A month ago when I first wrote about Paris Woodhull’s plans to open a studio and shop at 121 South Gay Street, she told me her objective was to be open by First Friday in September. Last Friday, she did just that, opening for a celebration that night and getting straight to the business. Preparations, she said, went down to the wire.
As promised, the front of the shop is well-stocked with a wide range of items suitable for the ardent fans Paris is growing in the city, as well as the random tourist who might drop in wanting a piece of fun Knoxville art to take home. And with such a range of items, there is something to hit every price range.
Drawing customers in from the start is the painting smock in the window. It belonged to Paris’ grandmother, who always encouraged Paris to pursue her artistic muse. In a real way, it makes the shop feel dedicated to that inspiration.
Paris has her art emblazoned on cute earrings, stickers, coasters, t-shirts and more. Her illustrations of downtown, the item which put her on the local map (see what I did there?), are offered as prints and local is the theme that runs throughout.
The larger section of the storefront, located to the rear, is dedicated to the print-making process. Screen printing is a big part of Paris’ artistic retail presence and she’ll be doing her own, as well as taking on work from others. To that end, she had a new piece of machinery proudly on display. The six-color press, along with the high-speed dryer which is on the way, will help her production move to levels she’s never reached before.
You can find her work on her website and you can shop from there. You may find it more fun to see the shop and meet Paris in person, as well as take a behind-the-scenes look at the process. The store is open 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Wednesday and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday Noon to 5:00 pm.