Like the aforementioned
gallery/eateries, Roji has also found its own niche when it comes to
displaying artwork. But unlike the other two, it came well after the
first tea was steeped. “When we first opened, we just had our original,
traditional paintings and that was it,” says Tomomi Yoshida, manager of
the Roji Tea Lounge. “Once we started communicating with customers who
were artists and finding out what they do, we just went from there. And
now, we are constantly featuring work from different local artists on a
regular basis.”
Yoshida mentions they first started
displaying local artists two months ago, with the Delavan Art Center’s
Courtney Rile christening the walls with an exhibition titled
Chemigrams. Currently, Blair Frodelius’ tinted pictures alternated with, appropriately, black tea, are on display through Nov. 29.
And while Yoshida mentions that they
will consider any artist’s work to display in the lounge, they like to
try to maintain a sense of feng shui and not mess with the harmony of
Roji’s surroundings.
“We just make sure the artwork will go
with atmosphere,” continues Yoshida. “We like to make sure the art
complements the atmosphere and sometimes we have to turn down some
offers. But it’s not like we think we’re better than them or they’re
not good enough to be displayed, it’s just different. We’ve got our own
unique sense of style and we look forward to supporting the local art
scene and hope we can keep going with it.”
You can visit the Roji Tea Lounge
Tuesdays through Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. For more information,
or to inquire about displaying artwork, call 428-0844 or visit
www.roji-tealounge.com
There are a few more Syracuse
restaurants that take down and hang up different artwork on a regular
basis. Check out Pastabilities Restaurant, 317 S. Franklin St., which
is open Mondays to Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Mondays to
Thursdays and Sundays, 5 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 11
p.m. For information, call 474-1153. Or try Provisions Bakery, 216
Walton St., open Mondays to Fridays, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; call 472-3475
for details.
