Carson City Pottery moving into historic downtown building, changing focus

The historic building at 110 S. Curry Street, one of the oldest existing structures in the Nevada state capital, will soon have a new resident starting Sept. 3.

Once the site of a livery stable, a freight depot and a stage stop dating back to the 1860s, the building will be the new home of Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery.

Its vintage charm and location in the heart of the city's old historic downtown district were big selling points for business owners Rich and Robin McGregor, who have established themselves as part of the state capital's burgeoning arts community.

"Knowing the building's history makes me love it even more," said Robin McGregor, who has been throwing clay as a pottery artist for nearly 25 years. "Rich and I love old buildings, and being this is on the west side makes it a fabulous place to open an art gallery in Carson City. We love it here, and there is so much going on in the heart of downtown."

The building was host to an art gallery before, home to Great Basin Art Gallery and Framing for 30 years.

Total space in the historic building is about 1,000 square feet, McGregor said, and about 200 square feet of that will be dedicated to the studio. The new art gallery will occupy much of the rest.

Carson City Art Gallery is a major addition to the McGregors' business, changing the focus from just clay and pottery works to an "A" place for art shopping.

Adding an art gallery to their clay and pottery business has been something the McGregors have wanted all along for their studio space.

“We are really looking forward to being able to represent all kinds of fabulous artists from the Sierra Mountain Range and elsewhere," Robin McGregor said. "This has long been a dream of ours, since we owned a business in Virginia City and carried 13 local artists, plus my own work."

Featured artists, representing a diverse palette of mediums, will have their work displayed in the gallery alongside the McGregors' clay and pottery creations.

"Most of our fabulous artists are not showing at any gallery in Carson City, although they show in other places,” Robin McGregor said. "At the opening will be several artists displaying some of their techniques."

Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery will celebrate its new location during the September Wine Walk, she said, held the first Saturday of the month from 1 to 5 p.m.

Carson City Classic Cinema Club will be serving the vino at Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery.

The public is welcome to celebrate the opening of the business's new location and art gallery addition, where history and art come together at the junction of Second and Curry streets.

The McGregors are well known for spearheading the local Empty Bowls Carson City Project, an effort to feed the area's hungry and raise hunger awareness. They were actively involved in the Empty Bowls movement while living in New Hampshire, too, Robin McGregor said.

Normal business hours for Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery will be Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., she said, and open later on days when events are going on downtown.

To learn more about Carson City Art Gallery and Pottery, classes offered and the work the McGregors do in the community, visit them on Facebook here.