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Honors for Art Presence Member

This October, The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce called to artists for paintings of their favorite building Jacksonville. The winning painting, an aerial view of Jacksonville from the Cemetery entitled, “New City Hall,” was created by Desmond Serratore, a respected member of Art Presence.

Serratore’s art will be included in the Chamber’s new release of postcards available in time for the holiday season. Postcards can be purchased at the Visitor Information Center located at 185 N. Oregon St. (next to the Post Office)

Congratulations, Desmond!

New City Hall, oil by Desmond Serratore, 2021.
“New City Hall,” oil by Desmond Serratore, 2021.

The post Honors for Art Presence Member appeared first on Art Presence Art Center.

Ashland’s First Friday Art Walk, December 6th, 2019 from 5 to 8 pm

Join us for the First Friday Art Walk festivities! 

Ashland Gallery Association Exhibit Openings & Artist Receptions  First Friday Art Walk, December 6th from 5 to 8 pm

Ashland Gallery Association Exhibit Openings & Artist Receptions

First Friday Art Walk, December 6th from 5 to 8 pm

Stroll the galleries and take in the visual delights in downtown Ashland and the Historic Railroad District.  Venture further to explore out-skirting galleries!  Enjoy this free year-round community event, filled with a diverse array of artwork, live music, artist demonstrations, refreshments and lively conversation! 

December Spotlight Exhibits

Ashland Art Center

Art with a Heart

Ashland Art Center, December’s Spotlight Gallery will be featuring Susanne Petermann, Collage Artist, Marcy Greene, Mixed Media Art and Jo Ann Manzone, Fiber Artist.  Musical guest is Jennifer Davis and Darcy Sternenberg with be featured in the photographers co-op.

Ashland Art Center is the number one spot where the community comes together to meet our local artists, shop in our gallery and studio’s, take classes and enjoy wine and music.  This month we are partnering with CASA and will have a giving tree in the center to help families in need.  Stop by and sponsor a child with a donation or purchase of a gift.

We will also have a Holiday Show in the Classroom, so you can buy local artisan made gifts.  Gift-wrapping is available.

Marcy Greene, mixed media

Marcy Greene, mixed media

Shepherd’s Dream

Rogue Valley and Beyond

Pat Moore has been an avid photographer for 35+ years, and brings his keen eye for the processes of nature to his craft.  His approach reflects two essential aspects of his personal history:  early exposure to urban cultures and architecture, together with two decades as an organic farmer.  This appreciation led him to wilderness areas at home and abroad.  These elements are apparent in the works that Pat shares with the world.

Pat Moore, “Deadfall Lake Reflection,” photograph

Pat Moore, “Deadfall Lake Reflection,” photograph

Studio 151

Featuring Kaho Koinuma – Mandala art

First Friday in December at the studio features a joint show of mixed media figures and wall art by Elizabeth York and works by guest artist, Kaho Koinuma. Kaho is a Mandala artist who draws directly from the heart. Her sacred mandalas are expressions of love filled with prayers for each and every being to awaken to the essence of the heart and for all experiences to be pathways home to love. Many have found inner guidance and healing through meditating and contemplating her mandalas.

Prior to 2006, Kaho had no experience in fine art, but with a sudden inspiration from the universe through a Japanese artist, the mandalas started to appear as answers to her heart’s calling.

Before becoming a mandala artist, Kaho was a competitive figure skater and coach for 30 years. This experience prepared her for the focus and discipline it takes to infuse the dots and shapes that appear in each mandala with universal love.

Her work has been the subject of several articles, including a feature article in Hado magazine in which Kaho was interviewed by Dr. Masaru Emoto, author of the best-selling book “The Hidden Messages in Water.”

Since early 2007, Kaho has been exhibiting her mandalas and offering meditations, workshops and retreats in support of all beings to discover peace, love and true happiness, within the core of his/her own heart.

The studio will be open on First Friday, 12/6 from 5-8.

www.mandalasoftheheart.com
Instagram: @kaho_koinuma

Koinuma, “Bliss,” gel pens on paper

Koinuma, “Bliss,” gel pens on paper

Ashland Custom Frame

Oil Paintings by David William Terry

Artist David William Terry has been a professional artist since 1981. He specializes in oil paintings, particularly portraits. He has won awards for his paintings in a number of national and international juried exhibits.

