

Meg Wallace, owner and local
artist, opened the Gallery – Gift Store in late 2006. She is committed to giving precedence to local artists, though
she contracts with others living elsewhere in Costa Rica for art she cannot get
locally. She rarely sells art from
other countries, even if the object is beautiful, because of her strong sense
of community and kinship with Costa Rica.
Her personal philosophy is that while art is indeed a business as well
as a passion, neither the public nor the artist should be taken advantage
of. Thus she strives to keep her sales
commission down, and this is clearly reflected in the prices you pay.
Meg would like you to enjoy our
local art through the lens of our history, and, while wandering through our
store; you will get a glimpse of it.
Displayed amongst the artistic creations are photos and explanations
about the original indigenous populations, the arrival of the first Tico
settlers and later, the settling of the Quakers. Where possible there are examples and photos of each groupīs arts
and crafts, and there is a book with information on each of our artists, so you
can get to know them and their works better.
There is also a small photo gallery dedicated to the Quakers and how
they discovered Monteverde and made a life here, including building the cheese
factory and the hydroelectric plant.
You are welcome to visit Meg’s Studio, which is nearby. Depending on the day, you might catch her working in ceramics, glass, painting or weaving (or if the weather is particularly good you might encounter her in her organic garden). If you would like to try your hand at creating something yourself, let us know, as classes are available. Just ask the store receptionist to call the studio to check availability.
Above all, we wish you a very happy visit in Costa Rica, and especially here in Monteverde.