When it comes to the bottom line, selling art is no different than any other retail venture. There’s no substitute for brand-name recognition.
So when longtime gallery director Jamie Bade decided to purchase the Goodnight Trail Gallery from her employer, Roger Brooks and his wife, renowned Western artist Veryl Goodnight, changing the name on the door wasn’t a consideration.
“While Veryl, her name and her work were and are, of course, an extremely important part of the gallery and its beginnings, she was actually rarely here,” Bade said. “Understandably, she wanted to be free to work on her art, which I need her to do. That being said, the work and impeccable reputation of Veryl and the other nationally known artists that the gallery represents was and will continue to be vital to the gallery’s success.”
Although Bade is aware of the value of the Goodnight name and reputation, she’s not the first to exploit the brand at the gallery. The gallery was named not for Veryl Goodnight, but for her ancestor Col. Charles Goodnight, whose story Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove series was loosely based on. Such roots have bade well for Goodnight and her career. Other artists represented at Goodnight Trail include Carole Cooke, Mike Desatnick, Ralph Oberg, Wayne Wolfe, Andrew Peters, Mitch Billis, Tiffany Stevenson, Susan Matteson, Patsy Davis, Bill Nebeker, George Bumann, Jerry Cohoe, Barbara van Cleve, Russell Crites and Jimmy Cook. All were brought in by Col. Goodnight’s descendent, and all have agreed to stay on.
“I have always just been another artist in the pool, and my biggest contribution simply came from getting my friends, artists of renown, to show in a new gallery. “Roger and I have wanted Jamie to own the Gallery for some time.”
Brooks said the working relationship he and Goodnight have maintained with Bade since the gallery opened five years ago has made the transition seamless.
“The gallery has really been Jamie’s since shortly after its inception,” he said. “Jamie quickly showed us that she is very capable. We mentored her a bit as she learned the art business, but mostly we simply let her run the gallery. “From early on, it was our intention to turn the gallery over to Jamie at some point, and we felt this was the right time,” he said.
Bade will hold a reopening party Saturday. The neighbors will all be in on the festivities.
Nate Funmaker of Nathaniel’s Hats recently moved down the block and will have a grand reopening, too. Nearly everyone else on the block will be celebrating anniversaries, including Fahrenheit Coffee, Raven House Gallery, The Beehive, Ian’s Rum Bar, the Artisans of Mancos and Painted Turtle Studio. It’s a happening place if you haven’t been there recently.
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If you go
Goodnight Trail Gallery will host a grand re-opening party from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at 101 W. Grand Ave. in Mancos. Other businesses will hold anniversary celebrations, including Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters, Nathaniel’s of Colorado, Raven House Gallery, The Beehive, Artisans of Mancos, the Painted Turtle Studio and Ian’s Alley Rum Bar at Mancos Valley Distillery.
Ian’s will host a separate birthday bash at 5 p.m. today with music by local pop-punk band Comeback ($3 cover).
