Opening doors to creativity

ROCHESTER, N.Y. In a repurposed Marina building near the Genesee River, Chris Pallace works in his art studio. After being asked by a friend to design something to sell at the Rochester Renaissance fair, Pallace began making fairy doors more than 10 years ago.

Now, business is bustling and he is making hundreds of decorative fairy doors for a wide variety of events. “We do about 20 shows a year.” says Palace. These decorative doors are made through a combination of artistic techniques including epoxy casting, sanding, and hand painting. Pallace uses resin rather than wood so that the pieces can survive the elements outdoors and serve as lasting decorations in people gardens or other outdoor spaces.

Blue Toucan founder, Chris Pallace, displays two variations of the same fairy door to show the difference in details in Rochester, N.Y. on Mar. 25, 2024 (Taylor Moe for Community Journalism).

Pallace was trained in sculpture and has worked with a variety of art mediums over the years, much of which with his artist friend Kevin Serwacki.

“We were always chasing jobs… I spent more time in coffee houses with clients talking about doing work than I spent in my studio doing work,” Pallace said.

It was at this point that Pallace began looking for a place to make his art.

The fairy doors created by Blue Toucan are made out of resin, rather than wood, in order to withstand tough outdoor conditions. This means that certain doors are often painted to get a desired color or finish. This is the area where door molds are powder coated and spray painted prior to resin pouring in Rochester, N.Y. on Mar. 25, 2024 (Taylor Moe for Community Journalism).

In their search for a studio to grow their business, Pallace and Serwacki found a space that had just come on the market - Made On State. Pallace describes it “This building was unfinished... We were one of the first.” Made on State is a sort of artist collective where a handful of artists rent studio spaces, but also share common areas.

Some of the businesses there include Airigami, a balloon art group that does installations all around the Rochester area, Rebecca Wind Pottery, who makes small batch pottery, as well as Blue Tucan, Pallace’s fairy door company. In total there are 11 artists currently working there. But why this space?

Being surrounded by so many multidisciplinary artists allows the groups at Made On State to bounce ideas off each other and help with specific projects.

“When you are done or need a break, there is someone to have a beer with,” said Pallace. He also noted that the artists will often collaborate on projects.

In addition to the creative benefits of being surrounded by other artists, there is also a social component. Located in the central part of the building, there is an open living room with a small kitchen, couches and tables for people to enjoy.

Multiple nights a week, groups of the artists, as well as their friends and family, gather in the common areas of Made On State and share their art related ideas over dinner. Pallace makes dinner on Tuesday nights, “at 5:30, I quit my working and dinner is served by six or seven.” says Pallace. People gather to play games, share stories or try art they have never tried before. On Wednesday nights resident artists, as well as other local and traveling artists, are welcomed into the Made On State common area to eat, laugh, and share their different expertise.

Made on state offers a supportive and vibrant environment for local artists to run their small businesses and share their art with the city of Rochester.