ARTISANworks

Founding ARTISANworks was co-founded by Louis Perticone and Kimberly Trenholm as a space intended for everyone to experience creativity, feel welcome, and to support artists. Perticone was inspired by Alfred Stieglitz's 291 Gallery in New York City, which introduced American audiences to European artists including Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, and Marcel Duchamp. By January 2005, the organization was described as "nearly 12 years old," suggesting Perticone began developing the concept in the early 1990s before formal incorporation. Growth and expansion Perticone gradually evolved his personal art collection into a nonprofit enterprise housed in an expanding industrial space on Blossom Road. 25th anniversary and future ARTISANworks celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala on April 5, 2025, paying tribute to founder Louis Perticone. == Building ==

ARTISANworks occupies a renovated industrial building at 565 Blossom Road in Rochester, historically known as the Farrell Plant. The building was originally part of the Consolidated Machine Tool Corporation, which was formed in 1922 through the merger of five companies and operated a manufacturing facility on Blossom Road. The Farrel-Birmingham Company acquired Consolidated Machine Tool in 1951 and continued operations at the Rochester site until the early 1980s. == Collection and concept ==

The ARTISANworks collection contains approximately 500,000 items, all personally owned by the organization's founder Louis Perticone. Perticone's collecting method was distinctive: he often purchased an artist's entire body of work and displayed pieces according to their quality, with the best work at eye level and less favored pieces toward the floor or ceiling. Artists associated with the space have included Ross Rider, Martine Lepore, April Laragy Stein, and Richard Quataert. == Operations ==

Financial model ARTISANworks operates as a 501(c)(3) self-funded nonprofit, receiving no government funding. Perticone sought to expand this program into corporate offices, restaurants, hotels, and hospitals throughout Rochester. In-house catering is provided by Madeline's Catering, a chef-owned-and-operated company based on-site since 1992 that handles over 800 events annually. The organization also hosts approximately 50 or more nonprofit fundraisers annually. Regular public programming includes introductory tours every Saturday and Sunday, drag brunches, Sunday thrift sales, and rotating exhibitions. Visiting ARTISANworks is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5:00 PM, with Monday through Thursday available by appointment. Introductory tours of the car museum are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM, included with admission. == Louis Perticone ==

Louis J. Perticone (c. 1951 -- July 1, 2024) was a Rochester native who founded ARTISANworks. He grew up near Bay and Niagara streets in northeast Rochester and was the son of William Perticone, a painter who designed and built displays for McCurdy's department store in Midtown Plaza for 30 years. The younger Perticone tried painting but found he was "too impatient" for it; he described himself as a collector rather than an artist. Perticone graduated from Aquinas Institute in 1969 and enrolled at St. John Fisher College but dropped out to become a massage therapist. His subsequent career included restoring old cars and, in 1988, launching a water-purification company before turning his attention to ARTISANworks. Perticone was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer in August 2022 and died on July 1, 2024, at age 73. His memorial service was held on July 6, 2024. Performer Thomas Warfield eulogized Perticone's contribution as "expanding what's possible with art" and "the intersection of art in celebration of art in education." == In popular culture ==

A short documentary film titled Artisan Works (2015), directed by Stephen Kroto, provides a tour of the facility and features Louis Perticone. The film was produced as part of the Kroto Film and Design series associated with Sir Harry Kroto, the Nobel Prize-winning chemist at the University of Sheffield. == Recognition ==

• Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award recipient, placing it in the top 10 percent of attractions worldwide • WeddingWire Couples' Choice Award recipient as a wedding venue • Featured by Atlas Obscura as a notable destination • Featured by I Love New York tourism promotion == Notable incidents ==

In May 2019, seven individuals broke into ARTISANworks at approximately 1:30 a.m. and vandalized the property, including dumping five-gallon canisters of tar from the roof into the parking lot. The incident was captured on security cameras, and social media helped identify the perpetrators within an hour after surveillance images were shared publicly. The group agreed to pay for damages and volunteer at ARTISANworks as restitution. Clock of Nations Perticone expressed interest in housing the Clock of Nations, a beloved Rochester landmark from the demolished Midtown Plaza, at ARTISANworks. However, because ARTISANworks charges admission and is not fully open to the public, it was not deemed an acceptable location for the clock. == See also ==