Sunday, January 3, 2010

Our Founders: Dan & Peg O'Leary

This is the short version of how we got here.

It wasn't a covered wagon, but in 1973 we sold our house in New Jersey and hand crafted a Dodge van into an RV.  After a month or so trekking around the USA, we decided that New Mexico was the place for us and bought a house in Albuquerque.

After a while here we combined Peg's trained art talent (Fine Arts, University of Tennessee), with Dan's "I can put my hand to anything" attitude and began doing Arts & Craft Fairs around the southwest.  Over the years we garnered scores of awards and developed a wholesale business as our work evolved into the art furniture we make today.

In 1981 we bought and renovated an old apple barn in High Rolls, New Mexico.  For a number of years we became exclusively wholesalers, showing our work at the NY & LA Gift Shows.  Our work was carried by some of the best national catalogs and some of the best gift galleries and furniture stores around the world.

In 1995 we returned to Albuquerque to open Horse of a Different Color in Old Town.  At that point we started easing ourselves out of the wholesale market to concentrate on our unique store.  Calling on our friends of long acquaintance in the art world, we have put together a store that is a happy experience for local and tourist alike.  We continue to produce our art furniture exclusively for the Horse and have added T shirts and magnets that utilize Peg's art.  Peg also does jewelry and unusual wind chimes when she feels an extra artistic itch.

No comments: