Just a few minutes west of the Park Cities in Dallas near Love Field Airport, is a charming artisan and design community teeming with showrooms, studios and offices in warehouse spaces where creativity thrives. It’s the home of Bee Street Studio, owned and operated by Ann Catherine Easterling and her mother, Delaney Campbell, who represent amazing artists from around the country.
Easterling and Campbell have transformed the 20-foot ceilings and steel beams into a mecca of artistic expression in every medium. Their warehouse-style gallery offers original pieces from emerging and established artists that are aesthetically placed from floor to ceiling for art lovers, connoisseurs and dreamers to admire and purchase.
“Our mission is simply to help you find the perfect art for your space,” Easterling says. “We want to make the art buying process stress free and easy. Our personalities and unconventional gallery style allow us to keep Bee Street a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere, so that our visitors are encouraged to browse, ask questions and get excited about the process.”
Bee Street art is always in flux, so what is showcased one week may be completely different on a client’s next visit. “When we sell a piece, we get so excited and can’t wait to immediately notify the artist! We also make a lucky client very happy, and that’s our primary objective,” Easterling says, smiling.
“We spend a lot of time developing loyal and honest relationships with both our artists and clientele,” she says. “Our accessibility and ability to curate our inventory of artwork allows us to meet each client’s specific needs.” Both she and her mother are Dallas natives who studied art and have gallery experience; they clearly have a natural eye for what will appeal to clients. Campbell co-owned a gallery in Dallas, and Easterling worked and managed a gallery in Charleston, South Carolina— where the name Bee Street was derived.
Interior designers comprise the majority of Bee Street’s repeat clients. They may design a room around a selected piece of art or use the selected piece to complete the project. Bee Street offers a compelling range of price points that satisfy both individuals looking for their first piece of original art for their home and high-end buyers who want striking accents for every room in a home or work space. The women entrepreneurs work closely with every buyer, often visiting the working space with artwork options and suggestions, to provide hands-on customer service.
While they rely on word of mouth and social media as primary marketing tools, they also have annual art shows in different cities across Texas to promote and showcase inventory. “Our most important job role is the honorable task of representing our artists to the best of our ability, and what better way to showcase their incredible talent than by cultivating relationships in every city that we can,” says Easterling. “We’ve found this kind of on-site exposure is one of the best tools for triggering the buzz.”
It’s easy to find this alluring space amidst the 20 or so other warehouse spaces. Just look for the logo of the friendly honeybee on the front door. Easterling or Campbell will buzz you in.
Claire Fernanda Dobie is a freelance writer living in Northern California. She blogs at claireifyblog.com.
