Gallery Three-Two-One is a well-known family-run art store and studio, operated in Oxford by Sarah and Ron Smith. (Submitted photo)

by Sophia Root,

Commerce Chenango

OXFORD - Gallery Three-Two-One is a retail art store and studio, family owned and operated in Oxford NY, for more than 30 years. As well as offering their own art, the gallery sells art and jewelry from more than 250 artists.

Even though the Gallery was founded 30 years ago, the founder has been making pottery long before that. Founder and former owner Bill Troxell discovered his love for pottery in his middle school art class. Under the instruction of teacher Fred Buhner, Troxell was inspired to begin teaching pottery himself. After his tour with the Peace Corps in India, he returned to the states and began teaching at a studio outside of Boston.

In 1974, Troxell returned to Oxford and bought a 100-year-old barn on State Street in Oxford to make a pottery studio of his own. He eventually expanded the studio to a retail location with the help of Robert Hammond and the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce. Troxell successfully secured a Community Development loan, as his proposed business promised to feature Chenango County manufacturing and contribute to local economic development.

The business expanded thanks to some footwork by Troxell and his wife Diane. They attended trade shows and craft fairs all over the United States to gather vendor goods and items to sell at their store back in Oxford. Troxell states, “Part of the reason we opened the store was so Chenango County could understand and gain exposure to local and high-quality handmade products.”

Just four years ago, Troxell sold the store to his daughter, Sarah Smith. She now owns Gallery Three-Two-One and operates it with her husband Ron. Sarah had been interested in learning how to make pottery for a while and remembers fondly, “I told my dad I wanted to start making pots with him, and he told me he doesn’t teach beginners. I was teaching in Schenectady at the time and started taking pottery classes in Troy.”

Upon moving back to Oxford, Sarah started adding to the Strong Stone Pottery collection. She eventually started her own line of pottery, maintaining the processes that have been in practice for more than 40 years but expanding on the stylistic offerings. Strong Stone Pottery has also transitioned from using wholesale clay to making their own, Sarah buys raw materials from Kingston and Syracuse.

As Gallery Three-Two-One transitions to the younger generation, they are hosting more open houses and are growing their social media presence.

Bill and Diane are still involved under the new management. They have created porcelain jewelry with 24 karat gold leafing, dubbed Tropicals, that is sold in the store. Bill states, “I am there to troubleshoot when something goes wrong with a glaze, and I am lucky enough to do some decoration on some pots for Sarah.” Diane works in and around the store. She is the main operator of the Jigger, an English pottery machine that makes a template for their dinnerware, and she is teaching her son in law, Ron, how to use it.

Troxell said, “I have never regretted passing the torch to Sarah, she was ready to take over and I was ready to transition. Her kids love the studio, and she’ll be in there until eleven at night and at five in the morning before school. She really has a hand for it, she has mud in her veins."