June is anniversary month at Deschutes Brewery. To honor that, they're showcasing the creative talent of 23 of their pub employees in a group art show. The eclectic showcase is hanging throughout the month of June.
Sarah Cook, a server at the pub for 11 years, took over managing the art that hangs in the pub for First Friday a few years ago. Cook, who dabbles in photography, doesn't consider herself an artist, but took over the curation of the space simply out of a love for art. Cook regularly seeks out artists to feature, and employees would often approach her to ask about featuring their work. This resulted in two to three shows a year featuring employees' work.
Cook realized she could open up the space to more employees and asked if anyone was interested in doing a group show. The response was overwhelming. Cook quickly realized the show would have to be limited to pub employees, due to space—but also that this had potential for becoming an annual event celebrating the culture of Deschutes Brewery.
"The most inspirational thing is how excited (the employees) are about it," says Cook. "They are embracing each other and it has brought a great vibe in the place."
The show features art in mediums including sculpture, painting, embroidery, beading, mixed media and even some crocheted monster dolls. Being able to see the work of fellow employees has been exciting for the work environment, Cook explained, and even brought about some surprises.
"Nobody knew one of our head cooks crochets dolls! It was really special for guys to see the talent that maybe people weren't showing," shares Cook. "I am really proud of our people for being creative."
![Get Your Art on the Wall ▶ [with video] (con versión en español)](https://media2.bendsource.com/bend/imager/get-your-art-on-the-wall-with-video-con-version-en-espanol/u/r-bigsquare/12934834/artwatch1.1.jpg?cb=1680199454)
