Greysful Art Studio recently opened in the Coop building on Hwy 82 in Sonoita. Owner Terri Malloy offers classes in a variety of arts and crafts, and is also managing the Gallery at the Coop at the same location, featuring several local artists.
Malloy got her start as an artist in her mid-40s when she was working in Vermont as marketing director for a greyhound rescue, a job she held for eight years.
“I was looking for a Valentine’s Day fundraiser for the rescue center,” she said, when she saw some paper mache ornaments of flying greyhounds and decided to create her own to auction off.
“That went so well that I got custom orders,” she said. “That’s what jump started my career.”
Malloy took a class in color theory in order to be able to make her custom ordered sculptures look as accurate as possible. “Each sculpture came with a hand beaded collar, so I learned beading, as well,” she said.
Then ten years ago, a Facebook post of a VW camper bus caught her eye. She shared the post with a friend, asking, “Wouldn’t that be fun to buy and travel around the U.S., ha ha?” Malloy eventually sold her house and everything she owned, bought an RV that would fit her and her four greyhounds— she has owned eight greyhounds since 2010—and hit the road.
“I had never camped a day in my life,” she said. “My plan was to travel around and sell my greyhound art.”
For years, Malloy has done just that, ‘work-camping’ at campgrounds, rescues and state parks, either exchanging work for a place to stay or getting paid for her time.
“Every time I move, I try to go somewhere I’ve never been and do something I’ve never done,” Malloy said.
“One winter I was in San Antonio at a large rescue ranch,” she said. She also spent four winters at a horse rescue, and at a state park in Tallahassee. “I did a big paper mache and clay magnolia tree sculpture for their visitors center there,” she said.
She was activities director at a music and arts camp in Maine two years ago. Last summer, she was activities director at a KOA campground in Wisconsin. She came to Sonoita in November as a work camper at Tami Blakely’s ranch.
“I saw a post while in Tallahassee,” she said. “I called Tami and asked her if she needed a work camper. Tami said, ‘What’s a work camper?’
“When I came here, I was hoping that I’d like it enough and that it would work out that I could get off the road for a while,” Malloy said. “Typically I move every five to six months, so it’s been a lot of moving over the past ten years.”
The opportunity to open her gallery and studio came during a conversation with Coop owner Lori Johnson. “Lori said, ‘I always had this idea of having a gallery.’ I said, ‘Done,’” recounts Malloy.
Greysful Art opened the first weekend in March. In the gallery, Malloy displays work by several local artists. Artists from Sonoita (Jen Howard, Janelle Starr, Angelika Casiraghi, Kathy Davidoff), Elgin (Doreen Daiss), Patagonia (Cindy Mohr, Leslie Ware, Helen Chester, and Darlene Krueger), Vail (Tony Selva) and Tucson (Diane Taylor) all have their work displayed.
Malloy is also offering classes in paper mache clay animal sculptures, acrylic pouring, mandala dot painting and watercolor. She plans to have guest artists in to teach classes. With the mantra “Just do it! So many people are afraid to try!,” Malloy hopes to spread the word that “everyone has a creative side, they just don’t realize it.”
She is also available for house parties.
“I enjoy teaching and helping people relieve stress and get out of their head for a while,” she said. “Relax, rejuvenate and create.”
On May 18 Malloy is hosting an artist reception at the gallery. There will be music, wine and food for the public. For information about her classes and studio, call 802-579-5155 or stop in at 3266 Hwy 82. Her work can be seen at facebook.com/terri.m.malloy.