Two Birds

Over a year ago, we decided to fully commit and purchase a building in downtown Arcadia. We had long known our affection for the historic area and its shops, which were a major part of the charm that continually drew us back to this small town. In 2021, we realized our love for the town was so strong that we bought a home here. Our plan was to eventually rent space in one of the shops down the street, and we were happy with our new neighbors.

As Marc anticipated the end of his driving career, he wanted to explore the artistic side of life again. With some uncertainty, we began exploring online sales and considered the possibility of him starting anew as an artist. We kept an eye on local shops for opportunities. One day, we noticed a building was for sale just as Marc received an early retirement offer from FedEx, which was downsizing and reorganizing its business model. The timing seemed too perfect to ignore.

We contemplated deeply about our decision—What if we went big? What if we opened an entire gallery instead of just a booth? What if we provided other local artists with a space to display and potentially sell their art? Would it succeed? We concluded that the only way to find out was to try. We put most other things aside and agreed to purchase the building. It had solid structure but needed some repairs and a fresh coat of paint inside and out. We infused many of our ideas into redesigning the interior to suit our needs, aiming for a clean yet industrial look with natural elements. Now we just needed art.

Marc and I had been collaborating on furniture designs for our home and decided to create additional pieces for the store. We gradually introduced them to the gallery floor. A distant artist friend offered me several of their images to showcase and make prints of. We were starting to resemble a gallery. One day, while Marc was displaying his artwork, another artist stopped by to see what was happening behind the cardboard-covered windows of the renovated building. This is how he met Lionel Lewis. From the beginning, they connected over their shared passion for art. Lionel, well-known in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda for his artworks, had much to teach Marc about new styles and colors. They quickly developed a friendship, and Lionel began spending more time in the gallery, offering his works for display and sale. He was the first local artist to join Pletcher's on Monroe. This sparked a wave of creators reaching out to join our community of artists. We now have over 25 local artists available in our gallery - many pieces online.

As Marc came to understand the significance of our artists to our mission, he decided to make a request of each one: to contribute to a community mural in our building. He initiated the project by priming a section of wall in the backroom around two electrical conduits, intending for them to act as "power lines" for birds to perch on. He then painted the first bird—a beautiful Meadow Lark reminiscent of those he listened to with his mother in Michigan during his childhood. Once he finished his bird, he invited Lionel to paint one next to it. To our delight, Lionel did just that.

I was lucky to witness and document the creation of each bird. It was fascinating to see how each artist crafted their bird, each using their unique style and techniques. Marc has now invited the other artists to contribute by either painting a bird or adding something around the birds to enhance the project. I am excited to watch it develop in our gallery, knowing it all began with just two birds.

Lionel Lewis' red bird on the left beside Marc Pletcher's Meadow Lark on the right