Greetings!
Last month I included a picture of a snowy landscape. It was very stunning. Today I could have included a similar image because it was snowing this morning again. This has definitely been an interesting spring.
Inside the museum we are enjoying warmth in all ways. People are finding their way to our doorstep and discovering so many things to do here. Not only are the exhibits world class, the other activities are diverse, fun, interesting, and joyful. Check our website for what is coming up and don't miss anything.
Please note, because of the extent of the Best of the Best exhibit, we will not be having concerts, workshops, or films in April.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Enjoy!
Hyla
Executive Director
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Virginia Andrade
1930 - 2023
Virginia began her professional career many years ago as a watercolor artist in San Diego California. She had countless solo exhibits and award recognitions. As she matured her concerns began to reflect “Coming of Age in America, or, how our society perceives the older woman.” Much of her work evolved from her observation of surface and the effects of time and age.
In her own words on her Facebook page: “I am an artist and have been since I was eight. I am married to a great man. I am proud to be a Mother to three equally great sons. At this moment life for me is very good. Yum!”
Knowing Virginia meant knowing joy.
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Thirteen Southern Oregon high schools are participating in this exhibit in 2023. |
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Watercolor Medley
Anne Brooke
May 3 through May 26
Sponsored by Southern Oregon Sanitation
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Anne Brooke has a degree in art and is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Her award-winning paintings have been displayed in Oregon, California, and Nevada. She is noted for her drawing skills and vibrant use of color. She enjoys painting landscapes, still lifes, and figures. She has also done numerous commissions, which often include her calligraphy. Anne has taught drawing and watercolor for 15 years, helping to develop many prize-winning artists. She conducts beginning and advanced study classes at her home Studio/Gallery. She also offers private lessons, has conducted numerous workshops at other locations, and blogs about the fundamentals of art. Using a limited palette and value study of subject, she begins her pieces with an underpainting, developing a unique style.
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Who Knew?
Gallery One Artists Have Interesting Lives
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These fun facts have been gathered by a friend of the museum. She prefers to remain anonymous. We are including pictures of the artists' work. You can see more by checking out the artist directory HERE!
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Corbin Brashear
Wild and wooly and slimy – what! Beside creating wonderful whimsical felt creatures, she has worked as an outdoor educator for kids and can teach you how to kiss banana slugs along with other important life skills.
(Editor note: ewwww).
Basically, Corbin lives off the grid. She spent every summer of the past 30 years sleeping outdoors most of July and August at Camp Cushy, a very special place on the South Fork of the Smith River. You have to cross a creek (eek) and hike a mile over a mountain to get there…talk about nerve wracking! She has found a lot of the materials she used for her art and sometimes made her creations there too.
Corbin teaches classes at the Museum, join her and see what fun you can have with this unique artist at her craft. (Slugs optional)
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Dara Daniel
Dara received a Master's in Art in 1989 from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, with an emphasis on sculpture. In 2010 she began exploring a variety of paint mediums. Currently, Dara conveys her impressions of nature and animals, such as horses and birds, with acrylics on canvas. She also paints abstracts about colors, shapes, and textures. And the outcome is ethereal.
Ever diligent, she spent ten years paying $110 monthly to end her student loans. She was also a fire fighter in the
summertime. Earning more credits than necessary, she wanted to continue so as not to lose her support group so graduating was anti-climatic and scary because suddenly she was on her own!
Even though somewhat an introvert, she tried out for the Queen contest in high school and made the first round and tripped on the second but delighting the judges for the title of Miss Congeniality.
It must be that infectious laugh she has.
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Tracy Fredrickson
Tracy is a wonderful water colorist but didn’t start pursuing her art until she retired from her career in banking!
In high school, she was an exchange student to Mexico where she immersed herself in the culture and language to expand her understanding of the beauty of diversity in people and architecture and art.
During high school she was a magician's assistant. The Amazing Mike and she were the toast of area senior citizen centers. His magical talents were limited by him being 16 and self taught, however they put on an amazing show. Tracy looked stunning in a sequined dress from Goodwill and was able to dramatically point as he removed yards of handkerchiefs from his mouth. Unfortunately, no pictures survive to showcase the show. However, imagination gives us a great picture.
Tracy is drawn to the beauty of Southern Oregon, its gorgeous coast, scenic mountains, and wild rivers. She is a novice student of light. Trying to capture light as it sparkles on water or warms the side of her granddaughters face and translate it to a 2D surface is a challenge she enjoys immensely. She wants her art to reflect the strong feelings she has for her subjects and the joy that she feels while painting.
. She still loves to travel and looks forward to all the wonderful new experiences that await her.
One of which is being co-chair of the Oregon Watercolor Society conference to be held in Grants Pass in 2025.
