Tumalo Art Co.

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 Art 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 its 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 and along with the collective members remodeled an industrial space on Greenwood Ave, 2 blocks from Wall Street in Downtown Bend.

In 2008, a decision was made to move the gallery to the Old Mill District in Bend where the gallery could benefit from pedestrian traffic. The gallery opened in its new location, 4450 SW Powerhouse #407, in the heart of the Old Mill District, on June 1, 2009. Tracy Leagjeld stepped down as a partner at the end of 2010 but continues as an active collective member.