VALENTINE, Neb. - In a town better known for cattle than canvas, a new business is adding an unexpected splash of color. A fine art gallery has opened its doors in downtown Valentine—an uncommon sight in a rural Nebraska community.

“Typically most art galleries are in the big cities,” said Craig Beman, the professional artist behind the gallery.

Beman, who grew up in Valentine, recently returned to his hometown after decades of living across the country. He and his wife had spent time in Florida, Texas, and most recently, Tennessee.

“I wasn’t planning on coming back,” Beman said. “We had been living in south Tennessee for the last six years. We had lived in Texas for 12 years and Florida for 12 or 14 years.”

Previously a minister, Beman spent much of his adult life traveling. It wasn’t until he turned 46 that he picked up a paintbrush for the first time—an act that changed the trajectory of his life. By 2006, he was painting full-time.

“It is the grace of God that has given me this gift, and as I paint, I’m having joy,” Beman said.

That joy is what he now hopes to share with his hometown community through his artwork. The idea for the gallery began when a building listing popped up on Beman’s Facebook feed.

“I saw this building, and I said to my wife, ‘That would make a good place to have an art gallery on the main level, and we can live upstairs,’” Beman said.

Inside the new gallery, Beman’s detailed paintings aim to inspire viewers not just to appreciate art on the wall, but to notice the beauty in the world around them.

“My hope is people see these paintings, the detail, and they see the grace of God, and it will encourage them,” Beman said.

As Beman puts it: “We should appreciate the beauty around all of us.”

For those passing through Valentine, it’s one more reason to pause—and perhaps view the Sandhills through a new lens.