Meet The Member - Oleysa of OCA Gallery, St. Albans
We caught up with our member OCA Gallery to discover the story behind this welcoming St Albans art gallery, showcasing established and emerging artists alongside bespoke framing, art consultancy, exhibitions, events and workshops.
Could you tell us a little about your journey into the world of art and what led you to open OCA Gallery?
My journey into art has been a little unconventional. I didn’t originally set out with the plan of becoming a gallery owner, but over the years I found myself increasingly drawn to the world of art, artists and collecting.
For six years I ran Vache Bleue at The Maltings, where I had the opportunity to work closely with customers, collectors and artists and really understand what people respond to when they discover a piece of art. I loved the personal side of it - finding something that was right for someone rather than simply selling a picture.
Over time, I realised I wanted to create something that was more personal and more reflective of my own vision. That became OCA Gallery. It’s a very exciting new chapter for me, but it’s also the result of everything I’ve learned and all the wonderful people I’ve met along the way.
The name OCA is particularly special to me because it combines elements of my parents’ names, so in many ways the gallery is also a tribute to the people who have supported and inspired me throughout my life.
After six years at The Maltings, you recently opened OCA Gallery on Victoria Street, creating a new chapter for your business. What inspired the move and what did you want to create differently with OCA?
The move was really about creating something that felt like me.
The Maltings was an important part of my journey and I’m incredibly grateful for those six years, but I felt ready to take everything I had learned and build something from the ground up - somewhere that could be both a gallery and a genuine creative space.
With OCA, I wanted to create a place that feels welcoming rather than intimidating. I wanted people to be able to walk through the door simply because something in the window caught their eye, without feeling that they needed to know anything about art.
I also wanted to have more freedom to champion artists I genuinely believe in, particularly emerging artists, and to create opportunities for exhibitions, workshops, artist events and community activities. The gallery is much more than somewhere to put artwork on a wall — I want it to have energy, personality and a real sense of community.
OCA showcases a mixture of established and emerging artists, with a real emphasis on discovering exciting and original work. What do you look for when deciding which artists and pieces to bring into the gallery?
For me, it starts with a feeling.
Of course, there are technical considerations, and I look at the quality, originality and consistency of an artist’s work, but ultimately, I want a piece to make me stop and look twice.
I’m attracted to work that has personality - something with an original idea, an interesting story, a strong use of colour or simply something that makes you feel something.
I also think about the person who might take that piece home. Art is incredibly personal, so I’m always thinking about whether a work can create that emotional connection with someone.
And I love discovering artists who perhaps haven’t yet had a huge platform. There is something incredibly exciting about finding talent early and being able to help introduce that artist to a new audience.
You are particularly passionate about supporting new and emerging artists, including through your ‘Rent an Easel’ initiative. Why is it important to you to give artists at the beginning of their careers a professional platform and a chance to build confidence?
Because I know how important encouragement can be.
Starting out in any creative career can be incredibly daunting. You can have all the talent in the world, but if nobody gives you the opportunity to show your work, meet potential buyers or simply hear someone say, “I believe in what you’re doing,” it can be very difficult to build confidence.
That is why Rent an Easel is so important to me. It gives emerging artists the opportunity to experience what it feels like to have their work in a professional gallery environment, meet visitors and see how people respond to their work.
We also celebrate the end of their exhibition with an event, bringing together their friends, family, art lovers and the local community. So, it’s not just about selling artwork. It’s about creating an experience, building confidence, making connections and giving artists a little bit of belief in themselves.
I think there is something really special about helping someone take that first step.
Buying art can sometimes feel intimidating, particularly for someone who has never bought a piece before. How do you make the experience approachable and help people find something that genuinely connects with them?
The first thing I always say is: there are no rules!
You don’t have to be an art expert, you don’t need to know the history of every artist, and you certainly don’t have to buy what somebody else tells you is valuable.
If you love something, that’s a very good starting point.
I like to get to know the person - what they like, what they already have at home, what colours they are drawn to and sometimes even what their personality is like. Then we can explore different options together.
I also think it’s important to take away the pressure. People are welcome to come in, have a look, ask questions and simply enjoy the artwork. Sometimes you walk in thinking you know exactly what you want and leave with something completely unexpected!
For me, the perfect purchase is a piece that continues to make you smile every time you walk past it.
Your art consultancy service can involve visiting someone’s home and considering everything from their style and colour palette to scale and placement. How much can the right piece of artwork transform a room?
Absolutely enormously.
The right piece can completely change the atmosphere of a room. It can bring colour into a space, create a focal point, add personality or even make a room feel larger and more balanced.
