YOU GOTTA HAVE ART. Three artists – from left to right, Lissa Siedow, Jo Ellen Burke, and Jody Balow – are the proprietors of the new 200 Main Gallery & Studios.

At the corner of Graham Avenue and Main Street you will find 200 Main Gallery & Studios. It’s a seemingly nondescript building with tall, thin windows and stucco siding, but if you take a step inside, you’ll find a place that feels like the complete opposite of nondescript. The tall windows and ceilings open up the space and illuminate the art and home furnishings that line the walls, while smaller items such as postcards and hand-painted pillows pop out at you from nooks and crannies at eye level.

Jo Ellen Burke, Jody Balow, and Lissa Siedow are the owners of this charming space. Friends, artists, and now business partners, all three bring something unique to the gallery, and they have some big plans for their new business.

“We are rare in that we’re three women business owners, and artists as well; we’re excited to share our love of art and beauty with the community.” – Jo Ellen Burke, co-owner, 200 Main Gallery & Studios

While it is exactly what you’d think looking at the name – “a gallery and workspace” – its three owners have something a little different in mind than the tried and true business of running an art gallery. “Normally when people think of a gallery, they think mostly of paintings,” Balow says. And while the gallery does feature plenty of paintings, the plan is to feature and support local artists who work in all types of mediums, ranging from photography to pottery and glasswork. Currently two local artists – Rick Koziel and Denise Anderson – are featured. Their works are alongside pieces by the owners and candles by Laurie Lyne. In the future, the owners hope to change up featured artists every few months in order to keep things fresh.

For Burke, Balow, and Siedow, the goal isn’t just to run a business, but to change people’s perception of art galleries as a whole. They want to foster a warm, creative, and beautiful environment where people can feel free to appreciate, discuss, or purchase art with no pressure. 200 Main is meant to be “a space that’s welcoming and inspirational … where people can wander in, look around, and not feel intimidated by looking at art,” Siedow says. The proprietors hope to use their experiences with art in all its forms to enrich downtown Eau Claire and our community.

What is really great to see is how this mentality of catering to a diverse audience, which sets them apart from many, is also what brings them closer to the community. On top of inviting local artists to showcase their work in the gallery, Burke, Balow, and Siedow have donated to organizations such as Beacon House and Girls on the Run of the Chippewa Valley on behalf of 200 Main, and they plan on supporting other organizations around the community in whatever ways they can. They also hope to begin hosting small group gatherings and discussions complete with facilitators, the first of which will be in January. Topics may include “Art As It Relates to Healing” and “The Creative Side of the Brain and Social Behaviors.”

As Burke says, “We are rare in that we’re three women business owners, and artists as well; we’re excited to share our love of art and beauty with the community.”

200 Main Gallery & Studios • 200 Main St., Eau Claire • noon-7pm Thursdays, noon-5 Fridays, and 10am-5pm Saturdays • facebook.com/200Maineauclaire/ • (715) 379-9493