CLIFF DWELLERS    GALLERY

OUR HISTORY

 

Cliff Dwellers Gallery, a showplace for contemporary and traditional fine crafts and art, is in an historic building moved from downtown Gatlinburg to 668 Glades Road in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community. The Gallery is owned and operated as a cooperative by two local artists and carries the work of approximately 60 other area artists who have been invited to be a part of the Gallery. The Gallery continues to operate in the fine tradition of the building and offers a wide selection of fine crafts and art from area artisans. The Gallery features stained and enameled glass, watercolors, handmade and hand marbled paper, pottery, woven clothing, placemats, runners, rugs, tapestries, baskets, hand painted gourds, soft sculptured dolls & woodworking. The Cliff Dwellers building was built in downtown Gatlinburg in the 1930's by artist Louis E. Jones in a chalet style of architecture that was then quite foreign to this area. This unique wood and stone building served as Jones' home, gallery, and studio which he operated until the last years of his life. Upon retirement he sold the gallery to the two ladies who had assisted him with the business for a number of years, and they continued to carry fine art, handmade gifts and hand woven accessories for the home. In the early 1990's one of the ladies died and the other retired at age 85. She then sold the building to a businessman who decided it would have to be torn down to make the best use of the land. In 1995 Jim Gray (regional artist) and his son Chris moved the building to the Glades area and lovingly restored it for use in this new location.