Sometimes people concentrate so much on furniture, paint colours and accessories that they forget what a powerful role artwork can play.
Scale is particularly important. A beautiful piece can sometimes get lost if it is too small for the wall, while the right large statement piece can completely transform a space.
That’s why I enjoy visiting people’s homes. You can understand the environment properly — the light, the colours, the furniture and the personality of the people who live there. It becomes much more personal than simply choosing something from a wall in a gallery.
Alongside selling artwork, OCA offers bespoke framing, memorabilia consultancy, artist events and workshops. How important was it to you that the gallery became more than simply somewhere to buy art?
It was incredibly important.
I never wanted OCA to feel like a shop where you simply walk in, buy something and walk out. I wanted it to be a destination and a place where people could discover something new.
The framing and memorabilia side also comes from my previous experience. I’ve always loved the idea of taking something meaningful to someone — whether that’s an original artwork, a photograph, a signed shirt or a treasured piece of memorabilia - and presenting it beautifully so that it becomes something they can enjoy for years.
Then there are the events and workshops. These give people another reason to come through the door and, importantly, allow people who might not normally consider themselves “art people” to get involved.
Art should be experienced, talked about and enjoyed. I want OCA to be part of that.
Your gallery already has a strong connection with the St Albans community, including events that bring together artists, art lovers and people who might simply be curious to discover something new. What does being part of the local community mean to you?
It means everything.
St Albans has been such an important part of my journey, so opening OCA here felt completely natural. I love the character of the city and, more importantly, I love the people.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most is seeing people come into the gallery who may never have considered visiting an art gallery before. They might come in because they’re curious, because they’ve seen an event advertised, or because something in the window caught their attention — and then they start a conversation.
That’s exactly what I want.
I want OCA to feel like part of the fabric of St Albans. A place where local people can meet artists, discover new work, attend an event, learn something, have a glass of fizz, or simply pop in for a chat.
The support I’ve received since opening has been incredibly encouraging, and I’m very grateful for it.
Looking ahead, what are you most excited about for OCA Gallery? Are there particular artists, exhibitions, events or ideas you would love to bring to St Albans?
I honestly feel that we are only just getting started.
I’m excited about continuing to discover new artists and giving them opportunities alongside the more established names we represent. I’d also love to bring even more exhibitions, artist talks, workshops and unusual creative events to the gallery.
I want OCA to keep evolving. I don’t want people to know exactly what they are going to find every time they walk through the door - I want there to always be something new to discover.
I’m particularly excited about developing the emerging-artist side of the gallery and creating more opportunities for artists to meet collectors and the wider St Albans community.
Ultimately, I’d love OCA to become known as a place where people come not only to buy art, but to discover artists, make connections and have memorable experiences.
When you’re not at the gallery, where are your favourite places in St Albans for coffee, lunch, a walk or somewhere to relax and unwind?
I have to say, at the moment, I’m loving Lemon Oya. It’s our new Turkish restaurant and I’ve already become a regular! The food is fantastic, the wine is very good - which is always important - and Natalia, the owner, is a personal friend, so there’s always a lovely, familiar feeling when I go there. It feels like going somewhere where you know you’re going to have a good time.
If I’m not looking for food and just fancy a drink, you’ll almost certainly find me at Cosy Club. It’s one of my favourite places to meet friends, have a glass of wine and just switch off for a while.
And then, when I really need to clear my head, I love going to the park and walking around the lake. I spend so much time at the gallery and always seem to have a million things going on in my head, so sometimes a walk is exactly what I need. No emails, no decisions, no artwork to hang — just a bit of fresh air!
I think I’m very lucky to have all of that right here in St Albans.
Finally, tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I’m definitely a spontaneous person - sometimes perhaps a little too spontaneous!
This summer, my daughter and I fancied Spanish clams for lunch, so we thought, “Why not?” and jumped on a plane to Spain. That’s just how I operate!
But my favourite example of my spontaneity happened when I was younger. A friend and I went on a mini cruise and had such a fantastic night in the casino that we completely forgot we were supposed to get back on the ship! We eventually realised that the boat had sailed off without us - and, unfortunately, so had all our luggage.
So, we caught a flight back, went to Portsmouth to collect our bags and then, rather than admitting defeat and learning from our mistake, we decided the obvious solution was to buy the same cruise again and do it all over!
The second time, we made absolutely sure we were on the boat when it left.
So yes, I like to think I’m spontaneous. Others might call it “making life unnecessarily complicated” - but I prefer my version!