Original Artists' Showcase in Seattle (OASIS), a new business in Wallingford, offers a selection of works by more than a dozen artists, an informal setting to drink a cup of tea and an opportunity for those with developmental disabilities to study art.
Alex Strazzanti and his wife, Jeannie Trimarco, started the business together. The two met in Seattle doing social-service work for those with developmental disabilities. A portion of the proceeds from everything sold at OASIS provides funding for creative workshops on ceramics, photography, painting and more for people with disabilities, which are offered every other month. Strazzanti also teaches a five-week beginning photography course at OASIS for the general public.
"There are a lot of different levels to OASIS, it's not just a store or a gallery," Strazzanti said. "I want it to have more of a community kind of feel."
A neighborhood arts center
The business offers more than 20 varieties of tea for customers to sip while they browse. A back room provides a casual environment with art, couches and coffee tables.
Wallingford residents and businesses have been receptive to OASIS since it opened there on Jan. 22, Strazzanti noted.
"I wanted it to be in a neighborhood that appreciates the arts," he said. "We've heard a resounding, 'Wow! Wallingford really needs a place like this.' It's encouraging."
"It's something that has been needed in Wallingford for a long time," artist Conrad Plyler agreed. "I wish there were more of them in the Seattle area."
Plyler and his wife, who live in Greenwood, currently have some of their photographs for sale at OASIS that they captured in Southeast Asia and Honduras. The couple's photos from South Africa also will be available soon.
"It was a life-changing experience, especially going to Africa," Plyler said.
The couple immersed themselves in the different cultures of the places they visited, getting around by hitchhiking and taking local buses. "That comes through in our photography," Plyler said.
"Sleeping Buddha," a photograph from Vietnam, is one of Plyler's favorites at OASIS. "It's just a very, very peaceful photo," he said. "It's a nice work to kind of contemplate and stare at."
Range of media, prices
OASIS markets the work that artists bring in. Works also include hand-blown glass, paintings, scarves, handmade lamps, ceramics and handbags.
"We have a range of media and a range of prices," Strazzanti said. "It's an artist's showcase."
Customers can buy a card for a few dollars or a painting for a few thousand dollars. Most works are displayed at OASIS for one to three months.
"I haven't had a problem finding artists," Strazzanti said. "I saw a lot of talented artists that didn't have a lot of opportunities to show their work more than a month."
Currently, OASIS is featuring works by a variety of local artists, including abstract painter Martha Carey; Dale Unruh, the official photographer for the Woodland Park Zoo; and Jan McGregor, an artist from Whidbey Island whose work is inspired by Japanese design.
New to OASIS, artist Edward "Ezju" Kranz paints with coffee and watercolors as a medium. His coasters and prints are currently for sale at OASIS. "That's definitely something you can't find at too many places," Strazzanti said.
Although many of the artists are local, the shop is also featuring jewelry made by a woman from Albuquerque, N.M., and detailed drawings by a woman from New York.
"[All of the artists'] work tends to be serene and inviting," Strazzanti said.
Meet the Artist Night
OASIS hosts a monthly Meet the Artist Night every third Saturday, from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring a discussion with an artist whose work is showcased in the shop.
"I want to keep it fresh and keep things interesting," Strazzanti said. "It's an opportunity for people to hear about [the artists'] techniques or inspirations."
"It is a really good experience," Plyler agreed. "It's good to actually talk to different artists, even if they're in a different media."
On May 21, Meet the Artist Night will feature Fremont resident Desiree Laurens, who does neo-surrealist paintings. Her artwork is influenced from her birthplace of South Africa and from living in Italy.[[In-content Ad]]
