Carol Lara has been a photographer for 13 years and has been in her photography studio located at 200 N. Center Dr. in Alton for the past three years. Last October she decided to maximize the space when she opened Alton Art Revival, an art supply resale store.
I was thinking about other ways to use my space besides as a studio.
The 600-square-foot space is still utilized for photo shoots, but these days it’s also a place for people to gather and learn, form community, and shop for art supplies.
The idea for the business came to Carol while she was on a road trip, and after digging and doing some research, she found that there were other art supply thrift stores in other parts of the country.
“I was thinking about other ways to use my space besides as a studio. I do some of my best thinking while I’m driving and during that trip, I thought about this art supply thrift store I’d been to like 15 years ago in St. Louis,” she shares.
Carol says the response from the Alton community has been positive and it has been that way from the very start.
“There aren’t many craft stores nearby in Alton, so before Alton Art Revival, people would have to drive like 45 minutes to the nearest store.”
The store’s inventory varies based on what’s donated, but can include everything from items like drawing pencils, paints, canvases, and occasionally easels, to fiber arts items like crochet hooks, knitting needles, yarn, fabric, cross-stitch, and quilting supplies. Other items you can find in the store include beads and jewelry-making supplies, adhesives, instructional books, and much more.
A natural connector who focuses on support
“Something I’ve always loved is sharing people’s stories. In 2017 I started a project called Threads STL and people would share their stories based on a theme,” Carol explains.
Although the project ended for various reasons, she admits it’s something she’s been thinking about lately and is considering bringing Threads STL back to life.
While she’s always been drawn to art and has done work in a variety of mediums, along with her photography, perhaps Carol’s other talent is connecting people and helping form communities. In addition to wanting to share people’s stories, Carol says she’s so passionate about bringing people together across cultures because she witnessed people staying within their cultural or social groups when she was in school.
“My family is originally from Peru, and growing up I was always the only Hispanic student in my school. I saw too much separation in school and in my heart I’ve always wanted to eliminate that,” she explains of her St. Louis upbringing.
Some of the ways she connects and supports others is through events and classes at the store as well as through something called Create for a Cause. Each month, artists and customers can help an area nonprofit through the business’s Create for a Cause project.
“I pick a different nonprofit to support each month and customers and artists can participate by making art and putting it on a wall in the store, or by purchasing it.”
The money raised goes directly to a nonprofit in St. Louis or the Metro East, and the Create for a Cause project also aims to help spread awareness about the work of the nonprofits by highlighting them on Alton Art Revival’s social media accounts throughout the month.
Getting exposure as an artist can be a hurdle to overcome, but the business also helps artists with that challenge by featuring a different local artist each month and providing them with a space to share and sell their work. Featured artists of the month are listed prominently on the website, as well as in the store.
Find out more about Alton Art Revival by following the business on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If you’re interested in forming community and learning new art techniques, consider signing up for a class, or attending an event. Some upcoming events and classes include a Make and Mingle BYO Craft night on Sept. 26, the Enchanted Tea Cup Fairy Garden on Sept. 30, and Nature Weaving – Flower Moon on Oct. 22. Register for classes and stay up to date on upcoming events and other news by visiting the website.
