Gathering Grinds: How to find Local Shops to Display Your Art
My 31 Nash park in front of Ralph and Izzy’s
When I first moved to my current town, I didn’t know many people. I’d left behind my old studio, my tattoo equipment, and the art community I had slowly built elsewhere. I found myself drinking a lot of coffee because, well, I always drink a lot of coffee and that led me to a little place called Ralph & Izzy’s Coffee Shop.
I got to talking with Ralph, one of the owners, and casually mentioned that I was a painter. He asked to see my work, so I pulled out my phone and showed him some photos of my paintings. Right then and there, he asked if I’d be interested in hanging some of it in the shop. I said yes, and that simple conversation led to months (now years) of rotating artwork on their walls.
Today the shop is under new ownership and goes by the name Gathering Grinds. When the change happened Jen, the new owner, asked me to keep displaying work and I was more than happy to oblige. We all want our local areas to flourish and to support small business and this arrangement supports small business and lets small business support local artist.
Why Local Spaces Matter for Artists
Not every artist gets gallery representation or an online shop with traffic overnight. But every artist can start local.
Coffee shops, bars, breweries, boutiques, plant shops, yoga studios, and even some restaurants are always looking for ways to liven up their walls and what better way than with local art? These are places where people linger. They sip drinks, wait in lines, talk with friends. It gives your work time to be noticed. And better yet, it tells your town that artists live here.
And yes, I’ve made sales from the coffee shop. Not every month, and not always large pieces, but often enough to know it’s worth doing.
How to Find Places That Display Local Art
Start by exploring your own town. Go into places you already love and look at their walls. Do they already have artwork hanging up? Is it prints or originals? Are they framed? Is there pricing, or is it just decorative?
If you see any signs of rotating artwork, you’ve already got a lead.
If not, ask. It can be as simple as, “Hey, would you ever be interested in featuring local art here?”
You’re not selling them something, they don’t have to buy the art, you’re offering to make their walls more interesting and give their customers something to talk about.
Keep an Album on Your Phone
Most of the time, people won’t go home and look you up. You have a very short window to make an impression. That’s why I recommend keeping an album of your best work on your phone, clean, clear photos of your paintings, drawings, or prints, with no clutter in the background. Think of it as a pocket sized portfolio.
If someone seems interested—show them. Don’t overthink it.
Practice Talking About Your Work
I get it: I’m not a natural extrovert. But you don’t have to be a public speaker to talk about your art. You just need a short way to describe what you do. Think of it like an “elevator call” not quite a pitch, but a way to answer when someone asks, “What kind of art do you make?”
Here’s mine:
“I paint cowboy art and Western life. Lots of cowboys, cattle, rodeo, skulls and cactus. Mostly watercolor and some pop art with ink. It’s a mix of fine art and storytelling.”
That’s it. No need to oversell or sound fancy. Be real, be proud, and be ready.
Don’t Wait to Be Discovered
Local spaces may not be galleries, but they’re a great way to build visibility and momentum. You never know who’s going to walk into that coffee shop and fall in love with your work.
You don’t need a massive following, just the confidence to say, “I’m an artist,” and the willingness to share what you do with the people around you.
That’s how it started for me at a coffee counter, in a small town, over a strong cup of black coffee.
Best of luck,
Merc