The Pastor Sean Condran Art Gallery celebrated its opening at the Lebanon Farmers Market, at 35 S. 8th St., Lebanon, on Thursday, Sept. 5.
The goal of the second-floor art gallery is twofold, Debbie Hershey – a board member and spiritual peer support counselor – explained. The gallery is intended both to bring more visitors to the Farmers Market and showcase the talent of local artists.
During the gallery’s grand opening Thursday, father-son duo Luis Soriano and Brayan Canales showed off their art.
Soriano — born in Hondoras — has found Lebanon to be a great place to create art. He works by etching designs into various mediums including wood, mirrors, and metal.
“He found this opportunity to contribute to the local community,” said Canales, translating for Soriano. “Lebanon is a great place and he’s happy to be a part of this community.”
Soriano was proud to be one of the first artists to be showcased at the new art gallery.
“It’s a great opportunity,” said Canales, continuing to translate. “These kind of things really help to support art and artists.”
Canales, on the other hand, discovered his passion during classes he took from seventh to ninth grade.
“I took some technical drawing classes, and I just really loved it,” Canales explained. “The more I work on it, the more I really love it.”
He has continued to practice since, often focusing on the design of churches. Several of these drawings were displayed Thursday.
Hershey noted that they are interested in showcasing a variety of mediums at the not-for-sale gallery each week. She said locals with poetry, jewelry, painting, coloring, or more that would like to be spotlighted can reach out.
Friday, the art gallery’s contents rotated to include paintings and a floral arrangement.
The arrangement, Hershey said, was the only work for sale, as the artist requested that they sell it with proceeds to go toward the ministry’s mission — providing free Christian counseling and other free services to those in need.
Pastor Sean Condran’s ministry has been set up at the second floor of the Farmers Market since March. However, Condran first started working out of his car in 2014.
With September being Suicide Prevention Month, Hershey discussed the nonprofit’s particular focus on suicide prevention.
“Suicide prevention means a lot to me because I’ve been there at one point in my life, and I’m in recovery now where I can help others,” she explained. “I was able to get the help that I needed through someone, and it’s really comforting for me now to know that I can be in a position to help someone who is like me, at one point.”
In addition to offering counseling, Condran’s ministry also provides free transportation to medical appointments and grocery shopping.
The Lebanon Farmers Market booth is not the ministry’s primary office — they meet with clients at Condran’s Cumberland Street office — but it gives prospective patients a chance to meet with Condran or someone on his team and talk about their options.
They can also find pamphlets for a variety of local resources, including support for food insecurity, substance abuse, and more.
A sitting area at Pastor Sean Condran’s Farmers Market booth where visitors can peruse resources or discuss their options with the counseling team.
To learn more about their services, visit the Pastor Sean Condran Office website or visit them at the Lebanon Farmers Market Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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