MUSEO decks the halls for holiday shoppers

Published 11:00 am Saturday, December 9, 2006

As the enchantment of the snow melts into memory and the excitement of what will surely go down in history as “The Storm of 2006” eases back into the shopping season, MUSEO art gallery in Langley welcomes holiday shoppers.

According to owner Sandra Jarvis, the Holiday Gift Show at MUSEO is an annual tradition.

Walking through the door of this gallery on First Street one relishes the supremely light and airy feeling of the place. The magnificent colors of the art pieces, strategically placed throughout the gleaming white space, mingle with the tall, simply-trimmed pine that sits in the center of the gallery that adds a fresh and festive touch.

Many of the local artists who show throughout the year at MUSEO are represented at this seasonal show, which runs from mid-November through Dec. 31. These artists are asked to create smaller, more affordable pieces for the gift show. This allows all manner of shoppers to consider the gallery as a place to find something special.

Indeed, Jarvis said that she often hears people say at the end of the shopping season, “Gee, I wish I had known you had affordable gifts for Christmas. I would have come here first”

Some of the media on hand for this year’s Holiday Gift Show includes beautifully colored glass-blown ornaments, vases and other glassware, small paintings, jewelry and wood pieces.

There is also wearable art available like the ever-whimsical, colorful Peggy Juve fleece hats and Cheryl Kamera’s exquisitely vibrant silk scarves.

Jarvis says she also represents a number of artists during this show who are auditioning their work at MUSEO to see how they do. This helps her decide if she would like to carry a more extensive collection of their work at other times of the year.

Most contemporary art galleries tout their sophistication and their impressive connection to the broad art world. The MUSEO gallery in Langley can be proud of those same qualities. But when Museo owner Jarvis speaks about her gallery, the feeling leans more toward appreciation of living within reach of the boundless talent of local artists and the loyalty of her local clients.

MUSEO represents top local artists who are regionally and nationally known. Many of the artists represented have work hanging in the Langley Inn in conjunction with MUSEO. And the clientele that visits the inn are certainly travelers from all around the world, so the work certainly reaches beyond the boundaries of the island and the Puget Sound region.

But the clients that support 50 percent of MUSEO’s sales are local customers. Another 25 percent are from Seattle, and the final 25 percent, from farther still.

This is a shift, Jarvis said, since she became the owner three years ago.

Most of the sales in her first year were to Seattle patrons. Now she said it’s mostly island clients who support MUSEO.

“Whidbey Island is a wonderful place to own a gallery,” she said.

“Amazing talent abounds here and the convenient proximity of artists makes it easy for me to get the work. I can even arrange for clients who are not local to meet the artists, which is an exceptional thing for collectors,” Jarvis added.

Jarvis said that most of the art she shows in the gallery is bought according to her personal taste. Since there is such a large community of glass artists on the island, one-third of sales are in glass art, with the rest of sales split between paintings and all other media.

Showcasing a wide collection of cutting- edge glass art, sculpture, paintings and fine handcrafted furniture throughout the year, MUSEO stages new shows monthly in the expansive gallery space.

Jarvis is obviously in love with her work and is a welcoming presence in the gallery. Shoppers will find plenty of art to give and can look forward to a delightfully happy experience while buying it at MUSEO.

The Holiday Gift Show runs through Dec. 31. MUSEO is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day and until 8 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month, or by appointment. Call 221-7737 or visit www.museo@museo.cc.

Patricia Duff can be reached at 221-5300 or pduff@southwhidbeyrecord.com.