Town Grange Gallery & Goods establishes itself on Church Street

PINE PLAINS — Following the festivities of Memorial Day weekend, local residents welcomed the arrival of Town Grange Gallery & Goods and embraced partners Josh Nathanson and Brett McCormack as new business owners. Ever since, it’s been the gallery that has welcomed visitors through its door.

While Nathanson and McCormack are both familiar with the art world, the venture marks their first time operating a full-time gallery.

Nathanson works in ceramics, producing items for the home such as vases, bowls and plates. He enjoys working with irregularly shaped pottery and finds inspiration in textures he can translate into clay. He worked in a ceramics studio in New York City for several years where he was mentored by several artists.

In contrast to his husband’s medium of clay, McCormack works on canvas and with paper. His paper sculptures can be viewed at www.brettmccormack.com. McCormack is often inspired by colors found during his daily routine. 

Last fall, McCormack had a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase his work alongside the paintings of famed Austrian artist Gustav Klimpt, a personal favorite of his. From September of 2016 until January of this year, his paintings were featured in the Nevue Galerie in New York City.

Both Nathanson and McCormack are followers of the wabi-sabi concept, a Japanese aesthetic that embraces the imperfect and honors that which is handmade. 

“We’re really focused on individuality because everything is handmade and everything is individual,” McCormack said. “We’re very different from the typical retail model and what we’re trying to do is go back in time to go forward.”

The bulk of their work is inspired by natural surroundings, especially botanicals. Both have attributed their love of Pine Plains to its natural beauty. 

Moving from neighboring Stanfordville, Nathanson and McCormack arrived in Pine Plains in 2003. Earlier this year, they purchased the Town Grange building, formerly known as the Old Grange Hall, transforming it into the Town Grange Gallery & Goods. They restored the building in just four months. Nathanson said they were fortunate in their find, especially since most of the building’s original features were intact from 1838.

“Everything about this building has a life to it,” said McCormick. 

Seeing that the building once operated as a church and then as a Town Grange, he said he hopes the building will be a welcoming place that stimulates the community and promotes a love of nature. McCormick said he hopes the restoration will allow people to reflect on themselves “as nature” while there.

“We’re all individuals,” he said, “just like everything in this place and in the art. When you come in here, we hope that you might feel what you would feel in nature: without judgment, without having to behave a certain way and without having to assimilate to a certain standard. 

“I think nature is a gallery and it’s something that we all have in us,” he added, “and I hope we can inspire people to go out in nature and look a little closer at the details.”

Along with the labor and research they did themselves, the owners credited local contractor Luke Simmons as a great resource in their restoration efforts. Nathanson said the process was fairly straightforward, but the learning curve great.

Both artists have their work displayed at the gallery. So, too, does Larissa Carson of North Woods Farm with her candles, beeswax pine cone fire starters and decorative ostrich eggs, and Melissa McCormack from Forget Not the Earth, with handmade soaps and scented hand salves.

Both Nathanson and McCormick said they were pleased with the final results. The Town Grange Gallery & Goods officially opened its doors on Saturday, May 27.

The owners plan to create a network of local artists and craftspeople to reach the “tremendous pool of talent in the immediate area.” In hosting more community events, they want to build relationships with the locals. 

“We’re really impressed with the sense of community in Pine Plains,” Nathanson said. “We’re really hoping not just to have a gallery, but to be involved in the community. Pine Plains has been amazing in embracing us and letting that happen.”

The pair is currently looking for contributing artists. Rather than host formal exhibits, the Town Grange Gallery will rotate individual pieces in what McCormack called a “constantly changing mix of art.” 

In their first month of business, Nathanson said they’ve encountered a great deal of artwork already. One example: a set of torch-welded steel cows created by Tyler Fenn of Millerton.

During the next few months, Nathanson said they’ll increase marketing and advertising to spread the word about the business.

The Town Grange Gallery & Goods, located at 3007 Church Street, is open Fridays 2 to 6 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. p.m. and by appointment. 

For more information, go to www.towngrange.com, email info@towngrange.com or call 845-635-0422.