Proving the skeptics wrong

By Craig Westcott

If you think there’s something a little different, maybe prettier, about your favourite downtown CBS store lately, take a closer look at the walls. Chances are the business is displaying a piece of art by a local artist.
The CBS Community Gallery, as it has been named, is a program that sees CBS businesses serving as a multi-unit gallery for local artists to showcase and sell their wares.
The program is run by Downtown CBS, a lobbying group for businesses in the Long Pond to Manuels area.
The idea for it came from David Coates, an artist who retired July 7 from his day job as an IT consultant with Bell Canada after 34 years.
Coates, who is best known as a baseball coach and organizer, took up painting about two and half years ago and to his surprise discovered he was pretty good at it. When well known CBS artist Glenda Bartlett invited him to participate in one of her group’s exhibitions and art sales, Coates got to meet other artists and hear their stories about how hard it is to get gallery space and sell their work.
“A lot of them are not comfortable with promotion,” allowed Coates.
A common complaint was that there was no support for their work in CBS, especially from the town council.
“I said, ‘Have you ever asked?’” Coates said.
So, Coates asked himself. He approached then councillor Paul Connors who in December 2024 took a proposal from Coates to the rest of council.
“It took about a year of moving back and forth (with staff),” Coates said.
But council supported it. Last year, council opened the Town Hall for an art show that allowed many artists to sell their works.
Next Coates approached Downtown CBS.
“I put in a proposal saying I would like to work with you and your affiliated businesses,” Coates said. “And in April of this year we launched it with the businesses.”
Eighteen businesses agreed to display the works of CBS artists. Along with the artwork, the displays include contact info for the artists in case someone sees a work they’d like to hang on their own wall.
Coates lined up some 38 or 39 artists to participate in the exhibition and has managed to sell one of his own works, which was displayed at Shoppers Drug Mart in Manuels.
Each month, Coates, arranges for the art to be switched out so that everyone gets an opportunity to display their pieces.
“Every location is branded with a CBS Community Gallery sign,” said Coates.
His hope is to grow the program to other businesses in town outside the downtown core and is talking with the CBA Chamber of Commerce about doing just that.
Darcy Scott, the executive director at Downtown CBS, said the businesses are happy to support the local artists.
“What we’re really trying to do is add a little bit more beautification within the downtown,” Scott said. “And there are so many incredible artists here on the shore. Whether they’re just getting their start or they’re a little bit more established, it’s a great way to put your art in front of people. There’s a sort of built in audience – there’s a lot of foot traffic in these businesses – and it sort of creates more of a downtown feel. One thing that we’re really trying to push, rather than just ‘Here’s our businesses, here’s what we offer,’ is to create something that’s a little bit softer, more community-driven, rather than business driven, and I think art is a great way to really incorporate that.”
Scott allowed it can be tough to make a living from art.
“We have had a few pieces sell because somebody is sitting in a waiting room at a CBS Wellness or a business like that and a piece of art really catches their eye and that’s a pretty incredible thing,” Scott said. “Because you make the art and you put it out there and you really don’t know what’s going to happen. Sometimes one piece can really change the momentum and keep you going to put that next piece out there, so I think it’s a really incredible thing that the gallery is doing.”
Coates, meanwhile, is pushing another idea with the Town of CBS – an art procurement program. That also started with Connors when he was on council, and after he left for federal politics, was taken up by Ward 1 councillor Shelley Moores. Coates is hoping to have the Town buy local pieces and display them in all Town facilities that are visited by the public.
Again, some artists were initially sceptical that council would support the endeavour, Coates admitted, but he has shown them differently. Artists are now working on submissions for the Town’s consideration.
“The art will be in different venues,” said Coates. “It’s beautification of the town.”
You can see Coates’ own pieces at his Route 60 Gallery on Spruce Hill Road, in Topsail.