Viroqua artist makes her vision a reality

0 Comments | La Crosse Tribune, Oct 23, 2000 | by Cahalan, Steve

VIROQUA, Wis. - Art Vision store owner Christine Larson says her business has grown steadily since its opening in August 1995 in downtown Viroqua.

Filling the space is no longer a problem, Larson said last week at the store she describes as a fine gift and custom framing shop, featuring works of more than 40 local artists, imports from around the world and a big selection of art supplies. The problem is finding the space for everything she has for sale, Larson said. "We've had to make more efficient use of space," she said.

Word of her store has spread throughout Wisconsin and beyond.

"We were mentioned in the Editor's Find in Wisconsin Trails magazine last year," Larson said. "It was quite an honor."

Viroqua also attracts visitors from Chicago on weekends, some of whom stop at her store, she said. "We have a framer working on Saturdays, so we get people bringing things from as far away as Madison on Saturdays to be framed."

Some people who come to Viroqua to visit friends and relatives bring in items to be framed because they've heard of Art Vision.

But most customers live within 30 miles of Viroqua.

The store has two large display windows, and the displays change at least monthly. Last week, Halloween items were displayed in one and gift items from Indonesia filled the other.

Inside the store are many imported goods, such as handpainted eggs from Austria, cast metal bells from Japan paper lanterns from India, hand-blown Egyptian oil lamps and genie bottles, and hand-blown Christmas ornaments from Germany. "We're known for unusual Christmas ornaments," Larson said.

Alongside imported merchandise are items made by more than 40 area artisans. Examples of locally made items are bent willow furniture made near Sparta, Wis.; keepsake boxes made by Brian Gianoli of Genoa, Wis.; beeswax candles made by Cinnamon Hill near Cashton, Wis.; Countrywoman Soap made near Dell, Wis.; naturaledge wooden bowls made by Ken Grunke of La Farge, Wis.; Silk for Life wool and silk socks from La Farge, Wis.; and Pollyanna Notes greeting cards from La Crosse.

The store also carries products made by some of Larson's relatives, such as photos by her husband, Terry Noble; Sweet Peas children's hats made by her mother, Cheryl Larson; Grandma W hand-knitted mittens and slippers made by her grandmother Marion Westlund; and rustic bird houses made by her aunt Kathy Hanssen.

Art Vision also sells food items such as spiced pecans and apple cider mulling spice mix.

Larson, 34, moved to rural Viroqua with her family when she was 10 and has been a watercolor artist for many years. When she was a child, she wanted to be either an artist or a veterinarian.

Larson was an advertising salesperson and advertising designer at the Vernon County Broadcaster newspaper for 1 1/2 years before she quit in February 1995 to make a living as a watercolor artist and free-lance graphic designer. She had about one month's worth of jobs lined up and rented a one-room studio above a travel shop in downtown Viroqua. But she soon became swamped with framing jobs.

At the same time, she was asked by the Viroqua Main Street Program's revitalization coordinator to start an annual arts fair in downtown Viroqua, where area artists could sell their products. The first May Visions Arts Faire debuted in May 1995, and the event has taken place each year since then. Larson has not run the last two fairs.

While putting together the first event, Larson said, "I could see all the diverse talent around here not really being represented in one spot. And I needed more room for my framing business." So she opened Art Vision.

"We've grown steadily in merchandise," Larson said. Besides local artwork, her gift selection has expanded to include fun and quirky items as well as imports. Framing still accounts for about half of her sales. Larson has two full-time employees and one part-time employee.

Every March, Art Vision hosts Kid Visions, a juried art show that draws children's artwork from a 30-mile radius. The art show is for children ages 2 to 18, and every entry is displayed in the store and on its Web site. There were 121 entries for this year's show.