A Love for Art, People, and Community
- Kaitlynn Kraus
- Jan 29
- 3 min read
A Conversation with Cherie Stoddard
February is known as the month of love—a time to celebrate the people and places that make us feel connected. For Cherie Stoddard, that love shows up every day in Gallery 873, the gallery she owns in the Kayenta Arts Village. It’s felt not only in the artwork on the walls, but in the people who walk through the door and the stories they bring with them.
Stoddard is one of the many wonderful gallery owners located in the Kayenta Arts Village, and has spent years building a gallery rooted in connection, intuition, and community. Most of the artists represented in Stoddard’s gallery come to her through word-of-mouth. Over the years, she has developed a strong instinct for choosing artists, trusting her gut and her eye for what will resonate with visitors. Her gallery features a wide range of artists, from retired and well-established creators to young, emerging artists just beginning their careers. Despite the variety of styles, the gallery feels cohesive. For Stoddard, it’s simple: if the work looks good on the wall, it belongs.
What makes the gallery especially personal to her is the people she meets along the way. Stoddard genuinely enjoys connecting with both artists and visitors. Through the gallery, she hears stories from all over, and listening to them is one of the most rewarding things for her. “The stories these guys have,” she says, “it’s just fascinating to listen to.” Those shared moments are a big part of why the gallery feels less like a store and more like a gathering place.
Stoddard sees the Kayenta Arts Village as an important part of Ivins City’s cultural identity. She credits former Mayor Chris Hart with helping establish that foundation and takes pride in the fact that Kayenta is home to the only independently owned art galleries in the area. Over time, she has watched the Kayenta Arts Village evolve. Buildings that once served as storage spaces have grown into galleries, studios, and restaurants, shaping the vibrant destination the village is today.
While the art community is always changing, Stoddard notes that many visitors still come to Kayenta specifically for Southwestern art, which keeps the gallery grounded in a familiar visual language. What she loves most is watching individual artists evolve. Because she gets to know the artists personally, she enjoys seeing how their styles shift and grow over time as their work passes in and out of the gallery.
Though the relationships and the community have been more rewarding parts of her position, running the gallery doesn’t come without its challenges. Like many small business owners, Stoddard has faced uncertainty along the way. In the early days, there were times when no one came into the gallery at all—a daunting experience for any business owner. Growth took patience and faith. “It takes time, you just have to believe,” she says. That belief eventually paid off, and Kayenta has grown into a destination of its own.
Kayenta has boomed in the last few decades, but some uncertainty still remains. Changes and expansions among nearby resorts have shifted how visitors find their way to Kayenta, and the current economy has made buying art more difficult for many people. With rising costs, people are understandably more focused on life’s essentials and necessities. As Stoddard puts it, “Art is a luxury.” Even so, she remains hopeful and optimistic. She believes Kayenta and Ivins rely on one another and that the community will continue to support itself and grow stronger over time. She remarks, “I think Ivins is going to become the arts center of Washington County.”
With the economy and other circumstances being less than ideal to work with, Stoddard is intentional about offering artwork and jewelry at a wide range of price points, making the space accessible to visitors with different budgets. From small, affordable pieces to larger works, her goal is for everyone to feel welcome and able to support local artists. This approach not only helps artists sell more consistently, but also reinforces the gallery as a place meant for everyone—not just collectors.
In a month centered on love, Stoddard’s gallery is a reminder that love can take many forms—supporting local artists, strengthening and relying on community, and creating a space where people feel comfortable, inspired, and connected. It’s a quiet, steady kind of love, and one that continues to shape the heart of Kayenta, and therefore our beloved Ivins City.
