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THE cARTel ART GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW LOCATION, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Meri Wiley is an award-winning fantasy doll maker and multi-media artist who lives in Gilbert. She wants to help make an impact in the local art community on a larger scale than her already considerable accomplishments over the last two decades. During that time, she has been hosting art events out of her home.

Meri (along with her younger sister Jen) started “the cARTel,” art group in Gilbert using FaceBook and Meetup platforms in December of 2015. For a small fee, Meri offered a huge list of supplies, from substrates to various paints, tools and an astonishing amount of ephemera to share in her spacious home studio for artists of all types. She and Jen give advice, encouragement and support to all who sign up for their regular meetings and studio time.  The cARTel group has been growing since the very beginning, having both accomplished artists and beginners alike join them in a relaxed atmosphere of creativity and support, including classes offered by varied artists over the years that encompass a wide range of subjects. The group held three gallery shows in 2020, 2023 and 2024 in Mesa. Now Meri has realized the need for a larger facility than her spacious home studio provides, in addition to making a few other changes as well.

As of August 15, 2024, “the cARTel” will be known as “the cARTel at the OneOhOne,” housed in most of the space of the long-established OneOhOne gallery located at 101 W. Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85201. This larger venue will allow space for more accomplished artists, as well as for those just wanting to dabble in the arts. She believes this move will also provide attendees with access to many experienced artists for inspiration and guidance in addition to that she and Jen already provide. Meri and her family have invested in an enhanced experience throughout the facility with new paint, new gallery lighting, new creative space, and a new opportunity to purchase art supplies in a small retail outlet within the facility. There will also be over 2,200 square feet of gallery walls available for shows. Artists may rent a single wall for a specific time or rent the entire gallery for bigger shows.

Memberships to the group and use of the facility will be available soon. The participation cost is $55 per month for full access during business hours (Wednesday through Sunday, 9-5) or for a drop-in fee of $15 for a single-visit bit of creative play time.

Meri’s greatest hope is to enable people to return to their creative roots by encouraging them to play. She says, “If you return to your childhood creative mentality, then nothing is impossible.” She invites all artists of any level to “Come create with us!”

Meri Wiley, Owner of “the cARTel” and “the cARTel at the OneOhOne” can be reached as follows:
(480) 247-7886
Thecartel101@imagimeri.com
www.imagimeri.com
101 W. Main St., Mesa, AZ 85201

We will be showing art through the whole month of February 2025, at the “OneOhOne” gallery, in downtown Mesa, AZ. We will, again, have a raffle available to help raise money for the “Art Resource Center.” The biggest change from last year is that we have turned into a permenant business, at the oneohone gallery, offering creative space, gallery space, and retail sales of art supplies.