David’s paintings portray his simple desire to share what he considers beautiful.

He is less concerned with originality or style, than with capturing the essential character of his subjects, whether they are people or waterfalls.

Originally from Texas, David and his partner Francesca came to the Rogue Valley in 2015. They currently live in Jacksonville.

 

David’s paintings will be on display through the end of January

David William Terry, “Gabija,” oil on linen

David William Terry, “Gabija,” oil on linen

 

New AGA Member

Trace West

Trace West Announces New Furniture Series “STATERA”

Grand Opening Reception: Thursday, December 5th, 2019   7:00 -10:00 pm
Design Lab Talk: January 18, 2020 11:00 am -1:00 pm

Andrew Golish, a member of the American Craft Council, is the principle designer and founder of TRACE WEST, a new boutique furniture gallery located in Ashland, Oregon. The showroom will be hosting within the gallery scape a revolving series of contemporary craft guest artisans working in a range of various mediums including textiles, lighting, ceramics and other applied media. The grand opening for TRACE WEST will be held on Thursday, December 5th, 2019.

STATERA SERIES

The opening of the TRACE WEST showroom coincides with the debut of the STATERA series. STATERA, which is Latin for “balance,” is a new contemporary furniture design series featuring fine finish solid walnut custom coffee tables, consoles, benches, and end tables for living spaces and the work environment.

Golish states that the search for “perfect balance” motivates him to create cutting-edge, contemporary designs by integrating traditional hand craft techniques with new technological applications. The STATERA signature series offers clean, sleek lines with intersecting geometric shapes. The sculptural dimension of cascading, rich wood textures are central of these exquisite pieces and elevate them to a high level of quality and design. “Complex simplicity” aptly defines the STATERA series, an elegant balance of functional design and contemporary aesthetic.

DESIGN LAB TALKS

Additionally, TRACE WEST will host and present DESIGN LAB TALKS, an educational guest speaker series featuring contemporary design influencers. Future topics will include the impact of new cutting-edge technology has on design, the convergence of contemporary craft, and the role of contemporary art in the creative marketplace. Join us January 18, 2020 as Golish kicks off the first Design Lab Talk event.

ABOUT TRACE WEST

The TRACE WEST name originated when Golish journeyed from the midwest. Golish states that he “was seeking a more creative, open minded environment and community.” Ashland, Oregon, a cultural hub of the Pacific Northwest, represented the perfect location to bring his creative spirit to fruition. TRACE WEST has been well received by the local community, in no small part due to the company’s focus on locally sourced materials and creating environmentally conscience, sustainable furniture and decor.

Golish has taken a unique approach to the marketing challenge. In what is ever becoming a more and more competitive e-commerce retail environment, Golish has elected to open a brick and mortar gallery which will allow him to interact personally with clients on a daily basis. Simultaneously, TRACE WEST maintains and is growing its own online presence, through its website tracewest.com, as well as industry related associations and community organizations.

Please contact us directly to learn more about TRACE WEST and the debut of STATERA, the perfect balance.

For more information about all of our exhibits and to download the December Gallery Tour map, please visit: www.ashlandgalleries.com  

 

Please see attached “Spotlight Exhibits.”

The Ashland Gallery Association is a collection of over thirty galleries and dozens of artists, offering remarkably diverse and high quality works of art.

Ashland has been designated as one of the “Best Small Arts Towns in America.” And while our most famous arts organization is the award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, you really haven’t seen Ashland until you’ve seen the Ashland Galleries.

We’re remarkably user-friendly. Most of our galleries are located within just a few blocks of each other, and every gallery welcomes all comers. We’re proud of the work we produce and offer, and we look forward to showing you what we’re all about.

Thank you for your support of the Visual Arts in our communities!

Applications Open For 14th Edition of Arte Laguna Prize

Entries are open for the 14th edition of Arte Laguna Prize

In addition to the exhibition in Venice at the Arsenale, the contest lands in Moscow and the cash prizes increase

Open Call for the 14th Arte Laguna Prize

Applications are open for the fourteenth edition of Arte Laguna Prize, one of the most influential and longest-running competitions for emerging artists and designers. The Prize continues its mission of promoting creative talents through art residencies, exhibitions, festival participations and collaborations with companies and this year Arte Laguna has established an important new partnership with MMOMA – Moscow Museum of Modern Art, bringing to Moscow in 2021 a selection of over one hundred works.

