Koneksi Co-Creative Gallery in Clinton mixes art with community

Published 1:30 am Friday, September 19, 2025

More than just a place to display art, a new gallery in Clinton provides a venue for people to build community.

Earlier this month, Rocky Jensen opened Koneksi Co-Creative Gallery, a vibrant, multi-purpose space where visitors can purchase products from Whidbey vendors, play music or contribute to a community mural, among other things.

“I love to host events, I love to bring people together,” Jensen said.

The word koneksi means “connection” in Indonesian, a word Jensen chose that represents their Indo heritage.

Jensen has lived on Whidbey for the past decade. In opening Koneksi, they drew inspiration from two other beloved island businesses that are now obsolete – the Machine Shop and Whidbey Wonders.

At the former pinball arcade in Langley, Jensen worked for Tim Leonard, helping with events, managing the gallery and running open mic nights. Jensen noted it was someplace you could go and exist and have fun, a third place separate from the home and workplace. Its closure in 2022 left a hole.

“Obviously this is just a new, budding venture so we don’t have those kinds of chops yet, but I would love to be an integral part of the community if it so happens and if people find that it’s useful as a creative space,” Jensen said of Koneksi.

Whidbey Wonders, where Jensen was also employed, was a co-op gallery located at Ken’s Korner. It gave Jensen insight into how to run a business while working with vendors to sell their wares.

At Koneksi, Jensen currently works with about 30 vendors, all based on Whidbey. Mini ceramic pottery, whipped body butter that looks and smells like frosting and upcycled leather in all colors of the rainbow are just some of the unique and tactile items found on the shelves. Skateboarders can find decks for sale from Geez Skate Shop, the former Oak Harbor business.

“It’s important to sell the work, but it’s easy when you believe in it because it’s all beautifully handmade,” Jensen said.

In another corner of the spacious room, a dozen artists and poets have contributed pieces for the “Banned” exhibit, which explores work related to colonial erasure. In particular, a large number of words related to mental health, identity and sexuality have been flagged by federal agencies to be banned, limited or avoided under the Trump Administration, as reported by the New York Times earlier this year.

With Koneksi, Jensen aims to create a space where people feel more comfortable to be themselves and are celebrated. Jensen wants to give back in some small way to the communities they are part of, including the artist, music and queer communities.

“My values, I’m sharing those with everybody loudly and proudly, and then people can do with that what they will and hopefully someone will find it useful or meaningful,” Jensen said.

Their ultimate dream is for creative people from many disciplines to work together on “weird and fascinating exhibits and performances.”

Jensen is also a fan of fostering creativity. Visitors can nurture their artistic spark by adding to the colorful community mural. A large swing hangs from the middle of the room, delighting those who maybe haven’t been on a piece of playground equipment in decades. A basket of hacky sacks for sale invites friendly competition.

“I’m a big advocate of play and childlike wonder and curiosity and all of that stuff,” Jensen said.

Or if someone just feels like buying a pastry – provided by Nisí, another local business – and sitting on one of the many comfortable couches while talking with their friends, that’s also an option.

Koneksi is planning to host a series of upcoming events, including a hacky sack tournament at 3 p.m., followed by a DJ set at 7:30 p.m., on Sept. 27. Whidbey Menders and the Buy Nothing Whidbey Island Facebook group are partnering to offer a Mending Circle 1-4 p.m. on Oct. 4. People can bring items of clothing that need repair and receive support from the menders.

Koneksi Co-Creative Gallery is located at 4777 Commercial St. STE A9 in Clinton. To keep up with the business and to find out its hours of operation, visit koneksigallery.com or its Facebook and Instagram pages.