Abundant Living art gallery adds to downtown Wyandotte’s biz line-up

Wyandotte, with its annual art fair that draws thousands, is becoming an art-lovers destination all year long with yet another downtown gallery opening. Abundant Living Gallery opened last month at 113 Elm Street. It's a place for collectors, gift-givers and home decorators. Owner Pam Riley sells paintings and sculpture in wood, metal and concrete from a West Michigan artists along with photos, jewerly and other creations by local artists and artists in other parts of the world.  All are handmade and have a story to tell, says Riley. One of the best parts of being a gallery owner, besides meeting customers, she says, is getting to know the artists. "Every chance I get, I go to where they create their work, their studio or their home," she says. I'm don't want to make a pest of myself, but I want to pass on their stories to the people who come to the gallery. I think the story behind the art is what makes it meaningful." Riley sees downtown Wyandotte, known for its annual art fair that attracts thousands of metro Detroiters, as an ideal place to show and sell works of art. "I think Wyandotte's is the second largest art fair in the state," she says. "There's a lot of interest here in art and a lot of word of mouth going out." Hers is at least the fourth gallery in downtown Wyandotte, something she sees as a good for business and the city. Before her came River's Edge, Glowfish Studios and Firehouse. "The nice thing is there's room for all of us. I don't feel like we compete. I think we complement each other," Riley says. There are so many niches in art, and I'm careful not to sell the same things as they sell. What it does, having all of us here, is make Wyandotte more of a destination." Source: Pam Riley, owner, Abundant Living Gallery Writer: Kim North Shine