With fourteen years of history the Prize, organized by the Cultural Association MoCA (Modern Contemporary Art), gives artists the opportunity to join a huge network of collaborations worldwide, exhibit in the breathtaking location of the Arsenale of Venice, win cash prizes of a total amount of 40.000 euro and much more.

New this year is Arte Laguna World (https://artelaguna.world/) the contemporary art platform that connects artists to collectors and art professionals.

The new edition of Arte Laguna Prize renews the section dedicated to design, giving it a new interpretation that is more art-oriented and supported by Assarredo/ FederlegnoArredo: “Giving voice to art and its expressions is fundamental”, states Claudio Feltrin, President of Assarredo, “it allows us to maintain a link with our cultural roots, to which art draws, and helps us to build a bridge to the future, thanks to the work of young artists who propose new languages. Through the collaboration with MoCA (Modern Contemporary Art) in Venice, we want to support artistic projects capable of enhancing culture and design”.

The international jury, led by Igor Zanti, curator of the Prize since its first edition and director of IED Florence, will be composed of: Iwona Blazwick – director of the Whitechapel Gallery in London; Karel Boonzaaijer – designer, architect and professor at the German Universities Fachbereich Gestaltung and FH Aachen; Valentino Catricalà – contemporary art curator and art section director of the Maker Faire – The European Edition; Aldo Cibic – fundamental name of made in Italy design in the world; Erin Dziedzic – Chief Curator at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri; Zhao Li – professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and curator of the Chinese Pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale; Riccardo Passoni – director of GAM – the Modern Art Gallery in Turin; Vasili Tsereteli – Director of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art.

The jury will select the best applications from the ten disciplines in the competition, which will be on display at the Arsenale Nord in Venice from March 21st to April 13th 2020. Among the exhibited works, the jury will identify four absolute winners who will win the cash prizes of 10,000 euro each.

The Prize obtained a medal from the President of the Italian Republic and is organized with the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, the Veneto Region, the Municipality of Venice, the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, the European Institute of Design and FederlegnoArredo.

Artists and designers from all over the world can participate in the competition without any limitation, the applications must be submitted by November 27th 2019.

More information and the terms and conditions are available on www.artelagunaprize.com

Artist in Residence Prizes

A program of art residences in Italy and abroad to allow an artistic experience of growth in contact with a new environment or a new culture, to create new works and to participate in new activities in a multicultural environment. The residencies are assigned to six artists and are: Fabrica in Treviso, Gridchinhall in Moscow, Espronceda in Barcellona, Basu Foundation for the Arts in Kolkata, Farm Cultural Park in Favara (Sicily), Maradiva Cultural Residency in Mauritius.

Business for Art Prizes

Collaborations with companies in order to connect artists with entrepreneurs who see creativity as a form of communication and productive momentum. This year an artist Under25 from the painting section will win a € 2,500 prize and a collaboration with the Venetian company Majer; three artists will win a € 1000 prize each and spend a month at the Outofblue tourist facility in La Palma – Canary Islands, where they will have the task of enhancing the spaces with site-specific interventions.

Artist in Gallery Prizes

Organization of 2 exhibitions in international Art Galleries, including setting up, vernissage and catalogue. The venues are: Galerie Isabelle Lesmeister in Regensburg, Germany and Jonathan Ferrara Gallery in New Orleans, United States.

Partecipation in Festivals and Group exhibitions

Selection of eleven artists for participation in collective events in Slovenia at Art Stays Festival and in Beijing with the events organized by Art Nova 100.

Sustainability and Art Prize dedicated to alluminium

The special prize with the CIAL consortium and Ca’ Foscari that rewards with 3,000 euros the best Reuse, Reduce, Recycle proposal for aluminum packaging recycling.

www.artelagunaprize.com #artelagunaprize #premioartelaguna Press Office

Alessandra Lazzarin

+39 347 2790099 [email protected]

Elena Pardini

+39 348 3399463 [email protected]

OAC Update on grant awards, Art in Public Places Roster now open and the first-ever tour of our State Capitol’s art collection!

August 2019

News & Updates

Update on grant awards, Art in Public Places Roster now open and the first-ever tour of our State Capitol’s art collection!

