NATCHEZ — Natchez has art galleries and Natchez has gift shops.

Now Natchez has Crafted Gallery, a new downtown store that is both gallery and gift shop for shoppers looking for unique items made in and around Natchez.

Earlier this month local artists Carolyn Weir and Sarah Freeman Carey opened up their small shop at 114 N. Commerce St., seeking to fill a niche they recognized as being somewhat neglected.

The shop is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Wednesday through Saturday.

Already involved in the local art scene, both Carey and Weir desired a place that was less about displaying paintings, drawings and photographs and more about handmade crafts — items that were more sculptural and more functional.

“We looked around town and decided that a gift shop with handcrafted items was lacking,” Carey said.

Carey is president of the Natchez Art Association and Weir is the treasurer of the Natchez Art Association and the gallery coordinator for ArtsNatchez.

Both said it was important that the shop not duplicate what existing local arts organizations are doing downtown.

“We are not looking to compete with them,” Carey said. “We want to bring more art downtown.”

Many of the artists work day jobs and do their art on the side.

“All of our artists lead incredibly busy lives,” Weir said. “We are striving to represent those artists who are not currently represented.”

The duo also wanted a bigger space to show their personal work. The spaces that were available in other galleries were becoming too small for their limitless creativity and imagination.

“We are both very active creatively,” Weir said. “Putting our work in other places was limiting. The shop gave us an opportunity to show all that we do instead of a smidge here and there.”

Open since Aug. 1, the shop is already filled with a variety of arts and crafts.

“The shop is also a place for us to create,” Weir said.

Frequently, Weir can be seen working with wire, airbrushing pieces of aluminum or cutting colorful pieces of felt to create some of her fanciful designs.

Weir uses the space to create her hanging mobiles that move and spin high above the space and the earrings and other handcrafted jewelry that fill the shop’s cases.

Carey’s one-of-a-kind notecards, hand-dyed yarns and fabrics, pottery and other pieces are prominently displayed in the space.

Work from other artists includes ceramic mugs and bowls, hanging lanterns created from wine bottles, handmade soap, block prints and other decorative art pieces.

Currently, a dozen local artists are represented in the shop. Carey and Weir say the shop is always looking for more artists to join, particularly woodworkers, lamp makers and other jewelry artists.

Any interested artists should contact Weir or Carey by sending an email to craftedgallery@gmail.com.

All artwork in the gallery is sold on consignment Weir said.

“We want to continue to provide a unique place for gifts made in Natchez,” Carey said.