Photograph by Don Lenore in “Four Photographers in Search of Abstraction”

In This Newsletter

The Art Center Staff and Board of Directors are thrilled to share that our June 21st “Living Legacy” fundraiser and reception to celebrate the Art Center’s 75th Anniversary was a great success. The highly attended event raised over $46,000 for Art Center programs and operations.

A special Thank You to the following individuals and businesses for their event support: Olem Alves – music, Ann Bumb Hamilton – flowers, King Estate Winery – wines, Rogene Mañas – new logo, Oakway Catering – food & service, Nancy Silvers – flowers, Alice Strong – flowers, and Fred Tepfer – sound setup.

Event Volunteers: Jim Basil, Tim Brewer, Tom Crandall, Tina Heffernan, Valerie King, Dan Moret, Satoko Motouji, Rachel Petersen, Lisa Schaup, Chloe Saint Claire, Paula Staight, and Michelle Stanger.

Thank you to the following supporting sponsors:

Platinum Sponsors: Rainbow Valley Design & Construction, Florence & Phil Barnhart, and Joan & Marvin Cypress

Gold Sponsors: Cathy Simard & Tom Crandall

Silver Sponsors: Artemisia Landscape Architecture, Susan Castillo & Paul Machu, Sandy & Cheyney Ryan, and Katherine Tippens Wiper

Bronze Sponsors: Kaz Ovessi, Perugino and Tina & Michael Heffernan, and Christine & Richard Sundt

Help us reach our goal of $75,000 – Match Challenge Opportunity!

The Art Center has been presented with an incredible opportunity in the form of a Matching Donation Challenge from members Nard Claar and Sheary Clough Suiter. They will match new donations up to a total of $10,000. Help us make the most of this opportunity!  

Our popular Art Rescue Sale returns October 11 & 12. We welcome donations of artworks and arty objects of all types. As you downsize and sort your collections, remember the Art Center. All donations benefit Maude Kerns Art Center 100% and are eligible for a charitable tax deduction. Please bring donations to the Art Center office during open hours: Weekdays 10:00 am – 5:30 pm and on Saturdays from 12:00 – 4:00 pm (when exhibits are on display).

Maude Kerns Art Center is honored to have been selected to receive an $18,000 grant award through the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, a grant-making program established by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in collaboration with Environment & Culture Partners and RMI to catalyze climate action in the visual arts.

Funds will be used to complete a detailed analysis of the Art Center’s facilities and systems in order to make much needed improvements to gallery and studio programming spaces. The project will help the Art Center reduce its energy use and overall operating costs.

Opening on July 5:

Two compelling photography exhibits open on Saturday, July 5: “Four Photographers in Search of Abstraction,” with work by Dan Lenore, Photax, Gary Tepfer, and Marc Thibaut, and “Sound Waves,” showcasing photographs by Todd Cooper. A public reception takes place on Friday, July 11, from 5 – 7 pm. Both exhibits are on view through Friday, July 25.

“Four Photographers in Search of Abstraction” features the striking images of four life-long friends who explore the subject of abstraction in photography. These artists, though sometimes expressing divergent attitudes towards abstraction, are linked by their “commitment to finding beauty through clarity of vision, recorded with a camera, and shared with minimal manipulation.” The exhibit presents a lively interaction of ideas with images that encourages the viewer to look at photographs in a new way.

Local artist Todd Cooper shows his music entertainment photography in “Sound Waves,” on view in the Salon Gallery. Enamored of music performances since a teenager, Cooper has spent the last 20 years shooting musical events. He says: “I really try to keep attuned to the energy in the room, whether it be on stage or in the audience…. there are these waves that happen where it all builds, syncs, and explodes into this series of memorable moments.”

Pictured: JILL SCOTT, photograph by Todd Cooper

Summer Members Gallery & Gift Shop

The Summer Members Gallery, which features the work of 13 member artists, opens Saturday, July 5 and is on view through October 3. Represented in the Summer Members Gallery are Barbara Laz-Breaden, Mary Garrard, Drew Harrington, Cindy Ingram, Dori Koberstein, Jan Lintz, Patti McNutt, Lael Saleats, Sally Schwader, Laure Shipley, Gabriella Soraci, Karin Spurgin, and Levi Whittier.