Grant award timeline update

OSG, ALG awards to be announced in September

Due to the new biennium budget process, the announcement of grant awards for the Operating Support and Arts Learning programs is delayed until September.
The Arts Commission is awaiting a final approved budget from the Legislative Fiscal Office and the Business Oregon fiscal office, as well as action by the Arts Commission board, so that grant awards can be finalized and distributed.
Final approval of grant awards is expected at the Arts Commission board meeting in early September. Official notification of application status and funding awards will happen after the Arts Commission board meets.
In recognition of the challenge presented by awards being announced after activity starts, the staff is developing a new timeline for the next funding cycle and may move the activity start period to Oct. 1.

Eric Asakawa plays the role made famous by Kevin Bacon in Broadway Rose Theatre Company’s current production of“Footloose” running through Sept. 1. Broadway Rose received a FY2019 Operating Supporting Grant award. Photo by Craig Mitchelldy.

Call to artists

Oregon Art in Public Places Roster now accepting applications

Regional, national and international artists are invited to submit qualifications for the Oregon Art in Public Places Roster for 2020-2022. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m., MDT (Mountain Daylight Time), on Tuesday, Sept. 10. All materials must be submitted through CaFE™.
The Oregon Arts Commission manages the Percent for Art program for the State of Oregon. The Oregon Art in Public Places Roster serves as a resource for Percent for Art selection panels to identify artists most suitable for specific project needs.
The Roster is completely refreshed every three years. Artist who were selected for a previous Oregon Art in Public Places Roster must reapply to be considered for the 2020-2022 Roster.

George Johanson, “Day and Night,” 2012. Acrylic and oil on canvas. Oregon Department of Transportation.

Corvallis artist Greg Pfarr exhibits in Governor’s Office

Corvallis artist Greg Pfarr will exhibit “A Sense of Place: Time, Memory and Imagination in the Pacific Northwest” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem through Sept. 26. A “meet the artist” reception is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Place has always been a central focus of Greg’s art. He grew up roaming the woods and creeks of southern Ohio, where he found his first inspiration. Early backpacking experiences in the Smokey and Rocky Mountains convinced him that he had to live near wilderness. A move to Oregon in 1980 made it possible.
An exhibit in the Governor’s office is a “once in a lifetime” honor for selected Oregon artists.

Greg Pfarr, “Three Glaciers, Prince William Sound, Alaska,” 2014. Etching and woodcut. 24 x 36 inches (image). Courtesy the artist.

American Artist Appreciation Month

First-ever tours of State Capitol art offered in August

Explore the vast art collection inside the Oregon State Capitol during American Artist Appreciation Month in August. For the first time, State Capitol visitor services will provide guided tours of the Art of the Time Collection, publicly displayed throughout the building.
Tours will depart from the state seal in the rotunda at noon Monday through Friday,
Aug. 19-30. The collection includes more than 175 American (and many regional) artists, featured on the Percent for Art Collection website.
For a schedule of upcoming events and exhibits at the Capitol, visit www.oregoncapitol.com.

Sally Haley, “Camellias,” before 1979. Acrylic on canvas. Photo: Frank Miller.

At Liberty honors Royal Nebeker

Former Arts Commissioner and beloved Oregon artist Royal Nebeker (1945-2014) is being celebrated in a retrospective of his work on exhibit at At Liberty in Bend through September.
A prominent teacher, Nebeker left a tremendous legacy of work. A broad representation of his life’s work assembled for the tribute show.
Royal once said, “This process of painting resembles looking through a night window. I peer out, observing and at the same time see the reflection of the interior conditions of my own reality. It is my intent that as the viewer peers into my painting, he will not only see a visual record of meaning in my life, but will discover the reflection of meaning in their own, as in a night window.”

Pictured at the Royal Nebeker exhibit opening: (left to right) Kaari Vaughn, a founding partner of At Liberty; Sarah Nebeker, Royal’s widow and a Clatsop County Commissioner; Hannah Nebeker, Royal’s daughter; Rene Mitchell, a founding partner of At Liberty; Jenny Green, a founding partner of At Liberty; and Brian Wagner, Arts Commission community development coordinator. .

