Getting Back to Business Bainbridge Island Style (Part 1) – Bergh Images and Jeffrey Moose Gallery
It’s been a long tough road over the last few months, and although we’re not out of the woods just yet, we’re resilient, and slowly—under County and State re-opening guidelines—we’re opening our doors again to the public. Through this series, I’m excited to share the stories of our Island businesses—what they’ve been doing over the last few months and what they have planned going forward (please note: I’ll be featuring at least two businesses per article).
Per state health order 20-03, a facial covering must be worn in both indoor and outdoor public spaces (when you’re within six feet of people outside your household) to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe and our businesses open.
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Bergh Images is a fine art photography gallery that opened in September 2018, featuring the work of long-time islander, Andrew (Andy) Bergh. One of Andy’s preferred techniques, high dynamic range imaging, allows him to merge multiple images of the same subject matter taken at different exposures, creating detailed images with an almost painting-like quality. Andy’s images vary between black and white photographs that have a hauntingly beautiful quality, to colorful landscapes and panoramas, which are displayed in different mediums including metal, canvas, and fine art acrylic prints, matted prints, and custom-framed B&W prints.
Andy and his partner, Carol Johnston, utilized the downtime to redesign the gallery with the goal of enhancing the shopping experience for their customers. With that goal in mind, they devoted a wall in the gallery, which consists of nine prints, displaying three images in three mediums; acrylic, canvas and metal prints. As Andy explains, “Before the outbreak, we had one wall in the gallery devoted to acrylic prints, another to metal prints, and yet another to canvas prints. If we wanted to show customers how the choice of medium can affect the artwork, we would point out, say, an acrylic print of a given image at one end of the gallery and then have them look at the same image as a canvas print in a different area. While our point always got across, it wasn’t the most efficient or effective way to make the comparison. By seeing the same image side-by-side-by-side in all three mediums, customers can make a much more informed decision on which medium they prefer.”
Another feature they added pertains to their collection of matted prints, “Before the outbreak,” Carol elaborates, “our matted prints were loosely organized into two categories: ‘local’ or ‘travel.’ Now, they’re arranged by subject matter so customers can easily find an image from a specific location like Bainbridge Island, the Olympic Peninsula, Seattle, the United Kingdom, and Europe.”
In addition, Andy used the closure to update the online store by adding two new pictorial galleries, both of which celebrate the natural beauty of Bainbridge Island and the PNW: “Ferries/Puget Sound” and “Bainbridge Island.” Concurrently, an iPad at the brick-and-mortar store in Winslow now displays these exact same galleries so customers who prefer to view the selections digitally can do so. Future plans to the online pictorial galleries will include images from the Olympic Peninsula, and Seattle/Pioneer Square, as well as assorted galleries of overseas images from the United Kingdom and cities like Paris, Venice, Florence, Amsterdam and Prague. In the meantime, of course, prints in the various mediums can be viewed at the gallery.
While they were busily working on all the above changes, Andy created something new and fun, a private Facebook group called “Bainbridge Island Images.” As the name suggests, the group provides a forum to share and view images of our unique and special island. “Besides posing a serious threat to our physical health, the coronavirus outbreak has been very draining emotionally, so I thought it would be nice to offer a brief diversion to our island community. While we of course want and encourage submissions from members, it’s for photographers and non-photographers alike.” The group has been a tremendous success, and, while private, all islanders are welcome to join, click here to read about the rules and regulations for membership. For another enjoyable distraction, check out Andy’s biweekly blog, which he has kept churning out these past few months.
The Spring Sale – suspended on account of the outbreak – is now a Summer Sale, with discounts on everything in the gallery including 1/3rd off all matted prints.
Bergh Images is located at 400 Winslow Way East, # 115, Bainbridge Island, WA (across from the Streamliner Diner).
At Jeffrey Moose Gallery, this year marks their 25th gallery anniversary, however that wasn’t all they had going on, changes were afoot as well. In 2017, the gallery acquired the frame operation from Roby King Gallery, inheriting a thirty-year collection of materials. Gallery framer, Suzanne Wallace, meticulously sorted through the collection, removing the outdated and no-longer-available samples, as well as adding new contemporary styles to their collection. In addition, they relocated the design table closer to the moulding wall, as to allow the customer a better view of the moulding samples.
Jeffrey’s son, Elias Moose, built a “Covid Curtain” which spans the length of the design table, using a large 36” by 42” plexiglass screen, framed in Douglas fir and outfitted with a narrow slot, which allows them, and the customer, to freely (and safely) move the art back and forth for examination and customization.
While they continued to do minimal framing during the shutdown, they also took the time to install two new exhibits; Evy Olson Halverson’s and the current show by painter/collage artist Gerry Lonning. Both shows were promoted during the Virtual First Fridays on Facebook, which Jeffrey spearheaded—those shows were also joined by Bergh Images, The Island Gallery, and BIMA and attracted many new viewers to the gallery.
Jeffrey studied fine art printing at The School of Art Institute in Chicago and was a founding member of the cooperative, Net Contents Gallery (1989-1993), in Lynwood Center on Bainbridge Island, and performed curatorial work in Seattle for the Rainier Tower, The Alexis Hotel and the Roosevelt Hotel (now the Hotel Theodore). In 1995, Jeffrey opened his first gallery, the Jeffrey Moose Gallery in Rainier Square, Seattle, where he exhibited an eclectic mix of works in several genres, such as painters, sculptors, multi-media, collage and Native artwork from both local and international artists. He is especially fond of Contemporary Indigenous art, with an academic specialty in Australian Aboriginal Art, which blends traditional spiritual content with contemporary media. After many years commuting from Bainbridge Island to his gallery in Seattle, Jeffrey decided to relocate the gallery to a more intimate and relaxed environment here on the island.
Jeffrey Moose Gallery is proud to announce an exhibition of paintings by indigenous artists from Yuendemu in Australia’s Central Desert for the months of July and August. The exhibit runs from Friday, July 10th thru August 30th. A reception will be held on First Friday, August 7th from 6 to 8 PM.
Now re-opened, the gallery is requiring masks for entry and limiting visitors to four at a time, not including employees.
*Jeffrey is also offering readers of this blog a 15% discount on framing services through August.
The Jeffrey Moose Gallery is located at 181 Winslow Way E, Suite F, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 / Phone: 360-598-4479 / jmoose@jeffreymoosegallery.com
*If you’re an island business and would like to share your story, please contact me via the “contact” link in this blog.
*Images and logos used with permission by Bergh Images and Jeffrey Moose Gallery
