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:
