Visage Salon, located at 2006 South 900 East South, is a new face on the Gallery Stroll line up. Visage has been a member of the official Gallery Stroll Association since May 2005. Their membership is new, but the concept for opening for Gallery Stroll began with the opening of the salon six years ago. The original owner felt that the salon would work well as a exhibition venue but as time passed Gallery Stroll fell by the wayside. Fast forward to the present day, and new owners, Kacie Hersh and Rhonda Halliday, are revisiting this event in hopes to contribute to the art community in the Salt Lake Valley.

Visage Salon is positioned perfectly to link the downtown gallery experience to the historic Sugarhouse shopping and art district. So many people think of downtown when they decide to take in the galleries, but Sugarhouse has a lot to offer during the monthly stroll. Hopes are high to draw gallery patrons in and in turn provide them with maps to the surrounding galleries.

A salon by day, this location houses fifteen independent stylists and beauty professionals. The venue itself is original in offering a community atmosphere for stylists but private rooms for a more personal experience between the stylist and their clients. Most Visage stylist have an established clientele but do not want the overhead of owning an entire building. Services range from manicures and pedicures to hairstyles and hair removal. With so many leasers, Gallery Stroll presented a time to promote the establishment and engage the stylists. The stylists are encouraged to stay open and meet guests, handing out information on services and possibly providing discounts for new clients.

The Salon will be participating in the Salt Lake Gallery Association’s September Gallery Stroll, Friday September 16, from 6 to 9 p.m.The exhibit will be, “Watercolor Paintings by Daniel A. Nielsen,” which will continue through October 8th. Salt Lake City artist Daniel A. Nielsen is from an artistic family and has been painting since the age of five. His love of watercolor media began during his studies at the University of Utah. One of his monochromatic architectural pieces was selected from an open entry, by the LDS church, to be used on a hand out card during the 2002 Olympics. Nielsen has continued to paint despite career and family obligations and finds his artistic talent provides peace and balance in his otherwise often hectic life.

Whether you go to Visage for beauty treatments or to take in art, it is a relaxing stop on your gallery stroll agenda. The knowledge that they care and contribute to our community is just a nice bonus. For more information call Kacie Hersh at 860-4333.

This article originally appeared in the September 2005 edition of 15 Bytes

Mariah Mann

For many years, Mariah Mann Mellus was the dedicated art writer for SLUG Magazine and has also been a contributor to The New Century Collector and Artists of Utah’s 15 Bytes.