Melrose's Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery celebrating 20-year anniverary with special ribbon cutting March 12

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There is nothing like a shop in the center of Melrose, one that has the most welcoming and relaxing feeling when customers first walk in. Leave it to owner of Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery Lorrie DiCesare to combine the love of art with the feeling of home.

On March 12, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., DiCesare is celebrating 20 years in business with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Paul Brodeur and a toast.

"I can't really begin to believe it," she said. "It still feels like five years. It's always changing in here. The art is always changing, the trend is always changing, we do pop-ups. It's always so fresh and new."

Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery, located at 458 Main St., features a variety of small and large fine art pieces as well as handmade jewelry, stationary, soaps, incense, pottery and much more.

DiCesare followed in the footsteps of her artistic and crafty family. She explained how her mother was always drawing and her sister always painted.

"As I got older, I thought that maybe I could make a few dollars and make jewelry," she said. "I just started embedding and then it evolved into metal. I started to take classes at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee and learned enamel."

DiCesare currently makes enamel jewelry that is shown at Follow Your Art in Melrose, a new art studio that recently opened. DiCesare explains she does not show her own pieces in the shop, but in some open studios. Besides jewelry, she also works on encaustic paintings, which is wax or oil, and a little bit of acrylic.

But, DiCesare has not always been a shop owner. For 23 years, she was in the insurance business. And then her "second career" became her business.

"In the beginning, I thought it would be really nice to do something a little bit different and open a little shop to sell my own jewelry and to bring in some locals. So I found my little spot to show my own jewelry," said DiCesare. "Within the year, this location came up and I said 'oh, my God' and I was working part time still [at the insurance company]. So I quit that job and I came here. It just kind of evolved. But I really did it to show my own jewelry and now it's become my career."

The Rochester, New York native, who has been in Melrose for the past 26 years, DiCesare has been receiving many phone calls about having art pieces being showcased in the gallery. DiCesare does have to say "no" to artists about having their art pieces being in the shop, but she has offered a pop -up, or trunk show, since January 2020.

Pop-ups allow artists to have their art in Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery for a week.

From now through March 15, Melrosian and Fine Artists Carol Farese-Viola is featured.

Unique shop

There are not many shops like Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery anymore. Currently, there are around 50 artists showcased in the gallery; 25 of them being locals.

"We do mostly USA, we have some fair trade and around 5% import," DiCesare said.

Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery really tries to keep up with trends. When DiCesare first opened up shop 20 years ago, the medium age group was between people in their 50s and 60s. Now, it's people in their late 30s to mid-40s.

Pieces of art are represented by all age groups. DiCesare pointed out some artwork by Cara Marchetti, from Medford, who makes jewelry. And, Jamie Kaplowitz, from Wakefield, who showcases her paintings.

"We can't ask their ages," said DiCesare. "They are probably around their late 20s. We have many 20-somethings."

But DiCesare showed pottery work made by a potter who is in his 70s.

As a matter of fact, DiCesare's first $100 sale was a big ceramic bowl and as well as things to go in it bought by a lady from Melrose.

DiCesare tries to make everything "small so people can afford fine art." Behind the register is a wall full of paintings and little artsy pieces that are $250 and under. On the other side of the shop are some larger prints, which cost a bit more, DiCesare said,

"We do send out a birthday coupon for 20% off," she said. "We make it easy for people to own art."

The future

In the beginning of Hourglass Art and Gift Gallery, nobody took the shop seriously. DiCesare's friends from New York allowed her to show some of their artwork. DiCesare mentioned that over time, people just started to come in.

"A lot of the people that are here have been with me since the beginning, and maybe have changed their medium a little bit," she said. "Now I really look at [people's] pieces, I ask them to send me a resume, or some pictures. If I'm not familiar with that art, I will rely on one of my consignors or artists here."

In 2018, small businesses faced the fear of closing. DiCesare had to let a few people go. But currently, it is herself, her life-partner who helps on the weekends, and a woman from Malden who assists when DiCesare is on vacation or visits her mom.

"I really just have my volunteers, my partner Gail Hamm, myself, and one person now," she said. "We used to have four people back in the day when it was really all about small business."

DiCesare thought that after 10 years, she would be done. But now, she plans on retiring here --"which will probably be in the next four years."

"At one time, I said I would sell it," she said. "But, I think I would just close it. You know, it changes too much. I kind of want it so it's still mine, I guess."

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