Three Local Artists Plan Opening of RedDoor Gallery in Downtown Camas

Camas, WA — Local artists Heidi Curley, Liz Pike and Tamra Sheline are opening a new art gallery. RedDoor Gallery will occupy 411 NE Dallas Street in downtown Camas. A soft opening is scheduled for First Friday Art Walk on Friday, May 3rd with an official ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration to follow on June 7th. RedDoor Gallery will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 12 pm to 7 pm and by special appointment.

The mission of RedDoor Gallery is to provide a vibrant art gallery open to the public and foster a creative, inclusive art-making community, which provides access to quality art education in a professionally equipped studio. RedDoor Gallery promotes the joy and transformative power of art while actively supporting the work of local visual artists by promoting their work, and exposing them to the public, collectors and media. Artwork on display at Red Door Gallery will be as diverse as its artists, offering a unique blend of storytelling, self-expression, beauty and emotion.

RedDoor Gallery will feature original works of art by gallery owners Curley, Pike and Sheline. A limited number of other artists are invited to participate in a jury process to have their work represented at RedDoor Gallery. Those artists will be offered contracts with a favorable commission split on sold works.

Curley, Pike, and Sheline, all accomplished professional painters, have also developed a large following of art students in their respective styles of work. Curley and Sheline will hold monthly classes at RedDoor Gallery. Pike will continue to teach scheduled ART FARM classes at Shangri-La Farm in Fern Prairie. RedDoor Gallery will also lease its instructional art studio to other art teachers.

“I am on a mission to empower people to express their feelings through mixed media art,” said Curley. “I want everyone to know they matter and that they are seen. Through my classes and workshops, I show my students how to use color to express themselves and work through feelings and emotions when there are no words.”

Curley is working toward certification as an Art4Healing instructor. She also teaches abstract impressionism classes for all skill levels.

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“I love inspiring others to create,” said Sheline, who specializes in watercolor on a plastic material called Yupo. “I cherish the ‘aha’ moments with students as they realize what they are capable of. Explaining my process to both students and art buyers brings such joy.”

Sheline also offers private art parties to all skill levels and will continue her Thursday watercolor on Yupo classes at RedDoor Gallery.

“This is an exciting adventure with Liz and Heidi as well as the other artists who become involved with RedDoor Gallery,” said Sheline.

Plans at RedDoor Gallery also include housing a small artist community within the building for individual painters who need space to make their art on a lease basis.

Recently, three art galleries in downtown Camas announced plans for closure.

“In this challenging economy, it’s imperative we create a sustainable business model for RedDoor Gallery,” said Pike. “Our goal is to develop a thriving hub of art activity for years to come. Camas has a long history of supporting a vibrant arts community and we are very excited about this new artistic partnership.”

Pike noted her affection for the space at 411 NE Dallas Street.

“I opened my first art gallery in this space in 2005. I love this building and I have so many fond memories here.” Pike noted that while she has enjoyed operating a small scale art gallery in the spacious lobby of MinuteMan Press since February, 2023, her art business has outgrown that location. “I really appreciate the collaborative relationship I’ve enjoyed with Jason Young and his staff at MinuteMan Press. We have become dear friends.”

Pike recently marked her 40th year as an oil painter. She is a member of Artisans Guild of Camas, Battle Ground Art Alliance, Northwest Oil Painters Guild, Ridgefield Art Association, Society of Washington Artists, Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Camas Association. Pike also shows her work at several summertime art festivals. Curley has been making art since 2012 and is a member of Artisans Guild of Camas and the Downtown Camas Association. Sheline has more than 25 years experience as a multi-disciplinary artist and illustrator. She is a member of Artisans Guild of Camas, SW Washington Watercolor Society, Society of Washington Artists and Plein Air Artists of Washington.

In addition to hosting an upscale First Friday Art Walk reception on the first Friday of each month from 5pm to 8pm, RedDoor Gallery will also host Thirsty Art Thursday featuring a live painting demonstration from 5-7pm every Thursday evening.

The public is invited to experience RedDoor Gallery when it opens on Friday, May 3rd.