An oasis in Amado: Straw House Gallery mixes art, history, calm

“I knew when I started walking through the trees and saw the water feature...”

That was Rebecca O’Day’s first reaction when she saw the sort-of-hidden, one-of-a-kind structure behind the Amado Territory Steakhouse. This was the gallery space she was looking for.

“It’s an odd location, but I live my life a little against the wind. It will be a personal challenge,” she said.

Opening in early December, photographer and artist O’Day features a new artist every 30 days with each exhibit going from full moon to full moon.

With the ideal setting and space, she said each exhibit starts with “a sweet communal experience” — a bonfire.

A new exhibit by encaustic artist Pam Ross of Tucson begins with a reception Friday evening, Feb. 26.

An uncommon word, O’Day explained encaustic art as layers of heated colored wax creating an image — and having the right equipment.

“This is a welcoming spring show for the vernal equinox. We’ll have a lot of florals,” she said.

More than art for the wall, Straw House Gallery has a mix of silk scarves, jewelry, pottery, paintings by O’Day and friend Mickey Bond of Santa Fe, and a creative selection of “Hearts for Haiti.”

Included are desert rocks O’Day picked up and painted with hearts plus a selection of artsy rusted iron hearts that are suitable for hanging indoors or out.

Fifty percent of sales from “Hearts for Haiti” items go to a restaurant in Port-au-Prince called “Muncheez” that is helping feed thousands of earthquake victims, O’Day said.

A real straw house

As interesting as the array of art is, the 350-square-foot straw and stucco structure built 20 years ago in the unique location has its own persona.

“The (interior) walls are made of straw. It’s said to keep a place warm in winter and cool in summer.”

O’Day showed off a “proofing window” on the exterior south side.

“It’s called a proofing window to prove the walls are filled with straw,” she said.

To make the interior suitable for exhibiting art, she painted three walls with seven coats of white paint to cover dark brown walls.

Then, using plaster, soil from the Santa Cruz River bed and dried pigments, she added pieces of straw to the mixture to create a uniquely-textured wall bringing the name “Straw House” alive indoors.

More than 30-day exhibits, O’Day and Bond are planning “artist empowerment” workshops where they’ll teach artists about galleries, how to build a Web site, write an artist’s statement and promote oneself to sell their art.

“Artists have pieces they love but don’t know how to sell them... we’ll visit galleries and framers.”

Of the Straw House Gallery, she said, “I like to think of this location as on oasis. It’s restful and meditative with chairs outside for people to sit and watch the birds.”

When passing through Amado the Straw House Gallery is a new place to visit and explore.

Contact Green Valley freelance reporter Ellen Sussman at ellen2414@cox.net.