TUMALO ART CO. FACTS

Philosophy
Making art can create a solitary lifestyle. And, as artists we each face tremendous competition for gallery space. The concept of a group of artists sharing gallery space allows us to succeed at the formidable task of running it. The tremendous amount of work it takes to run a gallery is offset by having creative control of the space, and the benefit of working as a team. As a group, we affirm and challenge one another and form lasting relationships with our art clients.

We want the gallery experience to help each artist be successful so we can continue creating art and, believing that art has enlightening and even healing properties, add a meaningful art experience to our community.

History
Tumalo Art Co. was started in 2001 by Marta Batha and was housed in Tumalo Junction, a commercial building in Tumalo owned by Marta and her husband Vince. She drew the artists who ran the gallery collectively from Partners—the art mentoring group of which she was a member. Each of the seven artists worked at the gallery and was responsible for a job that supported the growth. Marketing, Public Relations, Art Opening Events, Bookkeeping...all of these were handled by the gallery artists. Marta also began a furniture and accessory business that added a unique blend of original fine art arranged in home-like vignettes.

The artists involved became a cohesive group and enjoyed the process of getting to know customers who came into the gallery. The artists discovered that customers enjoyed meeting and talking with artists who could speak knowledgeably about their art in the gallery. And, the artists found they enjoyed selling each others work.

When Tumalo Junction was sold in the fall of 2004, the decision was made to move the gallery into Bend and the search was begun to find a location.

Susan Luckey Higdon and Tracy Leagjeld became the new principals, forming the nucleus of the restructured gallery with Marta Batha as a Collective member, continuing to supply her furniture and accessory lines.

Structure
After trying several models for the collective structure, Luckey Higdon and Leagjeld settled on 12 artists in the collective as well as other artists in a traditional gallery relationship. The 12 Collective artists pay a monthly fee and work in return for lowered commissions. This enables the gallery to cover its operating costs, keeping the doors open as it continues to build its reputation as a high-quality, artist-run gallery.

In addition to Susan Luckey Higdon and Tracy Leagjeld, the other Collective artists are Marta Batha, Pam Jersey Bird, Janice Druian, Dorothy Freudenberg, Lindy Gruger Hanson, Alisa Huntley, Bruce Jackson, Mary McAuliffe Marquiss, Vicki Shuck, Gary Vincent. Past collective members included Cheri Lee Helfenstein, Barbara Dorsey Speck and Karen Wylde (now a gallery artist).

Gallery Artists are: Karen Wylde, Marlene Moore Alexander, Judy Hoiness, Janet Guiley, Deanna Hansen, Katherine Taylor, Sandy and Alex Anderson pottery & sculpture, David Warren ceramics, Lynn Magnuson jewelry, Donna Lutzky mosiacs, Nancy Dasen Ceramics and Brent Wright's furniture pieces.

This varied group of artists is well-known, has deep roots in Central Oregon and range from abstract to realism, in all medias, including photography and fine art digital images. The result is an interesting collection of art that "hangs together" beautifully.

Location
Tumalo Art Co. leased space at 136 NW Greenwood formerly home to MC Smith Signs for the past 30 years. The open space with high ceilings caught the artists imagination immediately. They saw an urban, industrial space, similar to Portland’s Pearl District, where the focus was on great art. The space was transformed with paint, lighting and elbow grease and is indeed a perfect background for the art it now holds.