Menagerie on Main: Pioneering the Bridge Between Art and Community

Oct 23, 2025

Located in Downtown Canton, Menagerie on Main isn't just your typical art gallery — it's a vessel for the backbone of the arts in Cherokee County. Featuring local art from artists all over the region, Menagerie on Main serves as a space for the community to come together to experience the arts. We sat with Jamie Foster, owner of Menagerie on Main, to talk about the importance of art, what the space offers, and the impact art has on the local community.

"Could you tell us what Menagerie on Main has to offer?"

Jamie: Menagerie on Main is an art gallery in Downtown Canton that represents a variety of artists and mediums — anything from your very classic oil painting of traditional motifs to more contemporary assemblage sculptures made of found objects. We like to cater to all types of interests here. People are drawn to so many different types of art and I really want to provide a space for people where they can explore their taste in art. Some people don't realize that they like it until they see a piece that connects with them, so I want to open up all opportunities to make that happen.

"Outside of the art that you showcase here, what else does Menagerie on Main offer?"

Jamie: We also hold a variety of classes for all different levels of experience. I've had a lot of people end up taking classes or seeking out opportunities to create just because they've been around it a little bit, you know. When people come to classes with me, I always have a wide variety of personalities. Some people want very strict instruction, but you always have people who want to do what they want to do and explore their own creativity. So I allow space for both of those things because everybody has to approach the creative in a way that's comfortable for them if they're really going to lean into it.

"How do you want people to feel when they walk through the gallery?"

Jamie: Something that is important to me when people come in here is that they feel welcome and they feel the freedom to explore. And then, you know, it just goes from there because they just got in front of a piece and had a feeling. When you enjoy art and when you interact with it, engage with it, and you start to realize that there is no one way or there is no right, there's a freedom in it. There's a freedom. It kind of gives people permission to be a little more expressive, to question, to explore. And I think that that's where innovation comes in. You know, we would be stuck stagnant if it weren't for the arts and the creative.

"What advice do you have for someone who is looking to get into art?"

Jamie: If someone doesn't know where to start when it comes to art, I would start with letting go of the belief that there is a place to start. Art isn't supposed to be something that you have to be educated in. I think it really is just something that you're supposed to feel. And so if you just let yourself do that, I mean, it'll take you. And I've seen it happen. I've seen many people who didn't think that they cared or liked art just through some conversation, just through maybe standing in front of a painting and going, 'I don't like that'. Then all of a sudden, the conversation continues. Then they start to notice what they do like. Then they start to decide that they want a painting.

"Could you tell us about the arts festival that you host in Canton?"

Jamie: The arts festival that used to exist in Canton had dissolved, unfortunately, and there wasn't really an arts festival, one that was just focused on fine art in the area. The West Main Arts Festival is sort of my take on an arts festival meets like street fair. Much like Menagerie on Main, I also wanted it to be approachable and inviting and something that was not pretentious, something that people felt like there was there's something for everybody.

"What can you expect to see at the West Main Arts Festival?"

Jamie: Through my travels, when you visit cities and stuff, there's vendors on the street, but then there's also people performing to capture your attention. And I thought, well, wouldn't that be fun to have all of those elements combined for a festival? You know, so that's sort of the vision behind it and where it came from. It is one of those all inclusive things. All are welcome. There's something for everyone. I think that people sometimes don't realize how important art is to a community on the conscious level, but like they know it when they experience it and feel it. So we're just kind of there to remind them. And then I think from it, I would love to see that this festival is a part of what puts this area on the map for the creative arts.

"What's the long term vision of Menagerie?"

Jamie: I hope Menagerie is just the first of many creative opportunities for people. I hope that through our classes and events and festivals, it sparks other creative opportunities, other creative businesses to take shape because I see the benefit of collaboration. To me, it's not competition. So I really hope that we just kind of plant the seed. And the more we can make space for that, the more people feel comfortable, the more engaging it is. It's hard to not feel something when you're around art. It's the backbone and it's the birthplace, I think, of so many great things, you know. I think that people who aren't artists or don't view themselves as art people end up surprising themselves when they just let themselves get in front of it.

To learn more about Menagerie on Main, you can find information about the classes they offer and the events they host on their website here. They are currently open Thursday through Sunday (hours vary).

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