ARCHER—Few people think of Archer, a town of just over 100 people, as a shopping destination. But a Main Street storefront has many items for sale that are one of a kind.
Inside Blue Monkey Gallery, custom jewelry and fused glass ornaments line shelves and tables, set alongside bowls, mugs and tea kettles thrown and glazed by local potters. Postcards and prints sit in wicker baskets near the doorway, not far from a silk flower painting resting on an easel and a painting of large ship docking at shore in the back corner. There are landscape paintings of forests and farmhouses, collections of shadowboxes, and abstract black-and-white drawings.
“You can tell when something’s been created with love and joy, and not just churned out,” said Blue Monkey Gallery co-owner Lissa Lane-Johnson who lives southwest of Archer.
Lissa Lane-Johnson hangs an oil and pastel painting by Karen Spears in the back room of the Blue Monkey Gallery. The storefront includes a wide variety of artwork, including paintings, drawings, ceramics and jewelry.
As an artist herself, Lane-Johnson knows creative work like this is a labor of love. It is often hard for local artists to find places to store and showcase their work. Lane-Johnson, along with fellow artist and co-owner Karen Spears, who lives in Sheldon, consider Blue Monkey Gallery an “artist’s cooperative.” The gallery typically features about 10 artists at a time, and they receive commission based on what art they sell at the store.
“It’s amazing how many artists there are all around us,” Spears said. “We always stress that it’s fine art by local artists.”
Prices at the shop vary, starting at $8 for fused glass earrings and ornaments, $30 for smaller paintings, and several hundred for large paintings. Lane-Johnson said the artists set most of their own prices.
Lane-Johnson and Spears opened the gallery in the fall of 2005. Their Main Street building, rented from Archer resident and friend Dave De Kok, who died in 2023, used to house the community’s bank right in the heart of Archer’s downtown during the early 1900s. Lane-Johnson said the building’s charm makes it particularly special.
“It lends itself to art,” she said. “It is a unique building with a lot of history, so we enjoy that part of it.”
Blue Monkey Gallery displays several pieces of art through the windows at its location on Archer’s Main Street. The building has historical ties to the town, once being home to a bank.
The tall brick building, complete with a bright blue awning, still has remnants of a teller’s booth, and a walk-in safe near the back reminds guests of its past. It’s almost as unique as the art itself.
Lane-Johnson and Spears received a warm welcome when they opened the gallery’s doors over 18 years ago. Since then, they have expanded by adding more artists and events, including an annual Mother’s Day tea in May and an open house in November to kick off the holiday season. Lane-Johnson said she would love to host more outdoor events and open mic nights, connecting the community with local artistry. But drumming up enough interest for these events can be difficult.
“That’s part of the struggle with a place like this,” Lane-Johnson said. “People forget that it’s an option to come and do something different.”
When the gallery is not hosting these events, Lane-Johnson and Spears are jurying pieces to decide what gets showcased in the gallery.
“We just kind of look it over and say, ‘Is this something that will fit our demographic?’” Lane-Johnson said. “It might be lovely, but we know if it’s a fit for our customer base.”
Lane-Johnson and Spears gravitate toward art rather than “crafts.” Lane Johnson said she is drawn to work that feels inspired and heartfelt; anything that “gives you a sense of joy or maybe wonder in the moment.” They are always looking for new artists who want to display artwork at the storefront.
A silk painting by Meriden artist Cathy Reed rests near a doorway of the storefront. Reed is one of many artists who displays her work at Blue Monkey Gallery, and owners Lissa Lane-Johnson and Karen Spears hope to add even more interested artists to the gallery’s lineup in the near future.
It is rare they turn any artist away, as Lane-Johnson said it is their goal to see every artist succeed. Most of the contributing artists are within an hour’s drive, from towns like Sheldon, Cherokee, Meriden, Spirit Lake and Hospers. For Lane-Johnson, Spears and other local creatives who sell their art at the gallery, artistry is not just a hobby, but a lifelong pursuit; a craft to continue to perfect and pursue. In Lane-Johnson’s family, it also is a legacy.
“My dad was an artist,” Lane-Johnson said. “And when he retired, that was his intent. To just paint.”
She said her father, Robert Lane, suffered health concerns early on in retirement that made continuing with his artwork nearly impossible. Lane-Johnson saw it as a dream unfulfilled.
“I’m carrying the torch,” she said. “You think of those things, like, ‘I’m getting this done for you.’”
Her daughter, Emily Bonnema, is an artist as well. Lane-Johnson said Bonnema was the one who helped her come up with the name years ago, by combining her favorite color, blue, with her daughter’s favorite animal, a monkey. The uniqueness of the name still sparks people’s curiosity, which is what Lane-Johnson and Spears hope people feel when they explore the gallery’s artwork.
“I feel like through all these years we’ve really expanded the people who come to the gallery. That’s really grown,” Spears said.
The continued interest and loyal customers help the gallery keep its goal of promoting local art central.
