DECEMBER 18, 2008 Issue
Business Spotlight
The Looking Glass Gallery—All Local Art, Unique Finds, Great Gifts
Story by Sam Calhoun
Within the doors of The Looking Glass Gallery, located at 432 West King Street in downtown Boone, thousands of pieces of art—jewelry, paintings, glass, woodwork, photographs, ceramics—greet visitors, creating a diverse and inclusive cross-section of the High Country’s art community. At the center of it all is Danen Johnson, owner of The Looking Glass Gallery, who handpicks everything in the store and does his best to showcase the work of every new and emerging artist who arrives in the region.
“Looking Glass is basically a local art gallery and rock shop,” said Johnson. “We carry a wide array of all kinds of local art, a little bit of everything. It’s stuff that no one has on King Street. It’s very eclectic, original stuff and it’s all affordable.”
Johnson has his hand on the pulse of the region’s art community. Although not an artist himself, Johnson arrived in Boone in 1995 already armed with an appreciation for art. A self-described “rock hound” since he was young, Johnson always felt drawn to minerals, gems and precious stones while growing up in Miami, Fla. and through his family’s move to Hendersonville when he was a teenager. His love of rocks led Johnson all over the country in the 1990s, attending music festivals and gem shows whenever possible. His travels finally led him to Boone where he enrolled at ASU. Johnson spent four years in Boone—1995 to 1999—but he did not graduate from ASU. Instead, Johnson’s love of travel and his love of rocks increased, so he took back to the road.
Johnson traveled to Burlington, Vt., Sarasota, Fla, Eugene, Ore., and all points in between from 1999 to 2003. He toured alongside famous music bands, selling rocks, gems and glasswork. After many years, though, Johnson began to tire of life on the road.
“I was doing 50,000 to 60,000 miles per year on my car. It was just me, my dog and a car full of rocks for many years—just going all the time. It got old after a while,” said Johnson. “I wanted more stability.”
In 2003, Johnson decided to settle down in High Point where a friend was opening an art gallery and glass studio. Johnson named the gallery The Looking Glass Gallery. Business was slow at the gallery, but its studio space was very popular with local artists.
Johnson, though, packed his things in 2004 and headed back to Boone, determined to build on his appreciation of the High Country art community by opening his own version of The Looking Glass Gallery.
In December 2004, The Looking Glass Gallery opened. Immediately, Johnson looked up his old contacts and filled the space with the work of local artists.
To this day, Johnson invites a new local artist every month to display work on a specific wall in the gallery, helping extend a hand to emerging artists in the community. Local artists are always invited to bring Johnson portfolios of their work. If he likes what he sees, then the artist’s work can be sold at the gallery and perhaps even featured as the artist of the month. Johnson unveils a new the artist of the month every Art Crawl.
Johnson attributes his business’s survival to four main reasons. For one, Johnson is specific about what he buys and sells, assuring the buyer that the products are top quality. Another reason is that he still travels to music festivals and gem shows around the country and world, buying new and exclusive products and keeping an eye on the competition. Another reason is that Johnson still owns and operates a wholesale rock business that allows him to bring expensive minerals and gems to Boone and sell them at affordable pieces. The final reason is that Johnson also operates the Grandfather Gem Mine in Foscoe, located at the Grandfather Trout Farm. Johnson supplements his income with running the gem mine in addition to the gallery.
For Christmas, Looking Glass is filled with unique gifts from local artists, such as locally blown glass ornaments priced under $20 from six artists. Johnson’s jewelry selection is expansive, as well as his blown glass selection that includes jars, vases, marbles and wine glasses.
“I handpick everything and I hope what I like carries over to other people’s eyes,” said Johnson.
In the future, Johnson hopes to get more involved with vending at local arts and crafts and music festivals. He hopes this initiative will get his local artists’ work out in front of more people’s eyes; thus he hopes the beauty he sees will be shared with a wider audience.
The Looking Glass Gallery is located at 432 West King Street in downtown Boone. The gallery is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. until Christmas. After Christmas, the gallery is open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 828-268-1191.
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