Blog
Posted on 9/12/2022 1:34:20 PM
By Summer A Nelson
1 Comment
Some dreams in life really do seem to come true at the crossroads of preparation and opportunity. This is the way it was with the recent opening of Mare Amicus Art Gallery in Oceanside Harbor. There were so many years of work and tiny decisions that slowly and incrementally paved the way for this dream of Micaiah’s to become a reality. The most impactful decision was, by far, Micaiah’s unceasing discipline towards painting. Each and every outing he takes is punctuated with his painting kit and 3 or 4 plein air pieces. His dedication to the craft has endured years of raising kids, a stint living abroad, running his graphic design & signage company, divorce, a second marriage, and many side-projects. Another huge factor in the culmination of this goal was his decision to buy a small sailboat about 10 years ago. This lead him to spend hundreds of hours sailing and painting around the harbor, becoming a fixture in the local community. The final decision, which I (his wife) can confidently take credit for, is getting a dog, Hobie, who needs lots of walks. We take Hobie for frequent walks around the harbor and would always pass by the building that was home to Yearley Sailboats for several decades. We would walk past and admire the small racing boats parked outside, never realizing what the future would hold for Micaiah, and that quaint window-covered storefront.
When the space became available, Micaiah acted almost immediately. He consulted with me about his idea and I told him I thought it wasn’t great timing. I said something like, “We are both working full time, who is going to be running this gallery?”.
To be fair, I could see that it was a rare opportunity to get into a commercial space in such a beautiful location, but it was hard to imagine how we could make more time and space in our lives for yet another project. True to his nature, Micaiah completely ignored what I had to say and proceeded anyways. I couldn’t be happier for him.
On June 25th , after finishing a complete remodel of the interior space and filling the walls with art, Micaiah opened the doors of his new gallery to the public. Over the course of a few hours, we welcomed hundreds of visitors, who viewed the art and enjoyed a champagne toast. We were surrounded by a sunny day on the harbor, with a refreshing breeze and the beautiful music of John St. Claire.
Several pieces sold during the opening celebration, along with Mare Amicus branded hats, tee-shirts, burgees, and coffee mugs. The friends, family, and Oceanside residents in attendance gave the gallery a warm welcome to the community, for which we are very appreciative.
Micaiah is looking forward to hosting the next social event in the fall, so stay tuned for details forthcoming. In the meantime, feel free to stop by the gallery on the weekend to say "hi" and distract Micaiah while he’s trying to paint, or email for a private viewing appointment.
G BN FL G 2.55 5M on Linen 14" x 24"
