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Wander into the spacious, warehouse-sized
Galeria Tesoros in Healdsburg, and youll wonder where youve
landed. From every vantage point, there is something to arrest your
gaze. A school of colorful ceramic fish swim east and west on the
north wall
brightly painted canvases with vividly rendered
dogs stare down through the rafters
turn one way and youll
find yourself puzzling over a sculpture made from 200-year-old French
oak barrel wood
turn another and youre staring at your
own bemused face in a mirror with rippled edges like a vertical
puddle of water. Everywhere you look, from floor to ceiling and
in between, there is something you wont expect just
the kind of things youd want to spice up your home décor.
Galeria Tesoros, which loosely translates to Treasure Gallery,
is a place to discover all sorts of unique and rare items for the
home and garden, from the practical (beds, tables, chairs, rugs,
light fixtures) to the fanciful (how about a hand-carved wooden
ladder from New Mexico, or a village fountain to enjoy
the sound of trickling water in your living room?). Youll
find one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted furniture, antiques and accessories
created near at hand by California artisans and imported from distant
places like Indonesia, West Indies, France, Italy and Mexico. There
is nothing ordinary here. Much of the furniture is fashioned from
recycled woods, from Douglas fir to Australian palm. And just about
anything you see can be custom-ordered to design specifications.
What really adds a unique touch to the place, though, is that it
is also an art gallery for more than 50 artists, most of them local.
The eclectic collection covers the walls and finds its way into
nooks and crannies all over the store. This is what makes Galeria
Tesoros a sumptuous visual feast.
We didnt start out with the idea that we would combine
an art gallery with our home furnishings and accessories,
says Galeria owner Kathi Bart. But not long after we opened
our store in April 2001, a local artist by the name of Mylette Welch
walked in and asked if wed be interested in selling her work
on consignment. We loved her paintings (the vivid, whimsical dogs).
We love colors that pop and her art was really eye-catching.
The idea apparently caught on with the local art community. Other
artists including well-known professionals such as Nina Bonos,
Sev Ickes, Donna Schaffer, Zak Zaikine, Carolina Buitrago, Julie
Higgins and Jim Babcock began coming in and asking the same
question. Bart realized there were a lot of very talented artists
eager to find ways to have their work seen. She was interested in
helping them, while also offering something extra for her customers.
Our store offers an ideal venue for displaying and selling
the artists work, says Bart. You can see the art
in the context of a home setting here. A lot of our customers come
in looking for furniture and end up purchasing art as well. Were
very pleased that we can help support the artists and provide the
additional benefit to our customers.
The artworks on display range from oils, watercolors and mixed
media on canvas to sculpture, ceramics and wall hangings. If customers
like a particular artist, but dont see exactly what they like,
they can arrange to commission new, original work from the artist.
Bart also occasionally offers special art exhibits to showcase a
particular artist or group of artists, and invites the public to
come enjoy the new collection.
You can get a good view of Galeria Tesoros from your armchair by
visiting their website at www.galeriatesoros.com. Kathi and her
husband/partner Ron also welcome any inquiries by phone; if its
out there, they can usually find just about whatever you might be
looking for. The gallery is open every day.
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