Art begins with looking, feeling, wondering.

A look into the world of gallery owner Tamara Sille from Oudewater

A beautiful old fortified town, narrow streets, water and history…. On the edge of beautiful Oudewater you will find a surprisingly modern, spacious gallery. The door is invitingly open and all around you: art. Large canvases, smaller works, sculptures, color, power and silence. Tamara Sille is the driving force behind this gallery and her mission is clear: art should not only be beautiful, but should above all affect you.

A dream that grew silently

“I had two small children and worked at a school as a cultural coordinator. In addition, I had just finished art school and still wanted to do something with my passion,” Tamara says. “So I started a website at home, at the kitchen table, showing work by fellow artists. I called companies, tried to bring art to their attention. It was a bit of pioneering, but it worked.”

Not much later, the idea of creating her own place was born. “I wanted to be able to work professionally, receive clients, be able to make phone calls without having toys lying around me,” she says with a smile. “This building had been vacant for a while. When I organized my first event here, I immediately felt: this is where it should happen. We remodeled it quite a bit over the years. Inside, we moved walls, renewed floors and made rooms pleasant; bit by bit we made it our own. But we also recently gave the exterior a complete metamorphosis. What was once a drab and forgotten building now exudes tranquility, invitation and character.”

A gallery with a heart

Sille Gallery has been located in the Goudsestraatweg for fourteen years now. What once began between diaper changes has grown into a gallery of stature, literally and figuratively.

“We have 400 square meters of exhibition space. Really special for this region. Many people think of a gallery as something small, a little stiff perhaps. But here there is space, atmosphere and above all: a lot to see.” What sets her apart? “We want to amaze people,” she explains. “Art shouldn’t be too slick or predictable. Much of our collection hovers between figurative and abstract, so you have to look for a moment. You may think, ‘What am I actually seeing?'”

No thresholds, but a warm welcome

Although her gallery is now known far beyond Oudewater with visitors from Belgium, Germany and even a client in Hong Kong, Tamara remains true to one important principle: art is for everyone. “I often hear: ‘Oh, I’m not an art connoisseur…’ But you don’t have to be. Just come in, look around quietly. You don’t have to buy anything. Art starts with looking, feeling, wondering.”

Even if you think art is not for you, you might just be surprised. “There are people who walk in here by chance because they passed by on their bikes. And a year later they come back because they want something on the wall that really says something. Not a standard poster from the furniture store, but something unique. Something that suits them.”

Personal advice and armed with a drill

Tamara and her team Sonja, Amber and Wilfred, do more than just sell art. “We also visit people’s homes. Sometimes we come with several works and start fitting and measuring on the spot. And yes, then I grab the drill, because we also just hang it ourselves,” she says with a wink. Tamara combines her background in fine art with a good sense of interior design. “Sometimes I shift furniture or give advice on lighting. But always with respect for the client’s wishes. Art should fit into a life, not
just into a space.”

Art with a ‘regional feel

What many people don’t know: Tamara prefers to work with Dutch artists from around the country. “We consciously choose work from here, with craft, a story, a soul. That feels a bit like a regional product: unique and homegrown. And that also makes it more fun for our visitors: you take away something that really says something about you and about the place where you live.”

For those who find it financially stressful, there is a fine solution. “We have an art purchase scheme. You pay 20% down, and the rest you can pay off over one to two years, spread out and interest-free. That’s how art becomes accessible to more people.”

Summer Exhibition

Every year Tamara hosts a festive summer exhibition with a surprising theme. This year it is: Growth. “A short word with many possibilities,” she explains. “For some it means flowering and development, for others an inner journey or change. The participating artists all put their own spin on it. And that makes it so much fun. You really see the diversity of interpretations.”

The exhibition opened in celebration in May, but the whole summer is dedicated to the theme and all kinds of events are being organized. “Everything is free of charge,” Tamara stresses. “We want people to feel welcome. Whether you buy art or just enjoy looking.”

Continuing to touch people

And the future? “I think we are already doing a lot of great things,” Tamara says soberly. “We are at international trade shows, our network is growing and we have a great team. But what I hope most of all is that we continue to touch people. That they step inside and feel something. That art releases something. And that they take that feeling home with them, literally or figuratively.”

2025
Interview editor-in-chief Magazine KNST! Annemarie Visser
Photography Sandra Zeilstra

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