Inspiring Conversations with Marian Hesse of Madison & Main Gallery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marian Hesse.

Hi Marian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Imagine a business with no employees, where shopkeepers believe in something bigger than themselves, and who enjoy being surrounded by beauty and inspiration. Imagine this business has succeeded for nearly 40 years. And that this business is in Greeley, Colorado. This business is an art gallery: Madison & Main Gallery.

In the 1980s, many small communities were having difficult economic times, and downtown Greeley had several vacant storefronts. Some friends who were area potters decided to have a holiday sale at one of these storefronts.
The holiday sales went well and the idea of opening their own gallery was discusses.
None of the artists was interested in owning a gallery, but they were familiar with the concept of an artist cooperative gallery. They invited artist friends to join them, adopted bylaws, and started a cooperative gallery at 801 8th Street in Greeley. They asked other friends who were artists to help fill the gallery with art. They named the gallery after the original names of 8th Avenue and 8th Street: Madison & Main Gallery.

In 2001, the gallery moved to its present location 927 16th Street, a popular shopping and dining street across from the University of Northern Colorado School of Music.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The ongoing issue with any gallery dealing in fine art is attracting people who want to bring art into their homes. Creative marketing, location, and local support keep our Gallery fresh and bring in returning visitors.

It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve progressed each year and keep growing. Starting in 2020, we began offering books by local authors and we now have more than a dozen authors. We credit our longevity to the creativity and variety of our artists. There were three times in our nearly 40 years when the “Big Meeting” was held. Whether it was difficult economic times or a worldwide pandemic, there was a discussion about whether the gallery should continue to operate. Each time, the quietest member of the gallery spoke firmly: “We go on.”, he said.

With six shows each year, always offering a new theme, the gallery continually changes and evolves. Show setup occurs the weekend before the first Friday of alternate months. The days before the opening have a strong, chaotic element. Every piece of art is taken off the walls and the display shelves and moved to a new location. The incoming guest artists are factored into the displays and discussions circle around how to most attractively present each artist. By the time the set-up weekend concludes, another miracle has happened, the gallery is beautifully arranged. The gallery looks amazing for our First Friday receptions.
The year begins with the Member’s Show, which is the only show without guest artists. This provides the member artists an opportunity to display new work, or new media they have been exploring. Our March and April show also features artwork by local schoolchildren on one gallery wall through a cooperative venture with a District 6 school in Greeley. The title of that show in 2026 will be Pareidolia. The Garden Show (2026 ALIVE!) is in May and June and the renowned Bike Show (in its 16th year!) is in July/August. The Autumn Glow is the 2026 September/October show. The holiday Winter Lights show brings the year to a close.
The gallery membership includes more than 70 Colorado artists, many of whom have been with the gallery for more than 20 years. This type of continuity is the goal of many arts organizations- we’ve accomplished this for nearly 40 years and we have no plans to stop.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Madison & Main Gallery?
Madison & Main Gallery is a cooperative art gallery highlighting Colorado artists. All facets of the gallery are run by the working members. Each person works shifts as a shopkeeper and several have additional tasks related to the gallery business. In addition to the member artists, we frequently have guest artists.

If it is art, we have it: Painting, photography, mixed media, glass art, works in paper, jewelry, fiber art, and ceramics fill the space.

With over seventy artists who are members of the gallery, the variety that we have among the artists and their backgrounds, and the media they use to create, is astonishing.

Among the artists who are shopkeepers, we have belly dancers, jewelers, beekeepers, scientists, teachers and professors, fashion industry representatives, as well as award-winning musicians.
Other individuals who bring art into the gallery are engineers, architects, balloon artists, animators, a cellist, teachers, an acupuncturist, computer specialists, university administrators, bankers, and a city planner.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
We believe Art is necessary for the human condition, and our gallery is a place to visit when you need something beautiful. Greeley is one of the fastest-growing cities in Colorado. Supporters of the gallery bring out-of-town friends to shop for gifts. Many artists in the gallery have fans who come in to see the new creations. People are always seeking to beautify their homes and enhance their lives. We bring new artists from our community into the community through our changing exhibits.

We have an excellent location on 16th Street, and we are working to improve our communication with the city and the residents of all of Northern Colorado. We would like to see the gallery become more visible, and to continue to expand as part of our NoCo community.

Contact Info:

• Website: Madmaingallery@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madmaingallery/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madmaingallery
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/madison-and-main-gallery-greeley

Image Credits
photos by Gii Astorga, Marian Hesse, Rodney Barnes