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In 1982, Lexington artists, including members of the Rockbridge Arts Guild, came together with an idea to form a cooperative gallery.
The mission was to build a venue for local artists to show their work, connect and collaborate with fellow artists, and provide a place to display and sell art to the public in downtown Lexington.
In May of 1983, the new shop opened at the corner of Main and Henry with paintings, jewelry, pottery, ironwork, and photography. Named by artist Lee Sauder, the locally owned and operated gallery Artists in Cahoots was born.
This year, the members of Artists in Cahoots will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the gallery. From March to December on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m., the artists will host a special exhibit to celebrate their history.
March 3 will feature the shop’s founding father, George Makinson, who invited the cooperative concept into his space in the old Main Street Mall.
Each month will feature past members, gallery history, and celebrate how local art is an important part of the fabric of the Lexington downtown community, said a spokeswoman.
On Friday, May 5, from 5 to 7 p.m., there will be a special birthday celebration with a tiered cake and champagne to mark 40 years of the gallery. The guest list is open to the public and will include featured guests who are artists, local business owners, and city leaders.
For more information, visit Artists in Cahoots online at artistsincahoots. com, or check out its Facebook page at facebook. com/artistsincahootslexingtonva.
