WILTON - Chris Krauss is thinking of new and exciting things to do in her upcoming dream job as general manager of the new Center for Maine Craft in Gardiner.

The 2,500-square-foot center under construction by the Turnpike Authority at the West Gardiner Travel Plaza has a November opening date, leaving Krauss busy pulling the work of more than 200 Maine artisans together for display.

"I have a really good understanding of what it will take to put it together," Krauss said Monday of her new position with the Maine Crafts Association.

She was one of the owners and developers of Farmington's Sugarwood Gallery, an artisan cooperative that sold $1 million worth of product during its first four years, she said. She repeated that work in 2005 in Rutland, Vt., when she helped create the Center Street Artisans, a gallery featuring the work of artists from the northern forest, she said.

"Sugarwood proved it. Art draws people. People come to Farmington for fine, handcrafted furniture," she said. "If we can do this in Farmington, we hope the center, with an estimated 180,000 visitors a year, will do the same and become the first of many centers."

The center will be a centralized facility off Interstate 95 and 295, where travelers can shop for juried Maine craft work, she said.

"People will be able to see that it's not just the coast that makes Maine special," she said as the crafters' work will promote different areas of Maine. "Think of it as a base for cultural tourism with craft related events, exhibitions, demonstrations and a retail outlet. It's the first place in Maine to promote Maine craft on the highway."

In these days of a challenging economy, Mainers have to find more creative ways to sell products, she said, referencing a large facility in West Virginia, the Tamarac Gift and Convention Center, that has developed into a showcase for local artisans there. Like Tamarac, Krauss plans to eventually have artists like glass blowers on site to show their work, she said.

It will also make a significant impact on craft artisans with every county bound to benefit, she said. A pretty healthy budget has been set aside to purchase artisans' work wholesale while still providing an opportunity for commission pieces, she said. Eventually they will purchase about 80 percent of the work creating a steady income and exposure for the artist.

"It's an opportunity for an artist to have a show everyday except holidays," she said.

Not only will their work be for sale but design elements, signs, flooring and display units at the center will be be made by Maine artists.

The center will offer a variety of items including music, books, clothes, cards and foods to take, she said.

Meanwhile, Krauss is searching all over the state for items to display when the center opens. The Maine Crafts Association Web site, www.mainecrafts.org, has information and photos of the new center's development, she said. Krauss may also be contacted at 645-2241.

She plans to close her East Wilton bed and breakfast, A Victorian Rose, by mid-August, she said.