Mid-Shore Arts Profile: 3Ten Creative Design

Sherry Christopher and Lori Dever, owner/artists of 3Ten Creative Design & Gift Gallery, in Cambridge MD, say that they come by their diverse talents from their father who would draw with them when they were kids, their mother who was always crocheting and their Grandmother Dever who made paper-mâché dolls and always gave handmade gifts for Christmas presents. Their older sister, Kim Tyson owns “My Flower Box Events”, and is a floral designer. When you walk into the gallery, everything you see comes from their imagination and creativity. They named their gallery 3Ten in honor of their father who was a Baltimore City Police Officer. 310 was his badge number.

The sisters are not new to the galleries already in Cambridge. Both Lori and Sherry were members of Main Street Gallery. Lori has also curated and showed at Dorchester Center for the Arts, for the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Lori is a board member of Main Street in Cambridge MD and serves on the Arts and Entertainment Committee for the City of Cambridge. Lori says, “We decided to locate our gallery in Cambridge because everyone here is so friendly, there is a sense of community between shop owners, and everyone talks to everyone.” She notes that isn’t true everywhere, and that she and Sherry wanted that for their gallery.

The sisters wanted the basis of their gallery to be their own collaborative creations. They consider themselves best friends with a connection that makes it easy to work together. They note (finishing each other’s sentences and thoughts) that they enjoy bouncing ideas off each other, getting excited about an idea and calling each other no matter the time. If they disagree, the idea gets set aside – no argument. When painting together “ideas snowball”. A listener can feel the energy and excitement about the gallery moving between the two as they talk. They say they can be honest with each other and that helps “keep it real”.

When asked to describe the type of art they make for their gallery. Lori says, “The kind of art that is good for our souls.” The sisters wanted to offer some themes and art which would be unique to the area. To keep the gallery offerings fresh and exciting, they rotate these themes every three months.

For instance, for the current show titled, “The Land of Misfit Toys”, in the gallery’s small side curated room, they are currently showing a collection of played with Barbies – found discarded in toy boxed and corners and kept in the state that they were found in their nieces’ playroom. Elsewhere, toys are reimagined as misfits in original paintings, such as Woody of “Toy Story” fame riding a unicorn. With this show, the sisters wanted to take you back in time, the theme being their interpretation of would embody, “The Land of Misfit Toys”. This show is fun and lighthearted blast from the past!

The sisters believe everyone should be able to own and enjoy art. To ensure this can happen, for those at any point in their lives, they will be offering installment payments for gallery art. They also offer a special program where anyone who has bought art at the gallery is considered a “collector” and is given a first look and the first opportunity to purchase from the show before the actual opening that happens on Second Saturdays. Emails are sent out via a password-protected website. Sherry says that two paintings sold from the collector’s showing before “The Land of Misfit Toys” opened.

They also do “Painting Parties”. Their goal is to send home a painting with the participant that they would be proud to hand on their walls. The gallery offers drawing and painting classes periodically. It’s best to check their website for a current schedule of classes.

While Lori has studied at Columbus College Art & Design, Sherry is primarily a self-taught artist. They both agree that everyone is born an artist, and hope that the gallery and the classes that they offer will reignite that belief in those who come into the gallery, whether to purchase or simply to peruse. They recently held a large class of bank managers for a “Cocktails and Canvas” workshop that was very successful, the participants happily leaving with their own originals. (see photo).

Past shows in 2023: “Land and Sea”, and “A Rock and Roll Art Show” (with live D.J. Heff and Alli of the AlliCats) and the current show “Land of Misfit Toys”. In 2024, 3Ten will of the following shows:

· The Marriage of Heaven and Hell – February 10-May 9th, 2024

· The Oscars – May 11- August 8th, 2024

· Earth, Wind & Fire – August 10- November 7th, 2023

· A Rock & Roll Art Show – November 9 – February 6th

Sherry says, “We want our shows to feel like an event.” Lori chimes in that she would love to have the May 11th show, The Oscars, have a red carpet and klieg lights outside, with servers carrying trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres inside.

Sherry and Lori hope that locals and visitors will find the gallery a comfortable place to hang out. They installed the long tables that command the center of the floor, and cafe tables along the sides, for that very purpose. Lori says, “We want people to come and use the space” to journal or write or draw or just talk in an atmosphere that encourages creativity. To further inspire creativity in the community, they will soon be offering artistic inspired movie nights.

3Ten Creative Design & Gift Gallery is located at 440 Race Street, in Cambridge, the heart of the Arts and Entertainment District. Hours are: 10am-5pm, Thursday-Sunday and Monday – Wednesday by appointment.

Tammy Vitale has spent many years of her life regularly visiting the Eastern Shore, and moved to Cambridge in 2023. An artist herself, she has fallen in love with all the facets of art available in Cambridge/Dorchester County, and wants the rest of the world to get to know and love the arts and artists of this area as much as she does.