A cornerstone of the Homer art scene since 1992 with longtime owner Karin Marks, the Art Shop Gallery celebrates its 10-year anniversary under the current ownership of Joell Restad.
With work by more than 45 artists from all over Alaska, the gallery offers a wide variety of items including limited-edition prints, fine art posters, Alaskan Native ivory, bone and Native crafts, Alaskan Christmas ornaments, furniture, pottery, jewelry, candles, soaps, paintings, photography, woodwork, stained-glass, children’s books, stuffed animals and fresh floral bouquets.
The gallery represents work by well-known statewide artists including Barbara Lavallee, Byron Birdsall, Ed Tussey, Jon Van Zyle, Rie Munoz and others, alongside local artists like Ashley Story, Birch Grove Studio, Bruce Nelson, Chris Story, Dan Coe, Edward Hutchinson, Erik Behnke, Felicity Jones Bechtel, Nancy Wise, Taz Tally, Theresa Gonzalez, Tracy Early and others.
“Homer is incredibly fortunate to have such a strong and supportive arts community, with so many talented artists and galleries,” Restad said. “We represent about 60 artists of all mediums. Twenty-five percent are from Homer and Anchor Point, about 65% are from the rest of Alaska and 10% are non-Alaskan or Canadian.”
The history of the gallery includes former longtime owner Karin Marks and her family. Marks’ father-in-law, Wes Marks, Sr., started a frame shop in his garage around 1988 and called it Art Shop. After he died, her husband, Wes Marks, Jr., took over.
“I’d quit my job with a nonprofit and my husband and I started to think in terms of a full-time business in town not in my mother-in-law’s garage,” Marks said. “In 1992, a branch of an art gallery in Soldotna came up for sale. We bought it, married it with our framing business and added Gallery to the Art Shop, occupying a space in what is now the Safeway store.
”It had very little Alaskan art when we bought it, but over time, we had fewer customers interested in the national print lines like Greenwich and Mill Pond Press and more tourists coming with an interest in Alaskan art of all mediums, so we started expanding Alaskan art. In about 2000, Safeway bought the Eagle Quality Center and we, along with other small shops in the space, moved to Pioneer Avenue. “
Their present location was put up in 1985, constructed from a Lindal Home Kit, with the local Fish and Game office as the first occupants. When the Markses purchased the building, they added the green awning, a covered balcony in the back and a garage to handle some of the framing fabrication. It took them until September 2001 to occupy the entire building.
“For me, the business end was a challenge, specifically in selecting art and gifts to sell,” Marks said. “I always said I didn’t need to go to Las Vegas and gamble since I did it all the time, especially at the wholesale show when picking out things to sell.
“I’m glad my small business experience was here in Homer, a small town. Competition is a part of the business experience, but since you have to wear all the hats in small business with no help in the early days from computer assist companies, it was a little easier to learn along the way. I remember when the big new addition was a fax machine and then an employee was able to put our mailing list on an Excel spreadsheet.”
Proud of her ability to provide more local opportunities for artists, when she was ready to retire, Marks was delighted to hand the reins to Restad, an employee since 2013.
“Taking over the gallery wasn’t something I initially set out to do, but as the opportunity unfolded, God opened a door and made it clear this was the next season he had prepared or me,” Restad said. “I felt a strong sense of peace stepping into that role.”
The gallery has evolved through the years, including dissolving the custom framing part of the business that had been an integral part of the gallery under Marks’ ownership.
“After Karin dissolved that aspect and I purchased the gallery, I needed to find new ways to fill that gap and re-imagine what the gallery could be,” Restad said. “I began focusing on finding a niche that would meet the needs of our local community while also appealing to visitors. Because we’re open year-round, I pay close attention to what local people are looking for, not just seasonal tourists. That’s one of the reasons the flowers have been such a great fit, because people know they can come here for beautiful, fresh flowers all year long.
”Looking ahead, I would love to add more unique offerings that are distinctive to our space and help draw both locals and tourists through the doors.”
For Restad, one of her greatest joys in running the business has been supporting local artists and giving them a space to share their work.
“I love seeing their talent celebrated and knowing that their art will live in people’s homes for years to come,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to help connect artists with collectors and create opportunities for their work to be appreciated beyond the gallery walls.”
The biggest challenge, she said, is navigating the realities of being a small business owner, especially during the winter months.
“That requires constant financial awareness, careful budgeting and thoughtful decision-making about what to carry, how to best promote our artists and how to create a welcoming place people want to return to,” she said. “Educating the community that we’re more than a traditional fine art gallery — and encouraging people to walk through the door year-round — has been one of the most ongoing challenges.”
Celebrating the gallery’s rich history and her 10 years as owner, Restad is hosting an Open House with refreshments and drawings on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 4-6 p.m. The Homer Chamber of Commerce will host a mixer at the same time.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating our customers and our artists,” Restad said. “Without either one, we wouldn’t succeed.”
Visit the gallery in person at 202 W. Pioneer Avenue and online at artshopgallery.com.
Art Shop Gallery owner Joell Restad is photographed in the gallery on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Homer, Alaska. Photo courtesy Taz Tally
Art Shop Gallery employee Melissa Anderson (left) and gallery owner Joell Restad (right) are photographed with longtime gallery artist Taz Tally (center) during his solo photography exhibit in August 2025 in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Christina Whiting
The Art Shop Gallery sign is photographed in the summer of 2025. Photo provided by Joell Restad
