Art Stall Gallery Celebrates 60 Years at Pike Place Market

Founding member Ellen Andersen pictured left in 1967, current member Karen Dedrickson pictured right in 2020.

The early 1960s brought the beginning one of the most pivotal points in Pike Place Market history. Plans were unveiled by the city and a group of downtown businessmen to completely demolish and redevelop the historic public market.

All of the original stalls and storefronts that supported hundreds of small businesses over the years would be razed in the name of urban renewal. This set the stage for an unprecedented rally of passionate Market activists to fight for its preservation.

Arts for Activism

On a cool Saturday morning in the fall of 1964, Allied Arts of Seattle invited a group of local artists to capture scenes of the Market’s day-to-day: merchants, shoppers, flowers, fruit and produce were illuminated in splashes of color and form as plein-air painters captured the vibrancy of our historic district in real time.

These pieces would be auctioned off to support funding for the Friends of the Market campaign to save Pike Place Market.

Joining the Movement

Inspired by its great success, the artists and activists joined forces to open a stall at the Market in 1964. Shoppers could buy art, books, sign the petition to get the “Keep the Market” initiative on the ballot, and talk directly with advocates behind the cause.

Thanks to their collaborative work, both the Market and this all-women artist collective still stands in its original location today.

A Legacy Preserved

The Art Stall Gallery celebrates 60 years this month and operates much like its early years. Step into the Economy Market off First Avenue to find the original green striped awning and peg board paneling displaying their works. Each day, you’ll find one of the 13 artists who share the duties of managing sales from behind a modest roll-out desk.

It’s a space that honors its past and maintains a no-nonsense affordable approach to enjoying fine art.

Among an array of still-life and landscape-style pieces, you’ll find Market scenes available in sketched and painted forms.

A postcard of the Market entrance remains one of the gallery’s bestselling cards, honoring the legacy of one of its founding members Ellen Andersen who was active with the group for over 40 years.

Meet the Artists

As a special treat for Market visitors, Art Stall is commemorating its anniversary during our Local Appreciation Day event on February 1. Talented artists Betsy McPhaden and Autumn Kegley will be painting live. Visit the Economy Market Atrium on the south end of Pike Place Market to watch these artists in action and chat with them about their enduring legacy. Get to know their work below!

Connections Across the Market 

Have you heard of our other women-owned artist collective on Western Avenue? Stop into Brooke Westlund Studio & Gallery to see visiting artist Barbie Bond, an upcycled fashion designer who holds a familial connection to the Art Stall Gallery.

Her mother Katherine Graves was part of the collective for almost a decade starting in 1966. The experience of community-building, activism, and connections with people from all walks of life sparked a lasting impact for both her and Barbie.

“Visiting my mom here at the Art Stall when I was young created a deep love of the Market,” she said.

Original pen and ink drawing of the Market Arcade by Katherine Graves, 1960s

Getting a taste of the Market’s energy and bearing witness to her mother’s work inspired her to find her own way to a business with like-minded creatives in our historic district. At the gallery, Barbie meets people from all over the world and gets to share her passion for creating one-of-a-kind apparel to send a piece of the Market home with visitors.

It is one of many hundreds of stories that makes the Market a special place, inspiring community and creativity generation after generation.