Feast for the eyes

MAT-SU — Diners at Vagabond Blues chat excitedly about the events of the day, munch on homemade soups and sandwiches, and some take a few minutes to enjoy local artwork.

Like many Valley small businesses, the downtown Palmer eatery goes out of its way to showcase local artists. From established names like Shane Lamb to up-and-comers, these mom-and-pop operations are the grassroots connection between the community and creativity.

Having venues to show their work is “a big boost” for Valley artists, said Carmen Summerfield, a board member for Valley Arts Alliance, a muralist and cast-iron artist. “It’s (nice) to have the art out of your house, out of your basement, and into a place where more people will see it.”

It’s a win-win collaboration for small businesses and the arts community, said Nicole Johnson, manager at Vagabond Blues, which features month-long exhibits. By changing the art, the decor of the restaurant remains vibrant and fresh, she said.

“I think for our customers it really opens up their eyes to new and different art,” she said. “It’s important to keep ties to local artists because it stimulates our economy. It’s very entertaining to see the different artists we have here. It’s really vast. A lot of customers like the changing art and to be able to see who’s new and up-and-coming around here.”

Summerfield, who will show her work next weekend in Palmer at the MidSummer Garden and Art Faire, agrees with Johnson that featuring artwork is good business.

“If there’s a thriving art community, it goes hand-in-hand with a thriving business community,” she said. “As artists, we need those spaces. And for businesses, it shows a connection with the community.”

That connection is one valued by Wasilla Primrose Community retirement complex, said manager Kristen Woods. In addition to hosting monthly art events as part of the local Second Saturday series, Primrose is featuring the art of locals Noël Bell and Laurie Green this month.

“We like to be a part of the community and support different venues, and encourage the community to come in and view artists,” Woods said. “We enjoy having the opportunity to be part of the Valley art community.”

Local organizations like Valley Arts Alliance and Valley Fine Arts Association benefit from the collaboration as well, said Suzanne Bach, fine arts coordinator for Mat-Su College.

“It goes back to a time in France when they had a salon show … where artists who had competed to be in a major art show were rejected,” she said. “They moved to another location and started a salon show, and that was in Monet’s time, around the 1880s. We now display our work in a salon fashion, which is covering the walls, rather than a museum fashion.”

Some of Bach’s work is on display at Espresso Café in Wasilla across from Wal-Mart.

While it’s nice to sell some art at these local venues, the real value is having the work appreciated and building a reputation, she said.

“Some of the venues are more productive as far as sales than others, but all of them provide an atmosphere to have someone see their work,” Bach said.

Without places like Vagabond Blues, Espresso Café and Sicily’s Pizza, which is planning a large show with a Mediterranean influence, the landscape would be more limited, she said.

“It would mean we would have to find more privately owned spaces that were designated just for gallery,” she said. “When I send my students out to do a gallery crawl as part of an assignment, I have them go to the coffee shops, galleries and museums. It’s amazing how many of them say they’ve been in the coffee shop before but never noticed the art.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.