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The New Community Gallery |
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Coming in May - Kim Sterling - 15 Emotions
In honor of Mental Health Month
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We had some great events for which we have no pictures. The best was an AAUW program open to the public about the Advancement of Women in the Arts. We had a panel of speakers which included Eilene Bowie (a visual artist), Jennifer Roberts (a literary artist), and Janet Higgins (a sculptor). They each told their story and there was a common thread - each had a very supportive family growing up. You can hear more from Jennifer in October - she will have a book talk on October 8 following the release of her new book on October 3. See, we are on the cutting edge of cultural activities! We had a full house |
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This was one of the sessions of the DoGood Foundation workshops for middle school students. They painted a luna moth. |
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Karen O'Brien taught an adult art journal class in conjunction with her very fabulous exhibit. |
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Eli taught a great portrait class. He is talking about the mathematical relationships of facial features. |
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His sister modeled for the group. It was fun to see the outcomes. Very impressive! |
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We have one concert almost every month. You can purchase tickets for any of them on the website by clicking the image below. We are happy to announce that Weekend Beer Company will be providing wine and beer to purchase at each of our concerts. |
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Heather Pierson Duo is our concert in May. In 2021, Heather reunited with dear friend Leah Boyd (Garajh Mahal/Lightsisters/Shambhala) to form a new duo, Peaceful Means, creating and sharing original and choice cover songs nurturing nonviolent consciousness. Peaceful Means began performing throughout northern New England in 2022 and are currently working on their first studio recordings.
Throughout her colorful career, her eclectic skill set continues to propel her onto concert hall stages and into barrooms, coffeehouses, resort hotels, living rooms, and churches. Her nearly non-stop performance schedule speaks of her tireless work ethic and endless devotion to her crafts. Defying genre and classification and yet fully embracing all musical styles, Heather is an artist who speaks the language of music in as many dialects as her abilities will allow. Her life’s work, she says, is to share her love of music and her gratitude for life with others – one song, one heart, and one mind at a time.
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Second Friday Poetry Sharing is back at the museum. April 14 at 7pm.
The optional topic is Bunny Rabbits. Admission is free!
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May 19 and 20 will feature a Day and Night at the museum with AIM (Authors' Innovating Marketing. This was so successful in the past we are bringing it back by popular demand. This area has some really good authors you will get to meet. Twenty-Seven of them are participating in this event. |
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Our annual garden tour will be
June 10 and 11.
You don't want to miss it.
We are very pleased to have wonderful gardens to delight you this year. Tickets will be on sale in May.
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AND...a new fundraiser for the museum and a great event for you to attend. We are going to host a talent show called "Let Us Entertain You."
We are waiting for a firm date from the Performing Arts Center for this fall.
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Could you volunteer some of your time? |
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There are lots of different things a volunteer can do at the museum. One of the biggest needs we have right now is for greeters. These are people who act as a host when people visit the museum. The "shift" is four hours from 1pm - 5pm or noon - 4 Tuesday through Saturday. Click the pix on the left to sign up! It's really fun. |
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A great place to shop for gifts of all kinds - all original art creations by Southern Oregon artists. The best place for one of a kind ornaments and cards too.
Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am - 5pm.
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Tina Albrecht
As an artist, I have delved into different art media, but in the past few years, I've primarily worked in Watercolors and Dichroic Glass Jewelry.
In my watercolor paintings, I use vibrant colors, sharp lines, textures, and contrast to convey to or share with others what I see or feel while looking at a subject. My painting is not just a detailed study of something, but also my impression of it and the reflection of the joy I feel in reveling in its beauty, as well as an expression of myself and who I am. With each painting, I like to challenge myself with a new medium, technique, approach and/or subject matter, so that I might learn something new from each piece. I like to begin with a simplified subject, often from Creation, because I know I will always add complexity to it. One of my most recent endeavors is to create "flower portraits", choosing one flower in my garden or woods and capturing the essence of it before the light changes. Usually, the painting will begin to tell me how to proceed as it takes shape and I then incorporate certain rules for the specific work, like colors used, and how to shape the forms, so that each painting can have a personality of its own. In the end, I have put something of myself and my love of the subject into a tangible form.
I employ what I have learned as a painter in my hand-fused dichroic glass jewelry which incorporates brilliant hues, dynamic, abstract shapes, hand-picked glasses and precious metals. My jewelry is the result of hours of pure play and fascination in fusing glass and experimentation. I create dichroic glass simply because I delight in making it and love to see customers’ responses to what I've crafted for them and how it makes them feel to wear the jewelry.
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Help keep the museum free for all! |
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HELP US TO PROVIDE YOU WITH
ART EXPERIENCES
Over the last 44 years, the Museum has showcased art that connects us across time, geography, and cultural differences. We couldn’t fulfill our important mission without the generous support of our members and donors. Today, will you go above and beyond and make a gift to empower our vital work of connecting our community with the power of art?
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This exhibition of Vermeer art sold out in two hours.
BUT, you can see it at the museum on film in July.
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