When Wandering Oaks Fine Art Gallery and Glass Studio opened its doors to the public on April 1, 2016, it was the culmination of over thirty years of living in seven states (CA, OR, FL, WY, WA, LA, MI) and following various careers, none that started off in the arts (though some might consider radio broadcasting a component of the cultural sphere).
Sheri has considered photography a hobby since high school, but it was not until Toby began painting in 2001 that either of the Ten Eycks behind Wandering Oaks thought of this as something that could be done for a living. The first business venture was a street fair in Livonia, MI, in which we barely made our booth fee (the cost of being in the art fair), though a later art fair became the springboard Sheri used to begin working with internationally renowned glass artist Craig Mitchell Smith.
By the winter of 2014-15, we began making plans to leave Michigan (having moved there in 1999 due to a job offer to Toby from the Sociology Department at Michigan State University) to return to the Pacific Northwest, as we longed for wet winters and cool summers. In December of 2015, we made the trek from Michigan to Bellingham, WA, found a place for our gallery in Bellingham’s Downtown area, and turned what had been a clothing store into an art gallery and working studio.
We look forward to meeting you and hearing about your life’s journey, though do be aware that you are likely to be greeted in an overly friendly (and sometimes loud) way by our official greeters, Sauvonn and Beja.
Our story could not have been told without the support from so many people and organizations, some of which are listed below: