Petoskey, MI August 6, 2010 – The Gala Preview Opening for Café Society: coffee house portraits took place Thursday evening at the Little Traverse History Museum. This premier event generated 70% of the funds needed for an annual scholarship to be awarded to a Northern Michigan coffee house worker. The Café Society Educational Fund is a scholarship Bill Hosner established at the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation (www.petoskey-harborspringsfoundation.org). Once the fund reaches $10,000, a $500 scholarship will be awarded annually to a Northern Michigan barista in perpetuity.

The opening was a night of coffee, art, wine, and Northern Michigan celebrities including Doug Stanton, Paul Hramiec, and Harry Goldson. Guests enjoyed coffee from Roast & Toast (Petoskey), wine from the Traverse City Art & Wine Festival, pastries from Cuppa Joe (Traverse City) and Crema (Traverse City), and hors d’oeuvres courtesy of City Park Grill (Petoskey) and Three Pines Studio & Gallery (Cross Village). The highlight of the evening was the premier of Café Society: coffee house portraits, a collection of 30 original pastel portraits of Northern Michigan baristas by Bill Hosner.

Hosner, an internationally recognized pastel artist and avid coffee-lover, chose to paint baristas at his favorite coffee houses after years of getting to know them. Most portraits were completed within the coffee houses in one hour. While painting the baristas, Hosner listened to their hopes and dreams. Hearing their stories reminded him of his own youth, and he was compelled to do something to help fuel their drive and ambition. He wanted others to see their unique “coffee house culture” the way he did, and so the Café Society was born.

Café Society: coffee house portraits will continue to be displayed at the Little Traverse History Museum through at least September 10. The Museum is open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm and Saturday 1pm-4pm. Admission is $4 per person over age 18, $1 for children age 5-17, and free to members and children under 5. The Little Traverse History Museum (www.petoskeymuseum.org) is located in the historic train depot on the Petoskey waterfront.

For more images from the Gala Preview Opening, click here.

To hear an interview on IPR with Bill and Barista Alisha, click here. Thank you, IPR, for your support of Cafe Society!