Many artists around the country love to produce pieces of art, but often have a hard time trying to secure gallery space. One woman took matters into her own hands and made it so she wouldn’t have that problem again. Sose Gjelaj, from Bennington, Vermont, lives where she works - literally. According to The Advocate, Gjelaj opened her own gallery in her apartment. “It’s very interesting, because at first, when coming up the stairs, all a visitor sees is paintings on the wall,” she said to the news source. “Once you make it to the second floor, though, it becomes apparent, sometimes slowly, that this is not where I work, but also where I live. I love seeing the reactions - they have been very positive.” Galleries in the southwest Vermont town have been springing up over the last ten years, as the downtown area has been undergoing a sort of artistic revival. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, artists held an estimated 221,900 jobs in 2008 and about 60% of artists were self employed.  |