Florence public mural celebrates local culture

“Stitching Time, Weaving Cultures,” a public mural celebrating local culture and heritage, was recently dedicated in Florence. Commissioned by The City of Florence and the City’s Public Arts Committee, the mural was created by Portland artist-team Marino-Heidel Studios.
Almost three years in the making, the mural showcases folk arts and speaks to cultural interchange. It also “stitches” together ideas that represent the Florence area. The design incorporates the iconic Siuslaw Bridge and native flora and fauna of our region and pays homage to the Siuslaw people.
The project was a partnership between enthusiastic citizens, members of the PUD, Tribal leaders and City of Florence staff.

(Left to right) Harlan Springer of the Florence Public Arts Committee, Catherine Rickbone of the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts and Michal Dalton, Oregon Arts Commissioner.

Upcoming grant deadlines

Oregon Arts Commission | Phone 503-986-0082 | www.oregonartscommission.org

STAY CONNECTED

Call to Artists for the Oregon State Fair Fine Art Show

2019 CALL To ARTISTS

Oregonstatefair.org
Online Registration Open NOW

oregon state fair logo
Professional Artist Online Entry Deadline:
July 15, 10 pm
Non-Professional Artist, Young Artist and Oregon Award Online Entry Deadline:
August 7, 10 pm


NEW AWARDS FOR 2019 

(in addition to our traditional awards)

Show your Oregon Pride!
To be eligible, entries
need to be Oregon-
centric – highlighting a physical aspect
of Oregon or promoting an export or
commodity. The winner will receive a
special ribbon and cash prize.

And
Governor’s Choice Award
This year we are honored to have Oregon’s Governor, Kate Brown,
selecting a prestigious Governor’s Choice award winner. Sponsored by Dick Blick Art Supplies and Gamblin Paint

Please contact us with any questions. 971-701-6571 or email
[email protected]

Haines & Friends Fund & “Where’s William?”

Hello friends and art appreciators,
 This Friday in Downtown Ashland is bound to be a happening event!  Not only is it 1st Friday Art Walk, but the Haines & Friends Fund show at the Ashland Springs Hotel will be a unique and insightful exhibit. You will get to see the results of the funds in physical form. So many great artists who were awarded for their artistic visions !
Here is the brochure:
***That’s my painting on the lower left… ‘Suddenly Blue” (40″x30″ oil, with lots of impasto work)
After you view the Haines & Friends Fund show, head over across the street to the Art & Soul Gallery and play ‘Where’s William” for a chance to win art gifts and more!
details here:

ART & SOUL GALLERY CELEBRATES THE OPENING OF OSF’S OUTDOOR SEASON WITH “WHERE’S WILLIAM?” AN ART DISCOVERY GAME!

 

All of the 27 artists at the Art & Soul Gallery have titled one or two of their paintings to relate to William Shakespeare. Throughout the month of June visitors to the gallery who are able to find the paintings will win prizes.

“There is something for everyone,” says the gallery’s new managing director/owner, Peter Stone. “Where’s William” is designed to be a fun way to discover art while looking for Shakespeare themes in the paintings and their titles.” 

Prizes:

~Kids aged twelve and under who find ten or more titles get to choose a super hero or Star Wars lapel pin.

~Seekers who find twenty or more titles get to choose one notecard from an Art & Soul Gallery artist and receive a free pass to Chanting and Chai.

~More ambitious “art snoops” who find 25 or more titles and answer three or more bonus questions will receive a CD, a free pass to Chanting and Chai, get to choose a notecard from an Art & Soul Gallery Artist, a 25% off coupon for custom picture framing from Art & Soul Framing and will be entered into a weekly drawing to win their choice of a painting lesson, a music lesson or an matted/unframed print.

~And anyone who finds thirty or more titles and answers five or more bonus questions will receive the above prizes and be entered into a drawing (at 4 pm on June 30) to win a Judy Richardson original oil painting.

Prizes are available for participants every day at all times when the gallery is open and there will be “art snoops” drawings every Friday in June at 5 pm. (7:30 on First Friday)

You do not need to be present to win at any of the drawings.

For more information about Art & Soul Gallery and “Where’s William” call (541) 488-9006, visit artandsoulgallery.com email: [email protected].

I look forward to seeing you at either of these exhibits! It will be a fun night ….
cheers,
silvia

A Taste of Ashland Poster Competition- Call For Artists

Ashland Gallery Association

2019 A Taste of Ashland Poster Competition

The Ashland Gallery Association is seeking artwork for its 2019 A TASTE OF ASHLAND event.  Local artists are encouraged to submit images of their work. AGA Gallery, Associate, and Neighboring Arts Organization members may also submit images for artists they represent.

