Visual Arts

The Wounded General Store

By Kristin Farr | Sep 18, 2012

Heather Pratt is quietly living the dream in Inverness Park. Take a drive up the coast to her new shop, The Wounded General Store, and you'll find a lovely, thoughtful space and some affordable art gems. Pratt is from San Diego by way of Canada, and she knew she wanted to live in West Marin as soon as she had a chance to visit. What's not to love? Most of us drive up there for beach trips or special occasions, but the artist has found a way to live the good life all year round.

As soon as she found the perfect space along Sir Francis Drake, Pratt built out a storefront that is wood-paneled and artfully designed. She carefully chose vintage glass cases and shelves, and began stocking the store with her watercolor works on paper, which she describes as whimsical. She was soon able to expand into a space behind the shop where she now keeps her studio. Besides her own artwork, she also plans to sell supplies for cabin living, including axes and custom birding supplies.

"The Wounded General" is a nickname given to Pratt by her sisters a long time ago -- something about a knee injury, an army jacket, and a bossy attitude. She combined her nickname with the General Store label, which has become popular among art shops. The Wounded General herself is also a printmaker, and is inspired by literature, fairy tales, and "the pattern of narratives that are happening and colliding" in everyday life. She is also a writer and is currently working on a handmade book called Hypnagogia, which is the state between being asleep and awake. The book's characters are exploring those dreams about falling that make you wake up startled. Seeing that Heather Pratt is inspired by literature, I asked her to recommend her top five most inspirational books for your reading pleasure:

A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Winter Count by Barry Lopez

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Seeing Things by Seamus Heaney

In the Reign of Harod IV Steven Millhauser (This is a short story, but a favorite nonetheless.)

I've had one of Pratt's paintings in my collection for a couple of years, and it gets far more compliments than anything else on my wall. I was happy to acquire a new piece, Fishing in Style, during my visit to the shop, and satisfied to see one of my favorite artists find a way to open a business and represent her own work. The Wounded General Store will have its grand opening around the holidays, but will be open for business from 11-6 most days until then. Consider this your advanced notice sneak preview and go fall in love with this store before everyone else finds out about it.

The Wounded General Store can be found at 12315 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Inverness Park, CA.

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