MUSCATINE, Iowa–Since 1987, Muscatine’s River’s Edge Gallery has provide Muscatine residents with a unique place to have custom framing done and to view outstanding local artwork. In June of 2021, the gallery’s third owners, the Pittmans, purchased it and have spend the past year putting their own spin on a Muscatine tradition. As they have settled into their new role in the community, they encourage art lovers and those working to display their treasures to see what the River’s Edge Gallery can do for them.
For years, the River’s Edge Gallery has provided custom framing solutions, and co-owner Alice Pittman feels pleased to continue offering it to everyone, from those who need a simple frame for a concert poster to people with a family heirloom that needs a fitting frame so it can hang in a new space. “It’s really just fun meeting and exceeding their expectations and giving them something they’re proud to display and had a fun part in,” observed Pittman.
Though custom framing represents the majority of their work, the River’s Edge Gallery offers a variety of other services too. The gallery has a wide format printer that can also print on photo paper, giving photographers an opportunity to get high quality enlargements of their work. People with old photographs can also have them restored, preserving family memories for years to come.
Located inside a Victorian mansion at 316 West Third Street in Muscatine, the River’s Edge Gallery has extensive space to display a wide variety or artwork including works by local artists, prints, and photography. The gallery can also help artists purchase prints of all kinds, from reproductions of famous artists’ work to limited edition and one of a kind prints. Music lovers can also come out and enjoy intimate house concerts held at the River’s Edge Gallery’s stage.
As Pittman and her husband have worked to breathe new life into the River’s Edge Gallery while respecting its history, she has enjoyed the gallery’s unique setting just off of downtown and in the West Hill Historic District, which has led many people to walk in to learn more about the business and seek assistance with their framing and art needs. “The setting is incredible,” Pittman said. “We’re in an 1880’s mansion built by Dr. Johnson, who was a doctor in Muscatine,” she said, “The setting we offer is unique; there’s nothing like it in Muscatine or really Eastern Iowa.”
Though neither Pittman nor her husband had owned a gallery before, his background in art and design and her inspiration from her grandfather in Tennessee, who owned a lumber company for many years has helped them keep the River’s Edge Gallery successful. They have also found the support of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry invaluable: “The Chamber partnership just made sense. We’ve had a lot of encouragement from Hannah Howard,” stated Pittman. “Ever since we started on this journey, the Chamber has been very supportive of what we do and what we wanted to do.”
