WOOD RIVER – Von Dell Gallery and Studios in Wood River, Illinois, will mark its 10th anniversary with a public celebration Saturday, April 18, 2026, featuring artist demonstrations and refreshments, owner Gary Von Dell Conrad said. The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the gallery, 102 E. Ferguson Ave., at the corner of First and Ferguson in Wood River.
“It is a milestone to be in business for 10 years, I am pleased,” Conrad said. “I love what I do.”
Conrad said the gallery’s approach to welcoming visitors has been central to its longevity.
“The key to being successful for 10 years: I am a person that anybody is welcome here,” he said. “I don’t care if you’re a millionaire or homeless – when you walk in this store, everybody is equal. If you appreciate the art, that is what it is all about.”
Conrad said he plans to have “a few artists doing open demonstrations of their art” during the anniversary event. A band had been planned, but he said weather could affect those plans.
“I had a band coming; the weather is now threatening,” Conrad said. “The band is questionable.”
Conrad said the celebration will include “great big cheese cake,” along with coffee and soda. Visitors will be able to “visit, look at art, and talk art and plan,” he said.
The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Conrad said the shop’s name comes from his middle name.
Conrad, 75, said he began working in the art world after retiring at 52.
“What art I like the most – hard time answering it,” he said, adding that he has come to appreciate “all forms of art.”
“A person has to realize when somebody created that art, [they] put heart and soul in it and that has value,” Conrad said.
He also described helping a developmentally disabled man who comes in for assistance with his paintings.
“I go out of my way to help him and support him,” Conrad said.
Von Dell Gallery and Studios invites the public to browse artwork by local artists, including “paintings, leather items, stain glass, engraving, pottery, sculptures and more,” according to information provided by the gallery. All items are for sale, and painting and leather classes are available. The gallery also describes itself as a place where artists can gather to discuss ideas, share techniques and “share opinions over a cup of coffee.”
Click here for the Von Dell Gallery and Studios website.
Click here for the Von Dell Gallery Facebook page.
