About MoonRise Gallery
We are a gallery dedicated to the efforts of local artists, displaying all forms of creative endeavors. Our building was previously the home of Two Birds Bakery and we have retained certain elements of the bakery in our design. Originally, our little brick building was built as the post office by Roy Johnson, grandfather of gallery owner Barbi Hayes
About Glacier Creek Preserve
MoonRise Gallery partners with Glacier Creek Preserve in promoting nature and the arts.
Glacier Creek Preserve is a UNO natural resource, restored tallgrass prairie system located at 14810 State St., Bennington NE. It is open to the public from dawn to dusk at no charge.
The priority of the Preserve is research and education for K-12 and metropolitan universities and colleges. It provides a complex of habitats involving restored prairie, crop land, wetlands, draws, and creeks; and is managed with prescribed burning to mirror fire’s role in historic tallgrass prairie systems.
Gallery Women
Barbi Hayes
Barbi Hayes has been many things in her life- including a trained biologist, environmental consultant, and renaissance naturalist– and will continue to be many more. Her background in biology has lead to an avid interest in the ongoing competition between the human species and the natural world. She is also a collector of deceased animals.
Barbi has a great love of books and art, as wall as the relationship between the two. She vehemently opposes the banning of books.
A strong supporter in all things minority, she believes in inclusivity, equality, and the healing power of the moon- all of which she has envisioned for the space of MoonRise Gallery.
“Outside the Garden of Eden, time does not stand still”
Gallery Women
Megan Thomas
Curator
Megan Thomas began working at MoonRise Gallery in July 2020. She earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art from the University of Nebraska in Omaha in 2005 and now continues her painting practice at home. Megan’s adventures between then and now include relocating to Northern California, then back to Omaha, co-owning Two Birds Bakery with Trilety Wade, and working for a local jewelry retailer as Diamond Librarian, wowza!.
Megan maintains daily functions of the MoonRise Gallery and is the main point of contact for exhibiting artists.