Photos by Erika Hodges Katalyst Gallery and Gift Boutique has been showcasing retail, fair trade and designer pieces of art since September 2010 and has contributed a great deal to the greater Lansing arts community ever since. Sarah Christiansen, owner of the gallery, started her business in a very non-traditional way. Formerly working as a photographer and designer for the Lansing State Journal, she decided to leave her career in journalism due to a downsizing scare in her industry. “I had always wanted to open my own art gallery,” said Christiansen. Christiansen knew about a year and a half prior that her job was going to be eliminated. So she started writing a business plan to open Katalyst at the Small Business Technology Center at Lansing Community College while looking for locations in Old Town. “I love to stay in Lansing because the Old Town Commercial Association does a great job of bringing traffic and events to Old Town,” said Christiansen. Each month, Katalyst features a new artist, each from Michigan. From each artist, Christiansen tries to grow the gallery’s permanent collection by buying a couple pieces from each show. “Artists usually contact me when looking for a show,” explains Christiansen. She has a knack for creating opportunities for up-and-coming artists, more often than not housing their first public show. “Usually Katalyst is their first showing and I’m really proud of that.” Aside from her talents as a new business owner, Christiansen is a photographer and displays her own canvas-printed […]
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