TUMALO ART CO. FACTS

Philosophy

Tumalo Art Co, a fine art collective in Bend, Oregon, owned and operated by artists, is committed to bringing the best of Northwest art to its patrons.

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, and 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. Over time, the furniture and accessory lines were slimmed down and Marta changed from a collective member to a gallery artist in December of 2008.

In 2008, it was decided to find a new location with more pedestrian traffic for the gallery. A decision was made to move the gallery to the Old Mill District in Bend. The gallery opened in its new location on June 1, 2009.

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. With the move to the Old Mill District in 2009, 2 more collective artists were added to the gallery.

In addition to Susan Luckey Higdon and Tracy Leagjeld, the other Collective artists are Nancy Becker, Kim Chavez, Janice Druian, Annie Ferder, Dorothy Freudenberg, Lindy Gruger Hanson, Barbara Hudin, Alisa Huntley, Bruce Jackson, Mary Marquiss, Vicki Shuck and Marty Stewart.

Past collective members included Marta Batha (now a gallery artist), Deanna Hansen, Cheri Lee Helfenstein, Barbara Dorsey Speck and Karen Wylde, Pam Jersey Bird (now a gallery artist) and Gary Vincent.

Gallery Artists are: Marlene Moore Alexander, Marta Batha, Pam Jersey Bird, Judy Hoiness, Janet Guiley, Katherine Taylor and Chris Keylock Williams. Also included are Sandy and Alex Anderson pottery & sculpture, David Warren ceramics as well as Donna Lutzky mosiacs and Lynn Magnuson jewelry.

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. in Bend, Oregon first located at a leased space at 136 NW Greenwood formerly home to MC Smith Signs which had the location for 30 years. The open space had high ceilings and 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 was indeed a perfect background for the art at that time.

The gallery moved it's location in June 2009 to 450 SW Powerhouse Dr. #407 in the Old Mill District. The artists are thrilled to be part of the vibrant culture of the Old Mill and look forward to you stopping by soon!