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A Home for the Artisans

New showroom allows Flathead Valley’s craftsmen and women to converge as a creative collective

By Tristan Scott
Jenn Prunty, owner of The Artisans’ Home Creative north of Kalispell on Dec. 30, 2015. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

When Jenn Prunty divined the model for her next business venture, she envisioned a salon of skilled artisans showcasing their wares while homeowners browse a one-stop furnishing-and-design shop. She imagined a space where the conference room doubles as an art exhibit and blown-glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling; a showroom where even the barn-wood walls and window frames inspire a creative and artistic verve; a marketplace where custom recess light fixtures blend seamlessly with spackled river rock.

The upshot is The Artisans’ Home Showroom and Creative Space, a sort of Pinterest page with a pulse, and a panopticon of a gallery that is preparing for its grand opening Jan. 21 at 4:30 p.m.

The consortium of craftsmen, artists and skilled laborers has converged on the Sierra Pacific Windows building off of U.S. Highway 2 East, a complex owned by Scott Duncan, where Prunty has set up shop in hopes of brokering relationships and building rapport among the artists on display and within the community in need, while building off the needs and niches of homeowners, buyers and builders.

The recently furnished showroom is designed to mirror a living space and can accommodate the creations of between eight and 10 artisans. It’s adorned with custom doors of reclaimed barn wood, ornate cabinetry, vessel sinks, wall art, metal and iron, blown glass, reclaimed furniture, bathroom vanities, wall sconces, floor lamps, chandeliers, wall totems and iron railings.

Prunty, whose experience working with the Montana Timber Association put her in touch with a network of journeymen and women, says the consortium is hand-selected, resulting in a “cool-kid club” of carefully vetted artists adept at catering to big-ticket projects and smaller custom crafts.

“There is so much talent in our valley, and the idea here is to provide a space where those complementary skills and trades can play together while the artisans build off one another,” Prunty said.

The motto, “Be Original, Buy Local,” describes Prunty’s philosophy that the sum of the Flathead Valley’s artisanal parts is a fluid figure, and her roots in small-town America instilled a strong sense of community within her.

“I grew up in a small town where people looked out for each other, where it wasn’t about how you dressed or what you said your beliefs were but how you treated others that mattered,” Prunty said. “I worked for a builder for seven or eight years and what I miss most are the relationships that I built with the people that worked behind the scenes to build homes. When we look at a house we see various objects assembled together to create a functionable space.”

“But when you deconstruct the objects,” she continued, “and listen to the stories that created these pieces, you get privy to the secrets of the trade and become better connected to your home.”

Those stories are told by the showroom’s current suite of six artists: Lee Proctor, a glass blower and iron forger; Val Eve, who constructs wall totems; Jeremiah Bernt, who builds custom doors and woodworking; Wendy Reed Miller, who creates nature-inspired sink vessels; Joe Gallagher, whose reclaimed barn wood creations tell the story of the half-dozen historic, windblown Montana barns he’s salvaged; and Joli Johnson, whose faux painting matches recess light fixtures with natural installations of rock and wood.

Each artist offers a different background, but they’ve all come together in the Flathead Valley for a similar reason, and each offers a different story.

Joe Gallagher, owner of Wild Sky Woodwork in West Glacier, conveys those stories by attaching a story-card to each piece he builds – a living history of the barns he reclaims.

“When you take down an old barn, you feel like you’re taking down a little bit of history. And by telling its story you help that history live on,” Gallagher said.

By mastering the craft of faux-painting, Johnson has learned to paint features on-site, so as to match the lighting of a given space.

“It’s all about matching light, color and texture,” she said.

Most importantly, it’s the craftsman’s devotion to quality.

“I want to showcase the faces and stories about these artisans that make up these timeless features of a beautiful home,” Prunty said.

In October, she teamed up with Duncan, of Sierra Pacific Windows, who offered her the opportunity to create an environment where she could bring these friends, artists and stories together.

To schedule an appointment, call 406-871-3988.