Page 92 - Southern Oregon Magazine Summer 2022

feature | art tour

GAMBREL GALLERY
Gambrel Gallery’s setting is like a painting in its own right – an
iconic red barn not far from the heart of Ashland, with sweep-
ing views of the Cascade and Siskiyou mountains. Emily Santiago,
an educational psychologist and former gallery owner in another
location, moved to Southern Oregon in 2018. She, her husband, daugh-
ter and sister live onsite. Her daughter’s father, sculptor Juan Miguel
Santiago, has an art studio on the property and serves as curator and
creative director. Emily and Juan owned a gallery in Oakland, California
in the early 2000s.

While opening a new business during a pandemic seems risky, Santiago’s
focus on social resilience made the timing perfect. As they navigate and
grow in their first year, no one regrets the decision. The gallery features
contemporary artists, mostly from Southern Oregon and Northern
California. Santiago appreciates the irony in the convergence of urban
artists in a rural space. Along with the main gallery, the site houses a
ceramics studio, woodshop, and a stage for making music, and offers a
limited artists-in-residence program available by application.

Focusing on community building through visual and performing arts,
Gambrel plans five - six shows a year with art openings the second
Friday of the month. Upcoming summer shows include: May/June,
Anthony Adonis Lewis; July/August Jerryuck “J.Roc” Murrey, and
Snow Winters.

Currently, Gambrel is open by appointment only, but plans expanded
hours.

90 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | summer 2022