My Biz: Amana couple’s gallery showcases fine art

AMANA - It seems that the building housing Catiri's Art Oasis was predestined to be a gallery.

'Our building has three sections, and the center section was built before the Civil War,” said Jenise Catiri, who owns the gallery with her husband, Ithiel. 'It was used as the residential home for a doctor who later added on another section to house his clinic.”

In the late 1920s the doctor had two sons - and both were artists.

'The one son was the photographer who did many of the pictures that you see in the Amana literatures,” Catiri said. 'The other was a painter who did graphic design for Amana Refrigeration.”

The couple opened their art gallery in 2001 in another location a short ways down the street before moving it to its current location in 2009.

A graduate from the University of Iowa who majored in art, Catiri said her strength is fused glass and handmade jewelry.

'I grew up an art fair artist child as my parents were artists,” she said. 'So when I decided to be an artist and do this as a profession, I wanted to open a gallery rather than be on the road.”

'We wanted to include all art forms and not just paintings,” she added.

Work from more than 100 artists - in all mediums - is featured in the gallery.

'These are professional artists as well as artists who are just starting out,” she said. 'All of our artists are from the Midwest with most from Iowa, but we have several from neighboring states as well.”

The large yard behind the gallery lets the pair host events, including the Fresh Paint Event every Labor Day weekend.

'We invite artists from all over to come and paint Amana that weekend,” Catiri said. 'It is all held outdoors - a fresh on the spot catching the light type of an event.”

There is also a dinner where awards are given. 'We always hire a professional judge, and the artists' works are exhibited here for a month after,” she added. 'Last year 40 different artists took part in the weekend.”

Catiri said she believes people are surprised when they walk in the door.

'This is not a country crafts shop. It really is fine art,” she said. Because they do have an expansive and inviting garden area behind their gallery, Catiri said they intend to add more garden art into their gallery's offerings.

The gallery is open Fridays through Mondays in the winter, but is open 7 days a week beginning in March.

At a glance

l Owners: Jenise and Ithiel Catiri

l Company: Catiri's Art Oasis

l Address: 4506 220th Trail, Amana

l Phone: (319) 622-3969

l Website: www.catiriartoasis.com

l Know a manager or company in business for more than a year that would be ideal for 'My Biz”? Contact Chelsea Keenan at chelsea.keenan@thegazette.com