By LEE WARD / THE INDEPENDENT
ASHLAND — Painters and potters aren’t the only ones making works of art at the Pendleton Art Center.
Kathy Keelin, owner of The Olive Tree at the Pendleton, is responsible for the intoxicating aromas that fill the building every day. From gourmet coffee to sweet baked goods to savory soups, Keelin, who is featured artist for February, has something delicious cooking very day.
For tonight’s First Friday art walk, she will have some special items on the menu.
“On First Friday’s I don’t do a full menu,” Keelin said. “I’ll have some things from the regular menu and some from the catering menu to give customers a taste of both.”
She said there also will be strawberry shortcake rolls, chocolate-covered strawberries and brownies.
She’s also taking orders for chocolate-covered strawberries by the dozen, which will cost $9.99. She said she will have them ready to pick up on Feb. 11 and 12.
The Olive Tree originated on the corner of Winchester and 16th, the previous location of McMean’s Pharmacy. In April 2009, she moved her business to the Pendleton.
“I love the arts and I love the spot here,” she said of the cafe’s current location. “The atmosphere here is wonderful. I love being with these artists. They are Ashland’s best-kept secret.
“I loved the corner, too. It helped me get started,” she added, referring to The Olive Tree’s first location. “It was the perfect place, but I couldn’t expand.”
Previously, there was seating for eight. At the Pendleton location, Keelin said she can seat 52 customers, plus she has room to luncheons and showers.
The Olive Tree was her first stab at catering and restaurant operation, but she always had a fascination with food and cooking.
“I liked watching my mom and my grandmother cook,” she said. When she was raising her children, she said she often fed them on-the-go foods like chicken nuggets and fish sticks, but when she married her current husband, Terry Keelin, she decided to do more home cooking.
“I loved to watch the Food Network and I’m addicted to cookbooks,” she said. “I love to feed people and to entertain and cooking has just always been my stress release, so I decided, why not try to make a little money at it?”
The Olive Tree at the Pendleton is best known for its butter cookies, brownies, chocolate chip cookies. Keelin said her chicken salad and spaghetti also are popular items.
But the menu changes as the seasons change.
“During winter, we started having a soup of the day in a bread bowl,” she said. “When spring comes, we’ll do cucumber soup and shrimp cocktail.”
Being in a creative atmosphere like the Pendleton has inspired Keelin to be a creative cook. She said she tries to contribute to the relaxed feeling at the center, not only with her good food and coffees, but with soothing spa music in the background.
“The artists are constantly giving me ideas,” she said. “This is the perfect comfort spot to come in Ashland for coffee, to see art or to have lunch. She said many of the artists eat lunch there every day, boosting her business and giving customers the chance to meet and talk with the artists.
“If you’re not an art lover when you come in, you will be when you leave,” she said. “And if you’re not a gourmet coffee lover when you come in, I’ll make sure you are one when you leave.”
Keelin said she’s grateful for her regular customers, too, but first and foremost, Keelin said, the Pendleton Art Center is focused on the art.
“The Pendleton is about the artist and I try to add that extra little touch for them,” she said. “They are my best customers.”
In addition:
‰Admission to the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center is free for First Friday. The museum is at 1620 Winchester Ave.
‰The Upstairs Gallery will be open for the First Friday art walk with music provided by solo guitarist Nicholas Newman. Barbara Dellagatti is the featured artist of the month. She is a watercolorist from Ona, W.Va.
The gallery is at 1428 Winchester Ave. in Ashland.
LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.
