FARMINGTON - Heirlooms of Tomorrow owners Dan and Janice Maxham will acquire SugarWood Gallery on Broadway as of July 1.

"It's a great opportunity to keep a local outlet for local talent," Dan said Friday about the purchase of SugarWood, a cooperative founded in 2001 with the help of Chris Krause of East Wilton and MaineWoodNet.

"The amount of talent here is phenomenal...I can't explain it...there is just such a high concentration of talent," he added.

There may be a new look with some color and display changes at SugarWood Gallery when Maxham brings the art gallery at Heirlooms to SugarWood, he said. But, otherwise it will remain mostly the same with local craftsmen bringing their items to sell on consignment as well as the people who have made the product being there to explain and sell it, he said.

SugarWood Gallery was jointly owned by 15 area artists who ran the gallery as a cooperative where up to 100 craft people have sold their work on consignment. After two expansions over the years, SugarWood continues to offer handcrafted furniture, gifts and accessories.

Maxham said he was approached by the owners of SugarWood and needing more space to display several new artists at their gallery, the couple decided the opportunity was right to acquire it, he said.

The Maxhams' business, Heirlooms of Tomorrow, was created in 2004 as a retail outlet for factory seconds and trade show samples produced at their furniture manufacturing company, W.A. Mitchell Fine Furniture in Temple.

Heirlooms, at 710 Wilton Road, has been designated an art gallery' because of the practice of displaying and selling locally created paintings. A different artist is invited to display and sell their work each month. An open house reception for the artist is held on the first weekend of the month, he said.

A tradition over the past four years, the art gallery has about 30 artists involved and is booked through 2012. The move will be followed by the first show featuring Farmington artist Marjorie Austin with an open house planned for July 4 and 5.

"Moving the art gallery will be a boost to the displaying artist. The SugarWood location is more conducive to art showings and visitors can take advantage of the other downtown amenities and include a visit to the gallery as part of their dining or shopping experience," he said.

Heirlooms will remain open as an outlet store for W.A. Mitchell factory furniture but will also become an annex for SugarWood, as their crafters will be able to use the Heirlooms facility to move their surplus production, he said.