The winner will be publicized in the Ashland Gallery Guide, the ‘Taste’ Event Guide, on the AGA website, and on ‘Taste’ promotional materials including the poster, postcard, and social media.

The Ashland Gallery Guide is distributed to about10,000 patrons of the arts each year. The Event Guide is distributed to about 2,500.

2017 ATOA Poster

2017 ATOA Poster

Submission deadline: December 5, 2018.  The poster art will be selected at the December 11, 2018 AGA Membership meeting at Ashland Art Center. The meeting will begin at 6:30 and members will vote on the submissions.   Winners will be notified shortly after this meeting.

Submission address:  Routing: send by email to AGA Administrator, Kim Olson: [email protected]

Important:  The ATOA committee is seeking strong, colorful and broadly appealing images – ones that convey a feeling of joy and fun with friends, and the feeling of “Come to Ashland for great food, wine and art”.  The submissions don’t have to be literal depictions of food and wine, although they can! 

See HYPERLINK “http://www.atasteofashland.com” to view last year’s image. 

Additional Submission Guidelines:

  • One image may be submitted per artist.
  • Submit by email in one of the following files types: JPG (preferred), GIF, TIFF, or PDF (Files not in one of these formats will not be guaranteed to be part of the selection)
  • Submissions must be medium-to-high resolution, and must include the artist’s name, phone number, mailing address, and email address.
  • Images should be in color and no more than 10MB in size (anything larger will be rejected by the mail server).
  • Artwork may be existing or created specifically for the “Taste”.
  • Any art medium that can be photographed and printed is eligible.
  • The winning artist will be responsible for providing a high-quality image for the printer.
  • Any artist who has already been honored becomes eligible to submit again after an interval of five years.

The winning poster artist grants the AGA the right to reproduce his/her artwork for the poster and for publicity of A Taste of Ashland. All proceeds from the promotional use of the image will benefit A Taste of Ashland. The Artist will be credited, where possible, on promotional materials using his/her image.

Thanks so much for submitting your work.  A Taste of Ashland is the AGA’s annual fundraising effort and a themed image is important for marketing the event.

We look forward to your submission!

A Literary Emergency!

literary emergency - Anna Elkins - If Words Create Worlds, What World Will We Create?A big hello to friends, near and far! This newsletter is a bit of a departure—if you recently signed up, know that this is not my norm 🙂

Yesterday I was (giddily!) accepted for a month-long residency in writing at Vermont Studio Center for this September/October. I’ve wanted to go for two decades, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity! And I’ve been using waaaay too many exclamation marks for the last 24 hours!

VSC is the largest, international artist residency in the US, and in addition to writing time with full room and board, residents get to connect with fellow artists and visiting faculty across genres. It’s a poet’s dream! Not only that, I’ve always hoped to visit New England in the autumn to see the leaves, so this is like a “two-fer” dream come true!

literary emergency - Anna Elkins - Autumn color in New England

That’s the good news. The mixed news is that though I received a grant that covers a small part of the fee to attend, I need to pay the $3000+ balance in exactly two weeks: on August 16. I paid my deposit on faith. I thought; if the dream arrives at your doorstep, you figure out a way to carry it inside! And that’s where I need some help.

Usually, I’d have time to apply for a professional development grant (I put myself through undergraduate and graduate studies on grants, scholarships, and fellowships—I’m always willing to do the work!), but since I was awarded a residency near the start of VSC’s academic year, I don’t have the time to go that route.

So I’m getting creative and inviting you to help me do something I would normally work out by myself. In fact: maybe part of my lesson in this is learning to ask!

And so…here are five different ways you can help:

1) Order from my online gallery

Scroll through my art gallery and find a huge range of reproductions from abstract to illustrative, from traditional prints to coffee mugs and pillows. Many of the originals are also available (click on an image to see if it’s for sale). If you’d like one of the originals, email me for a shipping estimate:  [email protected]

2) Buy my books

I’ve got fiction, poetry, and “children’s books for grownups” on offer! And it’s a bonus if you buy them directly via the links on my webpage. Find books here.

