Dear Hyla,

Well, I almost made it for September 1. There were so many things to highlight, I decided it was better not to hurry. What I like most about these newsletters is that I can look back at the month and see how much we have done. I remember all of the events and think about the people who make these programs possible. It's really a joyful time.

In case you haven't seen our current exhibit, Grayscale in Fiber - don't miss it. And there's a secret in each of the pieces - Sandra signs her work with a symbol - a spider. Some of them are easy to find and some are not. What has happened because of this is that people are taking more time to look at the work and that leads to even more enjoyment of Sandra's creativity. She zoomed in for our Greeter's meeting and we learned much more about her. Each of our artists are so unique - it's a pleasure to get to know them.

It's also a huge pleasure to get to know all of you better.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Oh, and do come to our variety show fundraiser on the 16th of September. You can see more information below.

Enjoy!

Hyla

Executive Director

Artist Statement:

The compositions that are planned ahead are inspired from the natural world and the people in it. Curiously, when I start without a plan, I instinctively flesh out shapes that convey a sense of natural place and life. In the final phases of the stitched work I am compelled to add small details--inhabitants or words--that invite the viewer to closer inspection and to engage with the piece in a hunt for secrets. I am successful if I have remained interactive with the materials (fiber has such inherent qualities of expression), stepping back to study and respond to the evolution I am coaxing. Ultimately it is the fiber which determines the outcome.

I believe it is important to re-use whenever possible. The Folks Art, and the scrunched, stripped, and scrapped fabric pieces are made almost entirely from re-purposed materials, but nearly all the fiber work is made with pieces of fabric that had previous lives. 

Transitioning between the painted fabric work and other fiber manipulations renews my energy. My art continues to evolve, there are no rules and I exercise the right to try anything new. All doors are open, I can go through. 

The choice of cloth as medium sometimes sets me in the midst of the never ending argument about what is art, and what is craft. So many opinions. I am clear that my work is art, but I can resolve to say that if the viewer also decides my work is “Art”, it is well-crafted. If chosen to be seen as “Craft” pieces, they are artful, designed and executed by me to provoke an aesthetic or emotional response. If an original work has integrity and can touch someone's sensibilities - is the distinction critical?

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way -- things I had no words for". - Georgia O'Keefe

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The artist is in and of the world - we reflect what we see, champion what we must. Everything that is pretty isn't necessarily art, and everything that is art is not necessarily pretty.

We found them all - can you?

Abigail Merickel was chosen by the BLM to be their Artist in Residence at the Rogue River Ranch in July. During her time there she sketched (with watercolors) and captured much of what she experienced while there. The exhibit for September includes solar plate etchings from the residency as well as other etchings and lithographs. Abby lives half of the year in Mexico, so much of her work relates to themes from her travels.

“As a printmaker, I experiment with monotype, collagraph, relief, intaglio and lithography. Process and experimentation galvanize me; each design is either carved in a block, painted on plexi-glass, etched on a metal plate, drawn on a lithographic stone or constructed out of recycled materials. My creative process relies on the intuitive, enlightened by my senses, surroundings and experiences. A sense of adventure spurs my exploration into divergent themes—from identity and place to the mystical, earthiness to the divine. The allure of colorful birds, the vigor of animals, the radiant power of ascendant women and the generative reverie of the Earth inspire my creativity. Vivid in color and rich in narrative, my artwork conveys wonder at our magical world. My adventures and the stimuli of travel, music, foreign cultures and the natural world inform my life’s work as an artist. Working from memory and emotion, I capture my yearning, full of nostalgia, bemusement and not least of all, joy. My work is exhibited nationally and internationally." 

www.abigailmerickel.com

Abigail Merickel in front of the solar plate etchings she created of her stay at the Rogue River Ranch.

Abigail sketches with watercolors. Each page depicts what will be a solar plate etching.

This fabulous community variety show will feature many local acts including: Mike Stapley, Cat Healy, Jim Thorpe, Wes Molsberry, Kyah Rosecrans, Corinne Zavolta, Ty Eldridge, Ava Hacker, Siskiyou Strings, Brynn Scarlet, and Alyssa Lake. In addition, Alice DiMicele and Andy Casad will be performing.

You can purchase reserved seats by CLICKING HERE. All proceeds will benefit the museum so we really want to "Pack the PAC."

Thanks to the wonderful sponsors of this event!

We have an opportunity to develop a mural for the wall overlooking the new Bohemian rooftop restaurant. Kim Sterling will be creating the mural using digital images. You can supply us with an image of yourself that you like and we will incorporate it into the mural - or we can do a photoshoot. In addition, you get to pick the art in the background behind you - as if you are standing in the museum looking out the window. The art has to be at least 100 years old in order to avoid copyright issues. The cost for having your image on the mural is $500. We already have four people who have purchased a space - hurry - you don't want to be left out! Contact us at 541-479-3290 or email hyla@gpmuseum.com. Thank you!

