all over the world to participate, we'd also like to look closer to our own community and feature as much local talent as possible.  So if you are or know a local artist, let's see what we can do together.  If you are passionate about an arts related topic, why not give a talk, demonstration, teach a class, or host a workshop with us.  It's not limited to beads or fine artists.  There are many ways to get involved and participate in this budding artistic project.

 

To see what we're all about, why don't you join us!  Stop by September 15th for the GRAND OPENING!  We'll have events and giveaways all day and will also have an opening reception for the current show, "The Long Way Home".  Small-scale works from artists all over the world will be showcased in the Project Space.  There will also be live music by classical guitarist and local Pittsburgh musician, Brennan Elliott.  He will be performing from 5PM to 7PM in conjunction with the opening reception.

 

We are located right off of the Diamond in Ligonier at 139 East Main Street.  We are right next to Celtic Culture and we share the space with Second Chapter Books, which is located in the back of the space.

 

Please pass this along to anyone you know who's an artist, performer or who's into beading, jewelry making, interested in supporting our local creative community or are just looking to find some really unique "touchstones" to call their own.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.  If you have any questions or would like to find out how you can personally get involved, feel free to write me at ardenttie@yahoo.com
 If you're interested in finding out the latest news, you can also "Like" us on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allegory-Gallery/245096165517417
  There you'll find a vibrant community of creative individuals and art enthusiasts.  

 

Simplicity Always,
Andrew