Edward Bernard Gallery nominated for national retailer award

The Edward Bernard Gallery may not be clustered in the local artistic epicenter of downtown Cape Girardeau, but it also stands alone in less geographical terms.

NICHE magazine, the exclusive trade publication for progressive retailers of fine American craft, has named the Edward Bernard Gallery as a nominee in its 2008 Top Retailer Awards. This program annually recognizes the nation's best craft retailers, arts not-for-profits, museums and guilds for growing and strengthening the American craft community.

Gallery owner Peg MacDougall said the nomination, sent in by some of the artists featured at the gallery, is a great honor.

"We are very thrilled with this nomination and couldn't be happier to know that we've impressed some people," MacDougall said. "But as an art community we all work together, so all of our efforts are beneficial for the whole artistic scene here."

The Edward Bernard Gallery features primarily glass artwork, much of it abstract, that you can't find anywhere else in the region. MacDougall said about 20 percent of the work is by regional artists.

Every month, the EB Gallery is not only a place to showcase the visual arts on First Friday, it's a venue to showcase the musical talents in Cape Girardeau.

In the past the gallery has supplemented its artwork with fiddler Liesl Schoenberger, one of the best musicians in the area, and jazz trio Fill.

"We brought a medium here you don't normally see in this area. You just don't typically see glass galleries in the Midwest," MacDougall said. "Now it's only getting better. We have become more creative with our gallery -- more upscale but comfortable. I think our message really communicates to everyone who stops in."

NICHE magazine polled more than 10,000 professional craft artists throughout U.S. and Canada for the awards. Award winners will be announced at a ceremony, which will be attended by MacDougall, on August 3 during the Philadelphia Buyers Market of American Craft. Winners will be published in the autumn 2008 issue of NICHE.