For some people, the Gallery at Marina Square is a delightful visit while experiencing the natural beauty of Morro Bay. For others, it’s part of their daily routine.
From the lower gallery’s rotating feature projects to the upper gallery’s fine art to the calming nature of the upper atrium, there’s a place for everyone to enjoy the work of local artists from around the county.
Throughout all the service the gallery has provided over the years, one thing remains constant—a dedication to serving the artistic needs of the generational spectrum. Over that time, gallery co-owners, mother-and-son duo Jane and Greg Siragusa, have seen thousands of people come to the gallery to appreciate the hundreds of artists featured over the years.
“Some of the people that come to visit come so frequently we know them by name, and some—especially the locals—we even know by face, so there’s a special connection there for us,” Greg said.
The gallery plans to commemorate its 20th anniversary with various events throughout 2023, including a special event in July, but the duo also wants to maintain that same dedication to the community they’ve held up throughout their time in Morro Bay.
“One thing we have always wanted to continuously do is represent our artists and bring people in to appreciate their work alongside us,” Jane said.
In January, the gallery’s featuring new exhibits that run through the end of the month: work from local photographers like Alice Cahill, Cathy Russ, Karen Peterson, Dominic Hartman, Michael Johnston, and Greg himself focusing on local avian wildlife; abstract art from Stevie Chun; and hand-carved, nature-infused crafts from Jari de Ham.
Greg and Jane pride themselves on representing a wide variety of art, an aspect they plan to highlight most in their year of celebration. From photography, crafts, watercolor paintings, ceramics, glass, and more, the gallery thrives on representing not just the variety of art present in the local area but also the artists’ wealth of experience and range of ages.
Given the significance of the anniversary, the duo also sees this as an important time to highlight the work the artists put in, considering them as essential to the gallery as the space is to them.
“We have crafted our gallery to serve the needs of the 60 or so artists we represent currently, some who are in their 90s and some who are in their 20s,” Greg said. “The range of ages really allows us to cater to visitors while giving all of the art in our community an opportunity to be represented.”
People across these same age ranges visit the gallery, often hailing from the local community and around the world, reflecting the nature of what Morro Bay is to many people.
“People have always seen Morro Bay as a place to visit and a place to move to for a very long time,” Greg said. “We have people who have been coming for 20 years and people who just discovered us yesterday, so it’s a nice range.”
Jane said she feels that the variety of visitors allows the gallery to flourish as a place to simply walk around, where people can enjoy the atmosphere of being next to the bay and the art, as well as the experience of folks from so many different walks of life enjoying the same exact things alongside the gallery co-owners.
“There are days where you come in and there are so many different languages being spoken throughout the gallery,” Jane said.
An atrium offers a quiet place to enjoy coffee and read the newspaper while the lower gallery’s TV showcases art lessons throughout the day, inviting visitors to sit in and learn how to paint. Combined, these areas within the gallery create an experience that the duo said they hope to continue into the future.
The culmination of the gallery’s spirit can be seen in one of their most popular art pieces: handmade 5-by-7-inch postcards designed by local artists.
“You could just buy one at a grocery store, but you know there’s hundreds of thousands of cards just like that one, and being able to provide unique art is a really important service for our local community,” Greg said. “Knowing what you are getting and experiencing is really special and made with care is something that makes this fitting for the special people in our lives, and I hope we can continue that for years to come.”
Freelancer Adrian Vincent Rosas is sipping his cold brew in the gallery atrium. Reach him at arosas@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jan 19-29, 2023.