Treasure Coast Arts & Culture

Abbey's Gallery

Abbey's Gallery is located at 6130 SE Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL 34997 (south of Cove Rd in the Port Cove Plaza, behind Tropical Smoothie). Our hours are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Tuesday - Saturday and Mondays are available by appointment.

Our eclectic collection of artwork by local Treasure Coast artist and crafters inspires a feeling of relaxation and well being.

We have a wide collection of handcrafted gifts and home decor including; natural soaps, floral arrangements, pottery, jewelry, gift baskets, fine art paintings, sculptures and more. Unique gifts to accommodate any budget. Classes and workshops are also available. Art that is attached is by: Donna V. Rose Award winning artist specializing in paintings of birds, fish and tropical landscapes Donna was born and raised in a small Cajun town near New Orleans, LA. There she grew up drawing and painting most of her life. In 1984 she married and moved to Key Largo, FL where art became a business. She has won numerous awards for her oil/acrylic paintings of birds, fish and tropical landscapes. She now resides in Stuart, FL and is enjoying not only painting on canvas but also turning the natural flora of this area into art. After a trip to Ambergris Caye, Belize she fell in love with the vibrant colors the local artists used in their paintings and crafts. Donna now replicates this in her own work.

She hopes you too will enjoy a taste of this beautiful island.

Forms of Payment: Visa, Mastercard, Checks, Cash Free gift wrapping is available for most items in the gallery. Shipping is available for most items in the gallery... shipping cost is extra.

Local Artist brings a 'small bit of history' to the Treasure Coast

If you happen to travel by the Villages of Longwood most afternoons, you might see Bonnie Phelan hard at work at her converted garage/artist studio. Or, if you frequent the Jazz Market for Fine Arts & Crafts, which has relocated to the Community Center on North Indian River Drive on Saturday mornings, you will see Bonnie displaying her wares…Floor-cloths.

“Floor-cloths,” you might ask, “What are they?”

Floor-cloths have been around for more than 200 years! “Floor-cloth” was a common term suggesting a carpet substitute, painted canvas, oilcloth or painted carpet. A painted floor-cloth is made of heavy canvas that had been stretched and sized, then troweled with oil paint and finished with block printing, stenciling, or hand painting.

Originally from New York, Phelan came to Florida about three years ago to be closer to family members that had moved here many years previously. “One thing about moving,” she’ll tell you, is that “it has its pros and cons. One of the pros is that you have the opportunity to refocus on the things that are important to you, and to break into what you really enjoy. Art and painting is just that for me…I would like to do it all the time!”

The manufacturing of floor-cloths was a thriving industry in late 18th Century England, regulated by a society of floor-cloth manufacturers. Floor-cloths were initially imported to America from England, which resulted in higher prices and lengthy delivery schedules. As the market for domestic goods in the new colonies increased, so did the number of house painters willing to paint floor-cloths in direct competition with the English versions. Newspaper ads frequently appeared offering notice of a new local establishment with skilled painters and the latest floor-cloth designs.

Many of the early designs were taken from wallpaper patterns or woven carpets. They were appreciated for their versatility, function, and easy care. Floor coverings were not affordable to most people, which made them a treasured household item, often prominently featured in the family portrait. A highly valued floorcloth was frequently listed in household inventories and personal wills, complete with the original purchase price. As magazines began to write about and provide instructions on how to make a floor-cloth, women began to make their own floorcloths, often stretching the canvas on the side of the barn.

Phelan first learned about floor-cloths and their origin from her Art Instructor in Tuxedo Park, NY, Mary Bullard, a locally well-known portrait artist in her own right. Her interest was spiked, but it was not until she came to Florida that she decided to really delve into this type of historical art form. Phelan has started to work with some local decorators who have commissioned her to create floor-cloths to coordinate with their décor. She has earned a good reputation in working with clients and or their decorators to determine the “perfect” design and colors to complement their furnishings. She has proven her versatility in being able to design for the client or coordinate with the decorator. One thing that Bonnie will tell you, “I love what I do!” — and it shows.

Incidentally, Bonnie also works with us here at the Treasure Coast Times (formerly the Main Street Times), so you may see her contacting clients and working with prospective clients all the way from Vero Beach to Port St. Lucie.