Long Dream Gallery and Kristinworks
When Kristin Anderson arrived in Apalachicola in 1985, the quiet fishing village on Florida’s Gulf Coast really embodied the now popular term "The Forgotten Coast". Kristin fell in love with the area and saw opportunity and promise in the slightly dilapidated downtown. She bought the historic Orman Building at 32 Avenue D. in the heart of the downtown shopping area. At that time, the quite run-down building had recently housed a laundry and a pool hall. Kristin renovated the top floor into living quarters and turned the ground floor into The Long Dream Gallery, a place she had long dreamed about someday opening when she found the "right spot". Kristin set up her work space in an area in the windows of the Gallery on the street level and went to work.
Kristin quickly became a central part of a wonderful and ongoing revitalization of the unique Florida Coastal town of Apalachicola, helping to establish a Nautical Museum and working with the city government, contributing ideas as well as hard work in her own restoration project. In 1999, Kristin sold the Orman Building and moved herself, her dogs, and her studio to a home on nine acres of land just a few miles outside of town on Scipio Creek. Rather than take the almost universal advice she was receiving to tear down the barely habitable home on the property, ...As for Long Dream Gallery, it is now located right here in cyberspace...Kristin chose to keep the house, a hand made log cabin, and renovated the inside, added porches and turned it into a rustic but very comfortable old Florida home. Kristin then added a studio space to the end of the house. Her studio, Kristinworks ®, is in much the shape of a ship's bow, reflecting Kristin's long time love of sailing and historic wooden boats. Her main design space is at the helm with other work stations arranged around the bow, many with windows overlooking the woods outside her studio. Kristin is a busy and productive artist but if you phone ahead to make an appointment, she will try to schedule a time when you can visit her at her studio and see her at work, using tools and equipment unique to the smithing arts. Kristin makes her beautiful pieces of 18K Gold, Sterling silver, transparent vitreous enamel, and stones both precious and semiprecious. Her unique work is recognized worldwide.
Kristin has made a comfortable home in those woods at Luna Haven (or sometimes "Yellow Fly Ranch") and has determined to keep 3 acres while putting the other six acres up for sale. You can click here for more information about that land.
As for Long Dream Gallery, it is now located here in Cyber-space. You may visit and shop any time from any place in the world!
In downtown historic Apalachicola, you can always see some of Kristin’s most current work in the lobby of the Gibson Inn located in downtown Apalachicola. There is a free local phone if you wish to call Kristin’s workshop for an appointment to make a purchase, discuss an order for a custom piece, or just to say “Hi.” You can also see and purchase some of her work at the Artemis Gallery, located in the High Cotton Building on Commerce Street in downtown Apalachicola.
Kristin's work is also available at a number of selected Galleries around the country. Click here for names and addresses as well as directions to those Galleries and Shops.
