This secret art gallery behind an Oregon City plumbing business opens twice a month – Here is Oregon

On the opposite aspect of the railroad tracks, down a one-lane highway, behind a plumbing store in Oregon Metropolis, is Becky Dawson’s semi-secret artwork gallery and present store.

Named, appropriately, One Lane Street, the store presents greeting playing cards, tea towels, tote baggage and extra that includes Dawson’s colourful and kooky designs, alongside together with her authentic work and ceramic sculptures.

And it’s solely open twice a month.

The One Lane Street gallery was born out of a pandemic thought Dawson had in December 2020. On the time, all of the native craft festivals had been canceled and most of the shops the place she offered her paintings have been closed.

She determined to construct a small roadside stand outdoors her residence in rural Clackamas County, fill it with playing cards, tea towels and stickers, and go away fee as much as an honor system.

“Folks try this with flowers and greens,” she thought. “Why can’t I do it with my artwork?”

She referred to as it the Self-Serve Gift Shop, and it was successful.

“It was type of a enjoyable expertise throughout a darkish time, and I believed perhaps I might do that on a bigger scale sooner or later,” she mentioned.

Two years later, Dawson was searching for extra space for storing for her wholesale enterprise and hoping to recreate a few of the magic of the non permanent self-serve present store. A longtime buddy of Dawson’s who owns Eagle Plumbing in Oregon Metropolis generally rented out an additional storage house to small (normally industrial) companies.

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She spent three months fixing up the house, including shelving, string lights, and portray an enormous, pleasant, blue Bigfoot on the surface of the storage to welcome guests.

The gallery had its first open weekend in June.

Information of the little artwork gallery behind the plumbing store unfold on social media, by way of phrase of mouth and by the hand-painted sandwich board indicators Dawson locations on the aspect of the highway when she opens.

“It appears to be this nice shock that folks come across,” she mentioned.

Inside, Dawson sells each her authentic paintings in addition to collaborations with different artists and corporations. That features a line of bijou, cross sew kits based mostly on her designs, scented candles and T-shirts.

Dawson began her One Lane Street line of paintings 11 years in the past. She nonetheless has a house studio – additionally on a one lane highway – the place she creates her designs of vegetation, animals and legendary creatures. Most of her enterprise is wholesale, and for those who miss the open hours for her gallery, you will discover her work on the market at Made in Oregon, New Seasons, Powell’s Books, and plenty of impartial bookstores and present outlets.

IF YOU GO:

One Lane Street gallery and present store, 13801 Forsythe Street in Oregon Metropolis, is open two weekends a month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Upcoming open dates are Sept. 10-11, Sept. 24-25, Oct. 8-9, Oct. 22-23, Nov. 5-6, and Nov. 19-20. Prolonged vacation hours are deliberate for December, or store on-line anytime at onelaneroad.com.

— Samantha Swindler; sswindler@oregonian.com; @editorswindler