Work by Art Center members and Club Mud ceramicists is exhibited in the Members Gallery & Gift Shop throughout the year with artwork changing on a quarterly basis. For more information, contact Director of Exhibitions Liberty Rossel at exhibits@mkartcenter.org.

Pictured: Watering Can, mixed media on canvas by Cindy Ingram

Oregon: Rain or Shine at The Gallery at the Airport

“Oregon: Rain or Shine” is on view at The Gallery at the Airport (GATA) through July 8. The show features two- and three-dimensional work by 30 Maude Kerns Art Center member artists, including work by exhibit juror Tara Kemp. A wide variety of mediums are represented, from Karen Russo’s dramatic ceramic sculpture, Heron Rising, to Laure Shipley’s luminous oil on canvas, a riverscape titled Peace. The Gallery at the Airport is located inside the terminal’s main lobby.

Pictured: Spring Rain, fiber art by Diane English

Upcoming

August 8 – 29:

August in the galleries brings two engaging exhibits: Inheritance: Women’s Stories, with work by San Diego, CA artist Kara Greenwell, Newton, KS artist Eden Quispe, and Monterrey, CA artist Kate Tova, and Lands of Memory, featuring Portland, OR artist Nancy Larson and Eugene, OR artist Meg Littler. Both shows open with a public reception on Friday, August 8, from 5 – 7 pm and are on view through August 29.

Pictured: She Still Has Dreams by Kara Greenwell

Día de los Muertos Exhibit, October 17 – November 7

The Maude Kerns Art Center is accepting submissions for our 32nd annual Día de los Muertos Exhibit. All artists, working in all mediums, are eligible. There is a $20 application fee. Work must be original and must focus on the Mexican Day of the Dead, which blends the ancient harvest rituals of the Aztec god of death and the Roman Catholic holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days. The celebration honors the dead and acknowledges the link between the communities of the living and the dead.

For information and/or to apply online and pay the submission fee, go to APPLY. Submissions may also be made by mail or in person with a flash drive with jpeg images, optional artist’s statement, and a $20 submission fee. Entry deadline: Due, or must be postmarked by, Sunday, August 10, 2025.

July Middle School Labs

Intro/Intermediate Watercolor

July 7 – 11

8:45 am – 11:45 am

Register Here!

This course is perfect for any student who wants to get started and build their watercolor skills. Designed with both newcomers and pros in mind, this lab leads students through fundamental exercises with the goal of producing a finished watercolor piece!

Wearable Art!

July 21 – 25

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Take the challenge to create art that can be worn. Using both traditional and non-traditional materials, students will explore new techniques and design concepts, learning to manipulate and transform materials in new and creative ways.

July Weekend Workshops

Family Weekend Workshop:

Drawing Oregon Flora

Saturday, July 12

1:00 – 3:30 pm

Register here!

Bring the whole family to explore and illustrate Oregon's native plants in this playful, all-ages workshop. Together, you'll learn simple drawing techniques to capture the distinctive shapes of local wildflowers. This hands-on experience combines nature appreciation with artistic expression, leaving your family with both creative memories and a deeper connection to Oregon's natural resources. All materials provided. Just bring your curiosity and creativity! 

Sketching with the Brush

Saturday, July 19

1:00 – 3:30 pm

Register Here!

Learn to capture the world around you quickly and expressively using watercolor in this hands-on workshop. Designed with all skill levels in mind, this class focuses on building confidence in fast, intuitive sketching - perfect for travel, daily journaling, or simply staying creatively active. All materials provided.

Call for Animal Models

 The Art Center’s Education Department is looking for volunteer animal models for our annual “Talia’s Creature Features” summer camp and “Drawing Animals Live and from Photo Reference” summer lab, both of which run from July 28 – August 1. The camp and lab feature a different live animal model Monday through Friday from 10 – 11 am.

We welcome all well-socialized animals that are comfortable around children. In the past, we’ve had snakes, birds, bunnies, cats, and more! If you and your pet want to spend some time with young artists (ages 6 – 14) and help them develop their drawing skills, we'd love to hear from you! Please email us at education@mkartcenter.org with questions or to volunteer.