3) Order (lots & lots of!) Take Heart greeting cards

I named my greeting card line Take Heart because I love and live the art of encouragement. The image at the opening of this newsletter is from one of the cards, and you can see all 10 designs here: Take Heart Cards.

The cards feature a micropoem and watercolor image, are printed in Oregon, hand-embossed with my ae logo, and blank inside for you to spread encouragement in the world. They are great for giving or keeping, mailing or framing.

My ordering system is a bit more old-school for these, but here’s the breakdown:

~Any 4 cards for $10 (+ $3 s/h in the US)
~A set of all 10 cards for $25 (+ $5 s/h in the US)
~Two sets of all 10 cards for $47 (+ $7 s/h in the US)
~Three sets of all 10 cards for $65 (+ $10 s/h in the US)

For more sets, email me for a shipping quote!

To order, you can pay through the secure server at my website, here.
*Be sure to type “cards” in the description field and indicate your desired quantity.
Or you can reply directly to this email with any orders: [email protected]

4) Swing by my art show

If you’re in Southern Oregon, join me tomorrow, Friday, from 4-6 pm for my First Friday Art Walk reception at Tail of the Sun (567 Fair Oaks Avenue, Ashland, OR). In addition to the art on sale, I’ll be doing live watercolor painting—come get a favorite word or name on your own bookmark!

5) Donate (aka: create an impromptu community grant for Anna 😉

You can donate directly here (same link as for Take Heart Cards).
*Be sure to indicate “donation” in the description field.

Or send a check to:

Anna Elkins
PO Box 509
Jacksonville, OR 97530

What world will we create with our words? I’m hoping for a good one. And I’m hoping to do some of that creation at Vermont Studio Center. I’m immensely grateful for any and all support!

In delight & love,

Anna

PS: Fun fact: I used frequent flyer miles and got an airline ticket from Oregon to Vermont for $11.20! I figured that’s a good sign that all things are possible….

art + word + spirit

annaelkins.com

Watch Oregon’s Poetry Out Loud champ compete live at nationals, a call for grant panelists and one of our own exhibits at the Smithsonian!

April 2018

News & Updates

Watch Oregon’s Poetry Out Loud champ compete live at nationals, a call for grant panelists and one of our own exhibits at the Smithsonian!

Watch live!

Oregon POL champ competes at national contest April 24

Help cheer on Oregon’s 2018 Poetry Out Loud Champion, Sarah Calvin-Stupfel of West Salem High School, when she participate in nationals April 23-25 in Washington, DC.
Watch Sarah’s performance live between 2 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24. If she advances she will compete in the finals April 25.Enjoy an excerpt of Sarah’s winning performance at the state contest here.
Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts​ and the Poetry Foundation & Poetry Magazine​ in partnership with the Oregon Arts Commission and other state arts agencies.

2018 Poetry Out Loud champion Sarah Calvin-Stupfel, right, with runner-up Amy Jarvie from Oregon School for the Deaf.

Amanda Wojick exhibits in Governor’s Office

Eugene artist Amanda Wojick will exhibit “The space is always” in the Governor’s Office of the Capitol Building in Salem through May 31.
Wojick’s work explores a collision of abstraction and everyday life. Using layered texture, vibrant colors and irregular shapes, she weaves together elements of painting, sculpture and collage. “The Space is Always” includes works inspired by common materials found within the space of her home.
An exhibit in the Governor’s office is considered a “once in a lifetime” honor.
Read the full release.

“Bricks on Yellow,“ 2017. Wood, paper, paint. 22 x 30 x 1 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Photo Jonathan Bagby

Grant panelists needed to review, score proposals

The Arts Commission invites those interested in serving as grant panelists to submit a nomination form.
Selected panelists will read, review and score applications on-line and meet once by teleconference to provide final application ranking. Commission staff will provide a panelist orientation and training.
Individuals with experience in a variety of arts and non-profit disciplines including music, dance, film/media, interdisciplinary arts and arts learning are needed. Panelists from different artistic disciplines who bring a regional perspective from throughout the state, and a variety of backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to participate.
Contact [email protected] with questions.

One of Oregon’s own exhibits

at Smithsonian!