Click below to purchase tickets to the concert!

Click below to purchase tickets to the films

And here's more for you to add to your Save The Date Calendar:

(These events are not yet on the website)

October 6: opening new exhibit - On the Edge: Living the Anthropocene with artists Ann Chadwick Reid and Natalie Niblack

October 7: Climate change panel with Ann Chadwick Reid, Natalie Niblack, and Alan Journet

October 14: Pollinator Play Day

October 28: Memory Portrait Workshop

November 3: Celebrating Dias de los Muertes

November 4: Mask workshop

Rupert Wates provided wonderful music for an appreciative audience.

Leslie Compton talked about her book, The Forgotten Artist.

A PEO Chapter had a gathering that included delicious food and a raffle. The basket of goodies garnered $500 in raffle tickets and PEO split the proceeds with the museum. Thank you PEO!

Sidney Brinn donated a Victor Vasarely print for the museum's permanent collection.

All of the new acquisitions are hanging in the back hallway of the museum.

These donations make it possible for the museum to preserve wonderful art for the future.

Pictured top: Lyle Matoush woodblock.

Bottom: Nancy Jo Mullen print.

The Andrade Estate donated two Nancy Jo Mullen prints, A Katherine Bird watercolor, and a Lyle Matoush woodblock for our community collection.

Fun kids' classes. Laura Davis taught a magnetic message board class.

Kids' classes were almost every Tues - Thurs all summer.

Marjorie Brown taught the making of funky fish

with lots of techniques.

Laura Davis also taught an "at the beach" class which included a sandscape and an octopus tail!

Suzan Hatch taught a mixed media mandala class for adults.

Kristen O'Neill taught "How to Paint Sunsets" for adults.

Karen O'Brien taught an adult workshop called "Mixed Media in Black and White."

A survey geared at finding minority owned businesses tabled outside the museum on First Friday in August. It's very exciting that the outcome will be a directory of diversity for our community.

Kyah Rosekrans and friends provided music in addition to delicious lemonade and scones on Lemonade Day - First Friday in August. Their lemonade stand was called The Soul Sisters.

Lemonade Day was sponsored by the Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce. It is an event that helps teach youth about entrepreneurship. This was the third year of the event and it is very popular. We were happy to participate.

Dr. Raelyn Sutton and his wife Martina were longtime members of the museum. Raelyn used to donate a watercolor painting to Black, White, & the Blues. Unfortunately, he passed away last year. Martina wanted to honor him at the museum. Because our main exhibits are booked through 2025 and the community gallery is booked through the year, we were in a quandary as to how to accomplish this. We realized we could put Raelyn's art in the stairwell leading to the museum. And it worked. Martina and her family provided treats for First Friday and many people came to let her know how much they enjoyed knowing Raelyn. The watercolors will remain in the stairwell through the month of September.

A huge thank you to the Roundhouse Foundation. One of their volunteers suggested that they donate $1000 to us. Getting an email saying we would be receiving this money out of the blue - without even asking, was truly a gift that made us all smile - a lot! Thank you!

Speaking of foundations and sponsors, Christina Kruger (to the right of the art) was our original representative from Pacific Power. They have supported us in many ways over the years. On this particular day, Christina brought her team to see the exhibit - two were from Colorado, one from Texas, and one from Arizona. Christina lives in Medford. We love staying connected.

Featured Artist for September - Tracy Fredrickson

I have been married to my husband Burt for twenty-two years and we have four adult children and four grandchildren. We are blessed that they all live near us in Southern Oregon and that we can spend time with them. Watercolor has become one of my passions in retirement- besides the overriding passion of being a grandmother to my wonderful grandchildren. I have loved the visual arts my entire life, however it was only after I retired from my career in banking that I was able to spend time in a creative practice.

I had dabbled in other media like oil and acrylic over the years, but it was only after retiring in 2018 when I took lessons from Marianne Neilson that I worked in watercolor. I fell in love. The past five years have been an amazing creative journey. I love taking workshops and trying new techniques. I enjoy trying to capture the light in my paintings and transparent watercolor is a challenging but beautiful medium to try to do that.

Being part of the Gallery One family of artists has been a joy. Getting to know fellow artists here in Southern Oregon as well as the public when I am working in the Gallery has been wonderful. Last year I joined the Watercolor Society of Oregon and have enjoyed being a part of a community of watercolorists. I’m excited to be a co-chair of the WSO April 2025 convention, which will bring watercolor artists from all over Oregon to Grants Pass. The juried art show will be hung at the Grants Pass Museum of Art, and the juror will be Internationally and Nationally recognized artist Jean Pederson. Art and creating art have enriched my life in so many ways. I am very lucky to be able to be part of this amazingly creative community.

My friend Steve Roe posted this video on a newsletter he creates. It is so good, I wanted to share it with all of you. It's short - and so worth it. I promise.