I'm opening a studio/storefront!
A decade-long dream in the making
For years I've dreamed of opening a small studio storefront. This dream has remained on the back-burner over the past decade as I’ve pursued other career goals, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve peeked into storefronts and wondered what it would be like to have my very own public-facing space. The timing was never right… until now. I’m thrilled to share that I’ve secured a two-year lease on a small storefront in downtown Elkins, WV! It’s nothing fancy, but it’s mine.
My plan for the space
My shop will be called Meander: The Art of Rosalie Haizlett. The title reflects the mission behind my art: to remind others to slow down and take time to creatively observe our natural environment.
A section of Meander will become my primary art studio, where I’ll work on new projects. The rest of the shop will be a retail space for my art prints, books, stickers, cards, pins, and other products. There’s also a small back room that I hope to turn into a mini gallery of featured regional artists’ work. I might also display small collections of my own originals there.
One of my first big steps when I move in is to paint a big ol’ mural on the front of the shop. The mural will feature some of my favorite regional plants. Keep an eye out for updates on that!
Since this will be my primary studio, the shop won’t be open all the time and I don’t plan to hire anyone for a while—I’ll simply open it to the public when I’m in there working. This will allow me to keep my costs low and not be too tied down by fixed hours.
Why a storefront?
My drive behind this project is twofold:
Personally, I’d love to be able to share more of my process with my customers in real life. Although I retail my art in many stores, I never get creative control over how my art is displayed, and I’m not able to observe folks interacting with my art. Similarly, customers don’t get to observe my creative process unless they follow my social media. I often feel a disconnect between what I create while I’m alone in my studio and the people who end up purchasing and enjoying my work.
Zooming out, I’m eager to engage with my local arts community more deeply and participate in events like arts walks and festivals. When I pass through other small towns, my favorite thing to do is pop into quirky local shops, meet the owners, and find out a little bit about their area. I hope to provide this to people who visit Elkins. And as a nature-focused artist, I’m excited to share a bit about our natural environment with visitors too, from hiking recommendations to local plants that are in bloom.
Viewing the shop as a finite project
As with any new project, I’ve felt my fair share of doubt ever since I decided to take this step. My town only has 7,000 residents, and although we see a good amount of outdoor tourism since we’re located within a national forest, foot traffic is far from steady. It’s really tough to make a storefront last in a rural town.
But I’m going into this endeavor with a different perspective. Instead of defining a successful brick & mortar business as one that stays open for years and years, I view this as a 2-year experiment. If I enjoy running the space after two years and it is financially viable, I’ll keep it going. If not, it will still be successful because I’ll have materialized a decade-long dream, experimented with a different facet of my creativity, and shared my art with countless people in a new way.
So, when will it open?!
I move in in May, and then I have a good amount of work to do to get it ready for guests. Check back in my May newsletter for updates on the opening day. I’m still taking my social media sabbatical (4 months and going strong!) so this newsletter is the only place you’ll hear updates on the timeline.
Thanks for reading! Hope to see you at Meander this summer. 🌸
-Rosalie
In other news…
My paintings were published in Audubon Magazine
Check out my Wildwing Triptych paintings in the Spring 2025 issue of Audubon! Audubon highlights bird-themed artwork by one wildlife artist on the last page of each issue, and I’m beyond honored that the art director selected mine this time around. Read the full article here.
Enamel pins are here!
I had so much fun designing pins that depict some of my favorite critters and plants earlier this spring. Limited quantities available, find them on my website here.
A new art print for spring
The woods feel nothing short of magical this time of year. There’s one particular stream ravine near us where we found more than 15 species of ephemeral wildflowers last week! I painted this new piece to celebrate my favorites, and the print is now available in my shop here.
Congratulations! I love your perspective on a finite plan. Best of luck as you see your dream become reality.
Wishing you all the best! I hope to visit your shop sometime. Where will be able to find out in advance the hours you will be open?