Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leanna Ford & Allison Geneser. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Leanna & Allison thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Our primary mission with Lone Star Workshop is to offer an outlet and exposure for artists and creatives in our area. We know firsthand the struggle of putting your creative work out there – it’s an intimidating and overwhelming experience! We started LSW gallery featuring just a handful of our friends and local artists, and now we are satiated with over 50 makers. One of our passions is to encourage everyone we encounter to pursue their creative inclinations and dreams.
The relatively new addition of workshops to the shop has deepened our creative community. It has become a wonderful way for us and our featured artists to teach our crafts, and it has forged new friendships within the community. We are passionate about maintaining a fun, inspiring and safe space for all.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
We are two artists, makers, teachers and business-owning best friends who met while cleaning houses in Austin, Texas. We opened the doors to our dream business, Lone Star Workshop, in April of 2019. We renovated the 1901 brick shotgun-style building on Lockhart, Texas’ Square with our own hands and the help of our loved ones. We bring a lot of passion, vision and hard work to our gallery space that also serves as a handmade jewelry and gift shop. We have weathered the pandemic and are blossoming on the other side of it. Our historic storefront is located on the Courthouse Square of the growing, thriving and charming town of Lockhart, TX, just 30 miles south of Austin. We sell our own work (Leanna’s jewelry and Allison’s paintings and prints) while also showcasing the work of over 50 other regional artists and makers. Last year we began offering workshops as well, teaching our crafts and bringing in other creative teachers. In August we launched our new website and online store.
What sets us apart from other galleries is that we offer a variety of in-house workshops, as well as jewelry repair and a custom chain bar. There’s something for everyone here!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
We met while cleaning houses in Austin, TX. Allison owned and operated a green cleaning company called Hummingbird EcoCleaning, which is still thriving in Austin. Leanna came on board in 2016 and we quickly realized how well we worked together. We were also really inspired by one another’s deep desire to create; we’ve spent most of our lives pursuing our creative disciplines. Within a short span of time, our shared vision evolved and we decided to take a leap. After selling the cleaning business, things moved along swiftly. We renovated the historic “Star Building” on the Lockhart Square ourselves and with the help of our loved ones. In April of 2019 we opened the doors to Lone Star Workshop. We survived the Pandemic and we are still going strong!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Our shop is very unique and a true expression of both of us. Our personal touches are everywhere. We have visitors from near and far who spread the word about Lone Star Workshop. We feel that word-of-mouth, as well as Lockhart’s famous BBQ and our charming downtown, has brought us the majority of our patrons. Additionally, we are the only gallery in Lockhart that also sells jewelry and other handmade goods. This has earned us the reputation of being a well-rounded place to shop for local gifts and art. 
Contact Info:
- Website: lonestar-workshop.com
- Instagram: @lonestarworkshop
- Facebook: @lonestarworkshop
Image Credits
Laurel Coyle took the portrait of Leanna and Allison All other photos were taken by the owners