Foster Gallery

My community has an artist cooperative, the Cultural Arts Alliance, and members are regularly invited to participate in a variety of local events. There are art markets, art displays in a local theater lobby, juried exhibits, and my favorite, participation in a co-op gallery, The Foster Gallery.This is a popular tourist area, and the high-end shopping district where the gallery is located is a big draw for visitors. I mean, Emeril Lagasse has a restaurant just around the corner, and he often works in the kitchen.

I am delighted to be part of the gallery’s summer rotation exhibit, which began last weekend and extends through October. There are so many talented artists associated with the group and displaying there currently. I am a humbled—my rudimentary self-portrait is at the top of my display, and she stands there whispering to herself, "what the heck?"

One of the interesting aspects of this co-op style gallery is that members work there. Each artist displaying during a seasonal rotation will cover the place at least eight times, doing everything from greeting visitors to selling work to taking out the trash at the end of the day. I am about to work my first shift, and I am both delightful and nervous. What if I forget how to disarm the alarm system, is my biggest fear? And what if I forget how to use the electronic cash register? I am a quick learner and love talking to people, so I think this is going to work out once I get past my first-day jitters.