High School Labs in August

Intro to Oil Painting

August 4 – 8

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Explore the fundamentals of oil painting. Students will be introduced to the tools and

techniques of this medium, such as paint mixing, value study, color theory, and safety. Aided by instructor demonstrations, students will learn how to paint landscapes, create atmospheric abstract art, and work from still-life displays. No experience required.

Intro to Printmaking

August 11 – 15

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!



Try out a new skill in this made-for-beginners printmaking class. With guidance from an

instructor, students will learn all the basics, from technique and safety to style and design. Students will use this practice to create a final printed artwork. No experience required.

Scholarships

The Art Center currently offers scholarships for 50% of the cost of tuition for classes. Scholarships are available for all age groups through the Susi Larsen & Cameron Serbu Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Madeleine Christenson Scholarship Fund.

To be considered, applicants must fill out the application prior to registration and payment. You can apply today on our website.

Potters from Club Mud Ceramics present a special sale of clay arts, including both functional and decorative ceramic ware, on Sunday, July 27, from 9 am – 3 pm. Come visit the booths of some of your favorite artists set up in the Art Center’s courtyard and Club Mud studio space. There will be prices to match every pocketbook. 

Join Whiteaker Printmakers and the Eugene Darkroom Group for a show featuring analog-based photographic work! Local artists can apply to show their work in the Whiteaker Printmakers studio during the month of August. Submit your work before July 17th for the chance to exhibit.

Click this link to learn more and submit your work!

The Opening Reception will be free to the public and take place during the Last Friday Art Walk on Friday, July 25, 5 – 8 pm. Check Whiteaker Printmakers and the Eugene Darkroom Group websites for information about additional gallery hours when you can view the show.

We have partnered with Market of Choice to provide you an easy way to support the Art Center! It will only take a moment of your time to register and will help every time that you shop to support our programs and facility.

Here’s how:

Register your credit card. Each time that you use your card at any Market of Choice, Maude Kerns Art Center will receive 4% of your purchase price! Simply sign up at: eScrip Market of Choice and you will be prompted on how to enroll.

Thanks for all that you do to support the Maude Kerns Art Center. It makes a difference!

We want to thank the many volunteers, Board members, Staff, Art Center friends, and patrons who contributed their time, talents, and treasure for the benefit of Maude Kerns Art Center during the months of April, May, and June.

Budget & Finance Committee: Michael Fisher, Caroline Passerotti, and Fred Tepfer

Facilities Committee: Ann Bumb Hamilton, Michael Heffernan (Chair), Dean Lamoureux, Cathy Simard, Nancy Silvers, and Alice Strong

Sponsorship Committee: Louise Bishop, Susan Castillo, Michael Fisher, and Alice Strong

Art Rescue Committee: Ann Bumb Hamilton, Hannah Goldrich, Tina Heffernan, Katie Mason, Scott Morris, Cathy Simard (Chair), and Linda Wheatly

Art Studio Tour Committee: Louise Bishop (Chair), Ann Bumb Hamilton, Kiley Kuntz, Rogene Mañas, Caroline Passerotti, and Bea Roberts

Gallery Greeters: Abby Adebawo, Faye Cohen, Leanne Ellis, Sue Gottschalk, Judith Bell Mangold, Rachel Petersen, Tracy Somervell, Phoebe Soulis, and Michelle Willitz

Exhibits: Linnea Birchmeier, Sue Gottschalk, Ann Bumb Hamilton, and Tina Heffernan

Receptions Volunteers: Abby Adebawo, Sheary Clough Suitor, and Sonya Roberts

75th Legacy Celebration Event: Tina Heffernan and Rachel Petersen

Office Assistants: Leanne Ellis, Tina Heffernan, Blossom Odemudia, Caroline Passeroti, and Sonya Roberts

Education Volunteers: Linnea Birchmeier, Joanna Chen, Jackie Clark, Ryan Jecklin, Ella Lee, Zorka Pataki, Sonya Roberts, Alexandra Sielicki, and Michelle Willitz

Open Studio Facilitator: Marsha Wells Shankman

Newsletter Design: Kris Gruber of Crystal Impressions Graphic Design

MISSION STATEMENT

To nurture artistic expression and creativity in the individual and

to cultivate an appreciation and understanding of art and culture

in our community.