Artisans United Past and Present
Artisans United began in 1988 as a non-profit organization, drawing its membership from local independent artists and craft guilds.
Our Mission
Artisans United’s mission is to preserve, promote and develop the arts and crafts.
The Gallery offers a wide variety of items hand-crafted by local artists. Find practical and decorative items for the season and all your gift-giving needs. Examples include:
- Wearable and other glass art
- Photography
- Baby bib and blanket sets, stuffed animals
- Creative animal photography
- Wearable fabric art
- Wooden toys and other carved items
- One-of-a-kind wire and braided jewelry
- Functional and decorative quilted items
- Needle-felted items (flowers, small animals, etc.)
- Decorative and functional pottery
- Acrylic painting on glass, wood, furniture, and more
- Crocheted and knitted accessories
- Wood boxes, bowls and other items
Artisans United History
The concept for Artisans United developed from a Crafts Advisory Committee under the auspices of the Fairfax County Council for the Arts. This committee proposed establishing a facility for crafts in Fairfax County and developed the documents necessary to form the Artisans United. The organization was incorporated in Virginia on November 9, 1987 and received tax exempt charitable status (Section 501(c)(3)) on November 17, 1988. The Craft Gallery opened in December 1988 at the Packard Center in Annandale, after holding an introductory exhibition at the Bryant Adult and Community Education Center in June 1988. The Packard Center also became the home of the Fairfax County Council of the Arts and other non-profit organizations.
From the early days of the organization, the member craft guilds participated in exhibitions at the Craft Gallery, for example, an exhibit by the Quilters Unlimited guild in the fall of 1989. In early 1990, Artisans United started offering classes at the Packard Center.
Guilds involved in Artisans United in the early years included the following:
- Embroiderer’s Guild of America, Inc., Washington, D.C Chapter
- Historical Society of Early American Decoration
- Waterford Weavers Guild
- Washington Calligraphers Guild
- Washington Calligraphers Guild
- Mount Vernon Porcelain Artists
- Mount Vernon Porcelain Painters Guild
- National Capital Stained-Glass Guild
- Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild
- Northern Virginia Photographic Society
- Northern Virginia Porcelain Artists
- Quilters Unlimited
- Potomac China Painting Teachers Association
- Washington Woodworkers Guild
- High Country Basketry Guild
