ARTGARDEN Pottery Receives Excellence on Main Award

May 23, 2012. SEATTLE —ARTGARDEN Pottery in Moses Lake received an “Outstanding Economic Restructuring Project” award at Washington Main Street’s Excellence on Main Awards Ceremony, May 23 in Chelan.  The ceremony was held in conjunction with RevitalizeWA, Washington State’s Preservation and Main Street Conference.

Owner Laura Mayer operates ARTGARDEN Pottery as a gift shop gallery featuring her own work, Laura Mayer Pottery, and that of other local artists as well as funky finds.  The Paint Your Own Pottery studio and art classes enable her to share her love of art and craft and making beautiful things by teaching others.

Marianne Kirwan, Executive Director of the Moses Lake Business Association, is thrilled that residents and visitors to Moses Lake now have an opportunity to get creative.  She says, “This store is so much more than a gift shop.  It offers art as entertainment for all ages.  In the Paint Your Own Pottery studio, one can drop in and create a masterpiece anytime.”  There is a full Class Schedule for ages 3 and up offering everything from mosaics and glass soldering to watercolor and pottery making.

Kirwan adds, “ARTGARDEN Pottery has impacted and improved our downtown by bringing options to locals and tourists, giving them additional activities at Laketown Landing.  Laura has recently started “Paint ‘til Ya Faint Friday” where she stays open until midnight with progressive discounts starting at 5 pm…the later you stay the less you pay.  These have been a huge success and so much fun, bringing over 100 customers to downtown on a Friday night.”

“We are delighted to honor ARTGARDEN Pottery in Moses Lake with an Economic Restructuring award,” said Sarah Hansen, Washington State Main Street Coordinator. “The project is a great example of how thinking creatively to diversify your offerings and hours to meet the needs of customers can help bring new economic benefits and energy to downtown.”

The Excellence on Main Awards, organized by the Washington State Main Street Program, recognizes communities, organizations, and individuals who are helping to achieve economic vitality and build sustainable communities through downtown revitalization and preservation.  Washington’s Main Street Program is housed in the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and administered, under contract, by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

For more information, please contact Sarah Hansen, Washington Main Street Program Coordinator, at the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation shansen@preservewa.org or 206-624-9449.

Local Contact:  Marianne Kirwan, Moses Lake Business Association, director@mlbacares.org or (509) 764-1745.

Sarah Hansen, Main Street Coordinator; Laura Mayer, owner of ARTGARDEN Pottery; Marianne Kirwan, Moses Lake Business Association Director; Candi Jaeger, Moses Lake Business Association President with ARTGARDEN Pottery’s 2012 Excellence on Main Street Award Economic Restructuring.