In the Cafe Gallery
added 02/21/08
by Ken Davis
Five Years of Creativity in a Cooperative Space
There is a theory among painters that goes something like this …
Deep within the hearts and minds of all people—buried beneath things like to-do lists or philosophical questions or a favorite aunt’s address—there lives a dormant artist just begging for brushstrokes and a pale, rough-hewn canvas on which to apply them.
True or not, the fact remains that creativity of any kind is a mighty thing, and expressing it seems to be a universal need. Whether it’s the photos we choose for our office walls or the frames we choose for our eyeglasses, putting our creative choices on display is hot-wired into the human condition—often with unexpected results.
Like an art gallery in a grocery store, for example.
“It was one of those things where everything just sort of came together like magic,” says Tony White, Director of Operations for the Co-op and one of the people responsible for creating the Lebanon Co-op Café Gallery. “It was a great way to provide something extra to our customers and to create an opportunity for Upper Valley artists, too.”
The gallery came into being five years ago with a whisper rather than a roar. The Co-op’s Lebanon food store had just expanded to provide additional seating for customers of the Prepared Foods and Café departments, using a pleasant open area in a retail footprint previously occupied by another business.
From the beginning, the new space seemed perfect—except for its empty walls. So to fill those walls, old Co-op banners, posters, and other promotional materials from days gone by were dug out and put up as a temporary solution. The bright light of the space meshed well with the vibrant colors of the graphic design, and as White and others looked on, the idea of an art gallery was born.
“The artists seem to appreciate it as much as our customers,” says Emily Rogers, a staff member at the Co-op’s Information Desk and one of the coordinators for the gallery openings and exhibitions. “Customers tell us they love to eat there, and the artists tell us they love to show their work there.”
Soon after opening, word of the new exhibition space spread quickly within the abundant community of painters, photographers, and other visual artists who live and work in the Upper Valley. Within two months of the gallery’s opening, the Co-op’s Gallery Review Committee was booking exhibits a year in advance.
Today, the gallery continues to host new exhibitions every few weeks. Participants include everyone from professional artists to elementary school students and, in keeping with the Co-op’s commitment to the spirit of cooperation, no commissions are ever charged for artwork sold.
“We see it as a win-win for everyone,” says Rosemary Fifield, Director of Education and Member Services. “It makes for a beautiful environment for our customers enjoying a snack or a meal in the seating area, while providing local artists the chance to display their work to the general public.”
Gallery Details
The Gallery is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Artists who are interested in displaying their work should contact gallery coordinators Emily Rogers or Jolleen Shepard at 603-643-2667, or email us.
And The Winner Is ...
Congratulations to Shelly in the Hanover Co-op Produce Department for her award-winning Guacamole Cilantro Lime Cheeseburger! When you work for a place like the Co-op, it’s not always easy to impress your coworkers with your cooking skills. Let’s face it, their cooking skills are usually going to be none-too-shabby either. But Shelly impressed everyone! The heated Hanover Co-op Burger Cookoff Competition was part of a recent employee appreciation event, where our employee expertise was put to the test for the honor of best-burger bragging rights. The Co-op is famous for employing people who know a lot about food, and know how to dress up even a basic burger. “Melted Monterey Jack Cheese lends an added zing to these spiced up hamburgers,” Shelly says. “A dollop of fresh guacamole sends it over the top!” Thanks to Shelly for sharing her recipe, and thanks to all our employees who participated in the best-burger competition.
What's on Sale? Check out our CAP and Weekly Specials!
The Co-op is a food store, after all, and what kind of food store would we be without specials? New store-wide specials are listed weekly, and new CAP specials are listed monthly. Ever wondered what CAP is? It stands for the Cooperative Advantage Program. Okay, you say. So what does that mean? One day, a smart bunch of people decided that if cooperatives all got together, they could have strength in numbers and compete with their big-box competition, and that simple idea started a cooperative buying-power revolution. Want more ideas for your grocery trip this week? Check out what’s in from area farms and the food tip for this week! Not all of our specials make it into ads or onto the website, however. Find out why.
