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There is this place, and that place. The do place, the don’t place. The big. The small. The squat. The tall. The shoes. The clothes. And where everyone goes.
But wait!
There’s something new in downtown SLO. Perhaps everyone would like to go? Fun and whimsy, and art so fine, next to the place where one can dine. Peek inside, and could it be? It’s A Muse!—the gallery.
Dr. Seuss never wrote silly rhymes about San Luis Obsipo’s newest gallery, but limited edition prints of his artwork are available at A Muse, inspiring bouncy bits of nonsensical prose. It couldn’t be helped, which is exactly what gallery owner Greg Wilkins would have wanted.
“Fun, whimsy, and color—that’s how I pick my artists,” he said. “The idea is to be ‘amusing’ to our guests and ‘a muse’ for the artists.”
Wilkins and his wife Lauren moved to San Luis Obispo with their son, who is in high school, all the way from Sedona, Ariz.
“It was time for the next chapter,” Wilkins said. “We didn’t know how [Sedona] could be topped.”
Apperently San Luis Obispo did the job. They all love it here.
Stepping into the gallery is like stepping into a magical place where smiles are born. Along with the art of Dr. Seuss, other artists like Tom Everhart and Marna Schindler make A Muse Gallery a must visit.
Wilkins is one of a select few art dealers with permission from Seuss’ estate to sell the “doctor’s” artwork. Familiar characters like Horton (from Horton Hears a Who) and Thing One, Thing Two, and the Cat in the Hat (from, well, The Cat in the Hat) are featured at the gallery alongside the “Secret Art of Dr. Seuss,” made during the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s, before the infamous rhymes of his children’s books.
Everhart gives us the colorful wonders of Charles Schulz—the Peanuts characters: Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the gang.
Marna Schindler does a variety of original paintings. One of her specialties is pet portraits, which aren’t ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. She creates dreamy, colorful paintings from four photographs given to her by the pet’s person. Schindler’s “Little Buddies” paintings also get a thumbs up.
But wait, there’s more! A Muse Gallery has sculptures, jewelry, glass, and even a couple of fine art chairs. Among other artists, Marty Goldstein is showcased with his exquisite and fun “Marty’s Dogs,” sculptures sure to start a conversation. The jewelry at A Muse is handcrafted, modern, a bit whimsical, and sure to make a perfect gift. The glass is fun and—like everything else in this fine art gallery—will get the reward centers of the brain firing in no time!
“No one leaves without a smile,” Wilkins said.
A Muse Gallery is at 845 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo, and it’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday. The gallery’s phone number is 439-3000.
If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, or perhaps your day is already on the road to fantastically awesome, stop in and say hi. Welcome A Muse to our community and share a smile.
Fast facts
Woods Humane Society is celebrating Black Friday by waiving adoption fees for all black-coated animals Nov. 23 and 24. Save a life, and meet one of the best friends you’ll ever have. Woods is at 875 Oklahoma Ave. in SLO. Info: 543-9316 or woodshumane.org.
Central Coast Sculptors’ Group has sculptures on exhibit in the McMeen Gallery of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art from now until Dec 2. Dubbed “3D x 2: A Collaboration Among Sculptors,” the exhibit features collaborative sculptural artwork from pairs of local artists. Each artist was asked to begin an art piece but leave it unfinished. The first artist then handed the incomplete sculpture to his or her partner, who completed the work in whatever medium he or she wanted. For more information, call 543-8562, e-mail [email protected], or visit sloma.org.
Intern Sarah Childers compiled this week’s Strokes & Plugs. Send your business and nonprofit news to [email protected].
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