Karen Casey along with her husband Arlen have been working with glass for over 30 years and have concentrated on fused glass for the last 15 years. In addition to jewelry and hair accessories, they are also known for their fused glass clocks, mirrors and tables. They have lived in Durham for over 30 years where Karen is a speech language pathologist. You may also see her playing West African music.
Karen is excited to have a woman-owned business in downtown and appreciates Durham’s inclusive, welcoming and diverse reputation. She is incredibly grateful that her husband is also very artistic, handy and enthusiastically has joined in the efforts to up fit the space into a storefront and lend hours of support.
See samples of works by our artists and visit us soon!
How We Started:
Karen had been thinking about it for awhile; retail space downtown. As a founding member of the Durham Craft Market, she was regularly asked where she could be found other than Saturday mornings at the market. And now the answer is easy. The Artisan Market at 305!
The store opened at 305 East Chapel Hill Street on May 19, 2017 as part of Dan Ellison’s Durham Arts Space. Dan has long been a supporter of artists in Durham and has a variety of artists in the upstairs part of his 305 space. The storefront at 305 is the home for Karen’s art as well as more than 50 other local artists from across North Carolina.
As an artist herself, Karen has curated a group of people that fits the description of interesting, inviting, practical, fun, and affordable! The artists in the store will reflect a range of talent from the Durham Craft Market and other artists from around the state.
Karen says, “There is never a time where I don’t love being in the store because Durham has the best customers and I love meeting them and sharing the work of our local talent.”
Historic Palms Restaurant
The 305 space is a big part of Durham’s history. The building is a historic landmark and once housed The Palms Restaurant, which opened in 1932 and remained open for 50 years. Archives indicate, the Palms “was evidently the place to do business and be seen downtown” and was even referred to as “the bellybutton of Durham”!
Contact Us
Please email us at theartisanmarketat305@gmail.com or complete the form below: