RecRoom is a refined and intimate space for exhibiting high-caliber contemporary art in Eugene, Oregon. Our curatorial program will focus on beautifully made and conceptually rigorous work from artists practicing at the leading edge of contemporary art discourse. We will feature some of the most relevant and exciting artists based here in our community and present them in context with artists based far and wide. It will be a place where people who love and support contemporary art can gather and exchange ideas. Through hosting convivial and engaging events and gatherings, we will bring emerging and established collectors into dialogue with artists, curators, writers, and academics to build a more lively and robust arts ecosystem. We will celebrate and support excellence; we will encourage, collaborate, and together raise the bar for the visual arts in Eugene/Springfield.

The inspiration for RecRoom comes from our love of entertaining in our beloved mid-century home. We see this gallery as a salon in the Gertrude Stein or Louise Bourgeois tradition. When we renovated the 300 sf space, it was intended to be an elegant domestic sanctuary where we could show our own collection, entertain, and enjoy time with family and friends. After contemplating the viability of opening a conventional storefront gallery, we realized this space was perfectly scaled and suited to our vision.  We love the idea of people experiencing art in a relaxed domestic setting, because ultimately that's where most of the work will live.

Sarah Finlay has over 20 years experience working in the visual arts as a gallerist, curator, lecturer, and writer. From 2000-2006, she directed and co-owned (with husband Patrick Murcia) Fusebox, a ground-breaking and critically acclaimed contemporary exhibition space in Washington, DC, dedicated to presenting a rigorous program of intelligent and innovative work. The 1,700 sf gallery promoted and nurtured emerging and mid-career artists from Washington and around the world. Fusebox launched over 60 exhibitions in a broad range of media, producing exhibition brochures with essays by a variety of notable critics, curators, and academics. In addition, the gallery published artist books and digital recordings.  Exhibitions were the subject of articles and critical reviews in local and international journals, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Washington City Paper, The Los Angeles Times, Art Forum, Art News, Art Papers, Sculpture, and Tema Celeste.  Fusebox was also the first Washington gallery ever to participate in major international art fairs, including Art Basel Miami Beach Art Positions program, and ARCO in Madrid.