LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Profile: Trading Spaces |
by Fay Jacobs |
You've probably visited or at least spotted the Coastal Frameshop and Gallery on the service road at Route One between Outback and the Renegade. Opened just last summer, the gallery has a delightful collection by local artists, has been the scene of several art shows and receptions, and has been a popular resource for custom framing.
But what has been less obvious but more astonishing has been the story of friendship, partnership and inspiration surrounding the recent sale of the gallery. Partners Lee Wayne Mills and Don Gardiner, together for 31 years and both with abundant experience in the art world, are delightfully surprised to be gallery owners here in Rehoboth. Don, a retired banker who also worked as a professional actor and set designer and Lee, an accomplished artist and arts administrator, had always talked of owning a gallery "someday," but someday seemed far off. Since the couple moved to Rehoboth three years ago, Don had been enjoying his retirement, working a few hours for a local craft gallery. Meanwhile, Lee worked as the Gallery Associate for the Rehoboth Art League while painting and assembling his signature mixed-media collages for several successful local showings. When their close friends of over a decade, Robert Gold and Larry Hooker opened the Coastal Gallery last June, Lee and Don were two of their biggest cheerleaders. After a successful first summer, the gallery cruised into fall, with Robert concentrating on unique and elegant custom framing while Larry, a CPA by profession, was delighted to learn that he had a knack for selling fine art. The combination worked beautifully and the gallery really took off. By fall, however, there was trouble. Robert, a long-term cancer survivor, who had undergone two brain operations, one in 1988 and one in 2000 was having recurring symptoms. In early November, the doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital decided to operate. That's when the couple was plunged into a four-month nightmare. While doctors believed the operation had gone very well, for some reason Robert was not getting better. He remained in and out of wakefulness and intensive care for weeks, with Larry, his partner of almost 30 years at his side day and night. With a room nearby arranged by the hospital, Larry spent every possible visiting hour standing by Robert's bed, talking to him, trying to get him to speak, and working with him to regain even the most basic motor skills. After many weeks of constant nursing care, surgeries to reduce fluid build-up, and unwavering attention from Larry, Robert was medically well enough to be transferred to Milford Hospital for rehabilitation. There he had to relearn how to eat, walk and coax his memory back into action. After a week or two of therapy, Robert developed Meningitis and had to return to Hopkins for acute care. The dangerous situation slowly improved, but it wasn't until almost Christmas that Robert was able to return to Milford to start re-hab for real. Meanwhile, back at the Gallery, a cadre of generous friends, including local photographer Roy Boucher, framer Cathin Bishop, Carol and Tony Boyd-Heron from Peninsula Gallery in Lewes and, of course, Lee and Don had been pitching in throughout November and December to keep the gallery open and operating. On the home front, help from the community came as casseroles and lasagnas for Larry, and friends assisting with errands. "While we were helping at the Gallery, I realized how much I enjoyed it, but being a gallery owner was still just a fantasy," Lee recalls. Up in Milford, the going was pretty slow. Robert had friends drop by and day-long visits from his Schnauzer Mitzi, but he still wasn't sure where he was, what time of year it was, or exactly what he'd been through. Over time however, the therapists, the stream of visitors and Larry's relentless attentionquizzing Robert on dates, places and factsslowly began to do the trick. Before long Robert was answering the phone, able to identify every celebrity on Entertainment Tonight and thinking about coming home. With hard work and perseverance, as his therapy progressed, Robert got out of bed and into a wheelchair. By Dec. 31, Robert and Larry and friends celebrated New Year's Eve at 6:30 p.m. (midnight Paris time) with champagne and pat. By the end of January, with Robert pacing the halls at Milford Hospital on a walker, and getting steadier every day, he was well enough to come home. Within days of his homecoming, he was already walking unassisted and, to everyone's delight and amazement, fast approaching a complete recovery from the debilitating after-effects of the surgery. But what about getting back to work and back to business? Throughout January and February the all-volunteer Gallery brigade kept working with Larry to keep the place open. Larry even drove Robert to the shop from time to time so he could help pick out mats and frames for his regular customers. While he was up to the aesthetic tasks, it would be a long time before doctors approved of Robert spending long days up on his feet and doing the hard manual work of framing. After much discussion and with conflicted feelings, Larry and Robert reluctantly made the decision to put the gallery on the market. Meanwhile, Lee and Don were enjoying pinch hitting as gallery workers. In fact, they loved it. When Larry mentioned the decision to sell, Lee and Don unexpectedly had a decision to make. "All of a sudden, the fantasy became a possibility, " says Lee. "What really made it click for me was seeing how excited Don was about it." It was a perfect match. The four friends worked out the details and the Coastal Frameshop and Gallery officially changed hands, seamlessly, in mid-March. "It was a bittersweet time," Larry says, "because we loved the business, even though we realized it was the right decision for us to sell it. But it's great to be able to turn it over to people who we know will do well and enjoy it as much as we did." Lee and Don held their first opening on March 22, with a Still Life show that offered the work of several local artists and a reception/celebration that brought together gallery customers and friends of the two couples. With flowing wine and toasts to both the gallery's new proprietors and Robert's remarkable recovery, it was some party. Lee and Don showed off the artwork and the enormous selection of custom frames; Larry, now a volunteer, pointed out his favorite paintings and encouraged customers' interest; and Robert mingled with customers and friends, delighted to be back in the midst of the action. As for upcoming plans for exhibits and openings, there are many. In addition to showcasing some of the very well known local artists, Lee promises some creatively themed exhibits. "Don's interest in the nuts and bolts of the business will free me up to put together some adventuresome shows for the future," says Lee. "I realize how supportive the area community is and how a very small organization can be successful on many levels. It's really exciting for us." Meanwhile, Don's officially out of retirement, Lee's enjoying his new entrepreneurship, Larry continues his CPA business and Robert is getting used to having plenty of leisure time. At the Coastal Frameshop and Gallery, the team captains and the cheerleaders may have traded places, but everybody's a winner. Coastal Frameshop and Gallery is located at 4284 Highway One. Call 302-227-8704 for more information. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 13, No. 3, April 4, 2003 |