30 Years as The Apex of Art in Avery County
Originally Published in Carolina Mountain Life Magazine, Autumn 2023 Edition
Article written by Emily Webb
Art enthusiasts of all ages crowded close in the main room of the Art Cellar Gallery to catch every word from soft-spoken Noyes Capehart as the art- ist, author, and retired Appalachian State University professor discussed his recent exhibition, “Visual Fiction.” Capehart’s surrealist paintings lined every inch of the walls, inviting viewers on a journey through dream, memory, art history, and imagination. In a building filled with in- credible pieces from some of the most talented artists in the state, however, perhaps the most intriguing and impressive creative work was nearly invisible.
Pam McKay grew up surrounded by art, taking classes as a child and studying Art Marketing and Interior Design at Appalachian State University. Her mother, Susan Hardin, owned a quilt and antique store in Banner Elk, and in 1993, Pam opened her own art gallery in the store’s basement. On opening day, the gallery featured 12 paintings.
In 1994, Pam married her longtime boyfriend, Mike McKay, and he soon joined her in running the business. The early years were lean. Banner Elk was just starting to become the prime vacation destination it is today, and the couple often couldn’t afford to keep staff year-round. Over time, more people bought homes in the area, and the Art Cellar Gallery gained the reputation as the place to go for quality art to outfit those homes. The gallery itself grew as well, moving beyond the cellar to fill all three floors of the building.
“I think we opened at the right time and the right place,” Pam said. “When I started 30 years ago, the community wouldn’t support a gallery like this out of the blue. We’ve grown with the community.”
Though a skilled artist in her own right, Pam has spent the last three decades channeling her creative energy into a different—but no less important—form of art: curation.
Appalachian art is a rich and varied genre, and over the years Pam has felt a responsibility to elevate the talented artists who call the region home. Even as the gal- lery grew and began exhibiting more and more high-profile artists, Pam remained loyal to the unique voices that draw inspi- ration from the Appalachian Mountains. Artists represented by the gallery include Capehart, who was born in Nashville, Ten- nessee, and has lived in Boone since 1969, painter Tony Griffin, Newland-based sculptor Pam Brewer, glass artists Rick and Valerie Beck, and the renowned Herb Jackson.
Pam and the rest of the Art Cellar Gallery team—which includes not only Mike but the couple’s two sons, Morgan and Mason, gallery director Lauren Olds and certified framer Alex Cirulis—work hard to not only represent the best artists they can find, but to match each piece that comes through the gallery with the perfect buyer.
Beyond curating the art itself, the Art Cellar Gallery team curates experiences and relationships for both clients and art- ists. A working relationship between an art dealer and their client requires a certain amount of trust, something the gallery team takes seriously.
“When things first come in,” said Olds, “Pam and I are constantly like ‘who do we need to send this to?’ We have to get to know people well enough where they will invite us in their house.”
Over the years, Pam and Mike have stayed active in the community and built opportunities to open the gallery to as many people as possible. Banner Elk natives might remember the Saturday coffee talks that grew so popular the gallery didn’t have enough space for everyone to park their cars. Artist talks and exhibition openings have always been an important aspect of the Art Cellar’s business model. The gallery is always open to the artists who have partnered with the McKays through the decades, and on any given evening you might stumble on some of the most talented artists working today holding an impromptu salon.
“We’ve become friends with so many people up here, artists and collectors and patrons, and it’s afforded us so many opportunities to be out in the community as representatives of the art world,” Pam said.
Along with running the gallery, Pam works as an interior designer with Dianne Davant & Associates, where she gets to exercise her creative gifts in a broader capacity. The Art Cellar Gallery has also always offered framing services for both the pieces they sell and any other items brought in. Clients trust precious family keepsakes and historic mementos to the Art Cellar Gallery team because they know the team’s expertise with conservation and preservation means the items will not only be protected, but restored.
“We’ve had clients pick up things and they cry,” Mike said.
The mission of the gallery to promote the arts and create a community of art lovers resonates with each employee. The whole McKay family as well as Olds and Cirulis recognize how lucky they are to do work they love, and are good at, in a location like Banner Elk.
“I knew that this business in particular was the apex for this area, and I love this area,” said Cirulis, who earned a BFA in sculpture from Appalachian State University.
Morgan and Mason McKay, for their part, grew up in the gallery. They watched as it expanded to fill the entire building and gained recognition throughout the region for excellence in art curation. Mason recently changed to an art major at Appalachian State University and assists with framing and operations, and Morgan has taken on the bulk of the marketing work for the gallery.
Although Pam said she never wanted her sons to feel like they had to join the family business, Morgan and Mason have art in their blood. The passion each member of the team feels for their artists, clients, and the art itself is evident in the care with which they run the gallery and frame shop. And if the overflowing crowd at Capehart’s artist talk is any indication, the community is appreciative.
According to Morgan, the purpose of the gallery is to make fine art—particularly the fine art of Appalachia—available to everyone. Every background, every taste, every style, every price point can find something that resonates. Those who don’t know what they are looking for, or who aren’t ready to commit to a piece, are welcome to wander the halls of the three-story building and just enjoy the masterpieces on display.
Art from the gallery can be found throughout the country as visitors to, or part-time residents of, Banner Elk want to bring a piece of Appalachia with them when they leave. By getting to know their clients on a deeply personal level, Pam, Lauren and the rest of the team are able to recommend new pieces and help their clients build collections that perfectly reflect their tastes and personalities. The artists who sell their art through the gallery know every effort will be made to get each piece into the right home.
Managing the needs of artists, clients, and the larger community is an art form all its own, and the Art Cellar Gallery is at the top of the field. For 30 years, they have been tastemakers for the High Country and beyond, and look primed to continue in this role for years to come.