Empty nesters open Craftlab Gallery

Craftlab Gallery, located at 821-A South Tremont Street in Oceanside, opened its doors on April 6 with a solo exhibition by San Diego artist and musician Fernando Apodaca.

Although the gallery’s focus will be on art, there will often be a musical component to their openings. Their next exhibition opens May 5 and will feature the artwork of singer/guitarist Jad Fair. Best known for his work with indie band Half Japanese, Fair will also perform at the gallery on May 7.

Why open a gallery? “My wife and I had kids early and now are empty-nesters,” explained John Salisbury, who co-owns the space with his spouse, Sarah. “It’s time to have some fun.” Laid off at a job in corporate product design, Salisbury was hoping to do something different with his days. “My wife and I are designers who also do art,” Salisbury continued. “We were looking to rent a studio space for ourselves but when [Sarah] came across this location, [she] saw that it held a lot of potential to be something more.” Craftlab Gallery features 1400 square feet of gallery space and a 900-foot area in the back.

“We really wanted to create a place where multiple artistic things could happen,” Salisbury said. “From showing art to having workshops and hosting events...[we’ll] basically try to foster the spirit of creativity into the community.”

A staunch music fan, Salisbury is thrilled with Fair’s appearance at his gallery. “I sent him an email and he sent me a box of art,” he said. “Then I got him to stop on his way to a tour in Japan with Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub. So, now I am putting on a house concert with him and I am partnering with Pro Craft Media to capture the event on video.” Fair’s artwork and paper cuttings are in the $150-and-up range.

While no further exhibitions are on the books yet, plans are for music and art to continue to cross over. “We know a lot of musicians, and I like hanging out with them,” Salisbury said. “I’ve been talking to O from fLUF and Dave Warsaw from the Creepy Creeps about doing future shows.”