Art gallery opens in Depoe Bay | Business
DEPOE BAY – Two artists have opened an art gallery that celebrates whimsy, creativity and beauty.
Mary Jo Oxrieder and her husband Doug Windwalker Taibi opened the Raven Rocks Gallery in Depoe Bay last summer. The gallery next to the REMAX and directly opposite the whale fountain shows not only the couple’s creations, but also those of seven other artisans.
“Our big thing is our mood,” explained Oxrieder. “We don’t see ourselves as a traditional art gallery, even though we have high-end products. We love the attraction of ordinary people looking to find something unique, from a $ 3 heart stone or $ 4 bookmark to tapestries and mosaics that can cost over $ 3,000. “
Both owners spin yarn in the shop. Taibi uses this hand-spun yarn to weave tapestries. Oxrieder paints, knits and sews batik dolls “Lucky Fish” and “Scrapper”. The gallery is also filled with oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media paintings, stained glass mosaics, jewelry, stone and bronze sculptures, driftwood carvings, handmade ceramics, and greeting cards and other works of art.
Taibi also cuts gems and beach stones and has a variety of them for sale. “Something that is becoming more and more attractive is that we are both die-hard rockhounds,” Taibi said. “People are starting to see what the beach rocks look like when they are cut for jewelry.”
A yarn spinning machine is on site and customers often find one of the owners spinning and weaving. “That’s one of the most attractive things about the gallery,” said Taibi. “It’s also my fiber optic studio. People see it happen. And we can look at the view. “
The gallery is handicap accessible and has chairs so customers can sit comfortably and watch whales and the bubbling horns in Depoe Bay.
Raven Rocks Gallery isn’t the couple’s first business together, but it’s an affair of the heart. The couple, who met in 2002 and said it was love at first sight, owned a gallery on Whidbey Island for about 15 years. “It was a great experience,” said Taibi. “Mary Jo has built up a large following. Your works of art are the main drive for the gallery. “
Oxrieder and Taibi had vacationed in Lincoln County for several years, speculating that one day they would move to the area. “We started talking about maybe moving to Oregon in 2020,” said Oxrieder. “We called a real estate agent in Whidbey and said we would be ready to sell in early February. That got the ball rolling. We started packing. Then COVID came and there was no rolling back up the hill. But it worked for us. “
They bought a house on the coast and looked for studio space to rent from Newport to Lincoln City. Taibi drove through Depoe Bay and found the rental space. Oxrieder and Taibi didn’t particularly search Depoe Bay, but found that there was nothing like their gallery there. “Then we realized that maybe someone really had to break into this scene,” Taibi said.
The two tackled most of the space remodeling themselves, including removing plywood paneling, paneling, and slapboards. “We took it apart and there was a lot of lumber but nothing we could use. We were able to donate it to people who needed these building materials with wood shortages and such high prices. It was a wonderful situation that brought us into the community, ”said Taibi. They still plan on adding spotlights and movable panels to create more hanging space for art.
As for the other artists in the gallery, the couple brought along the artists who were with them at Whidbey who they thought would fit into their new gallery. “We always had artists who were unique to us. We want people to see things they have never seen before. That’ll be our thing here, ”said Oxrieder.
The owners also support new artists who have never worked in a gallery before. “We’re more than willing to coach people from the start on how to design and finish them so they look professional. We are ready to share whether the artists are here or not. And we will have a month long show for new artists for their portfolio, ”said Oxrieder.
Much of their success is due not only to their artistic talent, but also to the kind of energy they exude. “We’re working on it. We don’t worry and we bring out positive things. This is our method – be positive. We can stop the flow of traffic by worrying. That’s our secret, ”said Oxrieder.
That positive thinking got them exactly where they wanted to be. “We wanted an adventure. We needed things to shake up and a new place to shake up our inspiration. We’re about the kind of good people we had on Whidbey. And we love it here – it’s beautiful and wild, ”said Taibi.
Raven Rocks Gallery, 110 N Highway 101 # 1B, is open Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit their website at ravenrocksgallery.com or follow them on Facebook for the latest updates.