In crafting the vision and brand of Art-O-Maddic, downtown Canby’s new art gallery and creative makerspace, owner and operator Shelley Arndt turned to her favorite story, “Alice in Wonderland,” for inspiration and, in particular, the character of the Mad Hatter.
“I’m a huge fan of the book, the whole story,” she admits. “I wanted something that would be fun and approachable, and I immediately thought of ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and how it still makes me feel like a kid.”
And, much like the quick-change artist himself, Shelley and her husband, Eric Arndt, needed only a few weeks to transform their space at the Graham Building into a vibrant and colorful gallery, masterfully showcasing more than 40 local, regional and national artists.
“We worked very hard,” Shelley says with a laugh. “It was 18-hour days for about two weeks leading up to the grand opening to…