Matthew Ames Opens Walker Street Market, a Design Gallery in the Berkshires

Matthew Ames, a former fashion designer, has launched Walker Street Market, a gallery in Lenox, Massachusetts, that emphasizes contemporary craft. Situated in a renovated 3,000-square-foot space, the gallery showcases the work of over 70 artists, featuring handmade furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles, glass, and metalwork. Ames, who trained under Jurgi Persoons and was employed at Luminaire in Chicago, offers custom commissions such as a Shaker-inspired bench by Sawyer Made and ceramic tables by Simone Bodmer-Turner. The gallery plans to host six to seven exhibitions each year, beginning with "Summer Camp," and future displays will highlight women in woodcraft. Workshops, including stool-making with George Sawyer, will complement many exhibitions, as Ames seeks to create a community around handmade items in today's digital age.