Insider: Sarah Duggan of Baxters Gallery
We are very excited to be featuring Sarah Duggan of baxters gallery in our Insider series. Baxters was established in July 2006 when Sarah took over Hartworks Gallery. After many years of saying “one day, I’ll own a gallery”, Sarah decided that Dartmouth would be where she would enjoy life and her passion for the arts. Situated on the corner of Foss street and Flavel street, the bright and airy gallery space shows off the best in contemporary art, printmaking, craft and jewellery. We love the relaxed and inspiring atmosphere that Sarah has created at baxters and we recommend that you pay a visit on your next trip to Dartmouth. The pieces for sale are strongly influenced by the Devon and Cornwall coastline and we’re sure you’ll be able to find the perfect souvenir to take home with you after your trip.
What do you love most about living and working in Dartmouth?
There are no bad views in Dartmouth so you constantly pinch yourself that you live in such a beautiful place. If you work here too your commute time is fantastically short although this can lengthen because of all the people you stop and chat to! It’s a great community and visitors often comment on how friendly everyone is in the shops and galleries. The businesses usually support one another too so my equivalent of the chat at the photocopier is a seeing the other shopkeepers in Foss Street.
Why should people consider popping into Baxters during their stay?
Baxters has a mix of original art, prints, ceramics, glass, craft and jewellery and our tag line is “Art to make you smile”. We have prices to suit all budgets (from £2 – £2000) and it’s important to me that people feel that my art is accessible and doesn’t need explaining. Regular customers comment on the fact that there is always something new to see as we constantly have new work arriving from established and upcoming new artists. If you would like a memento of your holiday we also have a wide selection of quality limited edition prints of the area by a variety of artists.
What is your top tip for tourists visiting the town this year?
If you have been before I would maybe suggest you visit at a different time of year. There is so much going on here and you could visit one of the festivals, see Shakespeare at The Castle or walk the coast path. My main tip would be to keep exploring though – as there are always more places to discover even if you think you know everywhere.
The bright and airy space of Baxters can be found on the corner of Foss Street and Flavel Street in Dartmouth shows off the best in contemporary art, printmaking, craft and jewellery. The atmosphere is relaxed and inspiring, allowing you to take your time in choosing from established and new artists. Sarah’s aim is to exhibit art that will make you smile and there is always something new to see. Much of the work is from West Country artists and makers but as Sarah shows what she loves you will see pieces from across the UK too.
