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Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.

A Cracker Canvas owner Crystal Adams has opened an eclectic art studio in Hernando that blends various art forms, clothing and supplies.

Crystal Adams sells items including “hippy garb” from her Hernando art studio.

Sculpture, yard art and other mediums are on display at Cracker Canvas in Hernando.

Local artists’ work hangs on the walls of the Cracker Canvas in Hernando.

A Cracker Canvas owner Crystal Adams has opened an eclectic art studio in Hernando that blends various art forms, clothing and supplies.

When you’re an artist, when you’re in the middle of a project, when you’re inspired and in the moment and suddenly realize you need a certain color of paint or a certain brush, you don’t want to have to drive an hour or more to the nearest art supplies store.

Crystal Adams sells items including “hippy garb” from her Hernando art studio.

“It takes you out of the mood,” said Crystal Adams, artist and owner of A Cracker Canvas.

The art supplies store and gallery at 2211 E. Norvell Bryant Highway (County Road 486) in Hernando opened in February 2022.

She named it “Cracker” because of her Florida heritage.

“To me, ‘cracker’ is about knowing your home, knowing your history.” Adams said. “The cracker way is running barefoot, going fishing in the rivers and the streams. There’s a lot of beauty to Florida.

“This shop is something I wanted to do for the last 20 years,” Adams said.

She said wanted a place where local artists didn’t have to travel for supplies, but also where they could display their creations and sell them on consignment from her store.

“After hanging my acrylic and watercolor paintings along with my wool felted tapestries, I realized there was space to allow local artists a chance to display their pieces as well, at a reasonable commission.

“Having been on that side of the aisle between traveling to shows to paying excruciating commissions to other shops, I wanted to help struggling talent, as there is plenty of it here in Citrus, giving them a voice that may possibly go unheard,” she said, adding, “I like the variety of the art that comes in ... it makes the store more interesting.”

Visitors to her website, www.crackercanvas.com, can take a visual tour of her store and view the hand-hammered, copper yard art, the locally crafted pottery, metal and wood sculptures, paintings and drawings, jewelry and Adams’ own tapestries, “hippie chick” apparel and more.

And, of course, art supplies, from canvases, brushes and palette knives to paints, inks, markers, charcoals, pencils, etc.

The outside of the store, the former Xtreme Party Store, is nondescript, but the inside feels airy and well-thought out and reminiscent of an art museum gift shop.

Sculpture, yard art and other mediums are on display at Cracker Canvas in Hernando.

“I wanted a shop that’s not overwhelming, where you can enjoy coming to,” she said. “When there’s too much, you don’t even know what you’re looking at.”

Prior to going into this business, Adams, 60, worked in construction. She and her husband built screened rooms and pool enclosures.

“It was time to stop doing that, but not time to just stop,” she said.

They moved to Citrus County from Lake County in July 2021.

“We wanted a change of pace,” she said. “Lake County was getting crowded and crazy and costly. It’s so mellow here.”

Adams, a third-generation Floridian, grew up in Seminole and Orange counties, the only girl in her family among five brothers.

“Art was my escape – that was one thing they weren’t interested in,” she said.

As a teenager and then as a young adult, she found jobs with printing companies and learned graphic art.

“I worked for some big printers in Orlando,” she said. “This was before computers. I did old-style typesetting and layouts by hand ... I’d use clip art or draw my own (images).”

She learned wool felting, which is the art of connecting or blending raw wool together to make a fabric, while she was taking a knitting class.

Local artists’ work hangs on the walls of the Cracker Canvas in Hernando.

“It’s the oldest way of making fabric for clothing,” she said.

She has several of her finished tapestries on display and for sale in her shop.

“From the time I first opened, I wanted this to be a place for local artists, especially young artists,” she said. “I started having little art festivals in the parking lot, and so far I’ve had pretty good turnouts – and I don’t charge them anything. I just want them to have the exposure and display (and sell) their art.

“One young (teen) artist has even picked up some commission jobs,” she said.

The next art festival is from 4-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at A Cracker Canvas, 2211 E. Norvell Bryant Highway (County Road 486) in Hernando.

To reserve a spot, call Crystal Adams at 352-212-4011.

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/yubuwnp6

Store hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Nancy Kennedy can be reached at 352-564-2927 or by email at nkennedy@chronicleonline.com.

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