Tyler Fuqua, an artist from Eagle Creek, has one of his creations displayed as part of the “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” exhibition through Jan. 21, 2019.
Tyler’s project, “Thorax: Ambassador of the Insects,” is made from mostly reclaimed materials including more than 50’ of EL wire, a color changing chest emblem and four fully articulated wings.
“No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” brings the large-scale, participatory work from the famous desert gathering to the nation’s capital for the first time. The exhibition takes over the entire Renwick Gallery building and surrounding neighborhood, bringing alive the maker culture and creative spirit of this cultural movement.

“Thorax: Ambassador of the Insects” by Tyler Fuqua, now on display at the Smithsonian.

Upcoming grant deadlines

Oregon Arts Commission | Phone 503-986-0082 | www.oregonartscommission.org

Bee Bantug and Nancy Graham featured at Art du Jour Gallery

Art du Jour Gallery
213 E. Main Street
Medford, OR 97501
(541) 770-3190 (Tues – Sat., 10-4)
Nancy Graham exhibit at Art du Jour.  Roy Musitelli photo 4/9/18

Nancy Graham exhibit at Art du Jour. Roy Musitelli photo 4/9/18

Advance Release for May 2018:
During the month of May Nancy Graham’s work will again be featured in the Salon and Bee Bantug will be the featured artist on the feature wall at Art du Jour Gallery, 213 E. Main in Medford.

Guest Artist

Nancy Graham featured Salon artist at Art du Jour Gallery for the months of April and May.

Nancy has always been passionate about art in all forms and styles, as evidenced by the variety of subjects she likes to paint, and the varied approach to each. She was always encouraged by her mother, who was a well-known artist in California and an art instructor at Dominican College in San Rafael a number of years ago.

Although her background is painting with oils and acrylic, her current passion is teaching watercolor at Scrappy Craft in Phoenix, where her classes remain full year-round. She tells us that the real thrill comes from the delight her students find when the composition comes together and there is a sudden spurt of confidence. She pushes strong value shifts of light and dark, telling her students over and over, “The deeper the shadows, the stronger the light will be.”
She teaches that there is more to a successful piece of art than the basic fundamentals of art theory, and she likes to experiment with a variety of styles and approaches as evidenced by the selection of pieces that will be showing at Art du Jour. Florals, landscapes, abstracts, still life’s and even a motorcycles engine are the subjects she’s chosen to show. She’s always excited to try something new and is challenged by the possibilities that watercolor brings to her artwork. However, if one were to ask her what she likes to do best, she would probably reply that she likes to paint “close-ups” where she can use her small brushes to bring out the finest details of her subjects.
Nancy holds a secondary teaching credential and art degree from UC Davis, and is a member of Southern Oregon Society of Artists, the Rogue Gallery, a past President of Josephine County Artists Association and a juried member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.

Featured Artist for May

Bee Bantug
As the featured artist for the month of May at Art Du Jour Gallery, Bee Bantug presents “As the bee flies’’.   Not quite enigmatically titled, this body of work is part of a series celebrating the beauty and boundless bounty of Mother Earth.  And, in seemingly synchronistic timing, through this work Bee pays homage to her beloved mother and all mothers.
Technically and conceptually, her intention is to create evocative imagery using her camera as her brush and the objects and world around her as her palette. And then, pointedly never manipulating her images after the moment of creation.  Aesthetically, she likes abstracting the real and manifesting ideas that intimate at the dynamics between expressionism and impressionism to deliver a distinctly different perspective.
When asked to share how she feels about her artwork, Bee in a poetic stanza shared how “art-making lights up her inner fire: becoming, being a part of her true essence.” Completely self-taught, her work has been jury-selected at international art competitions, exhibitions and auctions the past 5 years since she began sharing her artwork publicly
Recently, Bee Bantug was featured as a Selected Artist at Artrooms Fair 2018 London, one of only two US artists among 70 international others.  Please come and enjoy creative imagery paying homage to all mothers!

Photography Contest

People's Choice Photography Contest at Art du Jour during Art in Bloom
Art du Jour will begin accepting entries for our second “Peoples Choice” Photography Contest during the last week in April.  Prospective participants should take special note that the contest will be part of our Art in Bloom exhibit, as visitors to the gallery vote for their favorite art work. Top vote getter will win $50 and a prize ribbon.  The contest artists will also be honored at our Medford Third Friday Art Walk and Reception on May 18.  There is a $20.00 entry fee.  Call the gallery to register or come by to pick up an entry form. Space will be limited. Like our Facebook page for more info or contact us at (541) 944-1933.