Greetings!

Another month has gone by. May seemed like a long month for some reason. Probably because Memorial Day wasn't at the end - and I kept thinking it was supposed to be June already. Also, there were five Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays!

Lots has happened at the museum. We have the great SAQA exhibit which is getting rave reviews. It's so unusual. This is the first year the Studio Art Quilt Associates have allowed three dimensional entries. And wow, they are amazing. I think once the fiber artists heard the concept 3-D they fully embraced the idea. AND, the theme Stitchpunk is perfect. It's based on the

Steampunk art movement and many of the pieces truly emulate the industrial age. You must come for a visit. And maybe even come back with a friend.

Then, to top it off, we have our own local fiber artists from Grants Pass exhibiting in the Community Gallery. So from International to Local - we have it all.

Hope to see you soon!

Enjoy!

Hyla

Executive Director

Sponsors for this exhibit also include:

The San Diego Foundation/Joan Jones

One of the art quilts - well, this one is a three dimensional "train" - had 27 pages of instructions on how to install it. (Oh, and that same piece has 34 pages of instructions on how to pack it back up.) Has that piqued your curiosity?

THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS!!!!

JoAnn Stevens moved to Grants Pass in January 2021. She holds a BA in Art (studio) and currently teaches art classes at the museum and at Handprints in Grants Pass. Before moving she spent twenty three years in film and television, starting in the Art Department and then moving to Production Accounting. She has been an active volunteer for many different organizations both in OR and CA. After volunteering with the Josephine County Food Bank for almost a year she has been hired to be the new Development Coordinator. She loves all things art & creativity and is excited to join the board. She will be assuming the position of Treasurer!

Griffyn is the Marketing Director at Visit Grants Pass, where he has worked for over three years, helping share the story of Grants Pass and the surrounding region. He lives in the Applegate Valley and moved to Southern Oregon from Portland, Oregon, where he was raised.

Griffyn attended Concordia University and, before that, went to an arts academy for high school. He has always had a strong interest in the arts, especially comics, illustration, and logo design. These creative interests have been part of his life both as personal hobbies and in his professional work. He enjoys finding ways that visual storytelling and design can help connect people to places, ideas, and community.

Griffyn is excited to support the Grants Pass Museum of Art and help celebrate the important role art plays in our community's culture and identity. (He's also already helping with "techie" stuff.)

Christian (Chris) Walker is a lifelong Grants Pass resident, wannabe artist, and enthusiastic appreciator of the truly talented creatives among us. Ever since first facing 'artistic censorship' for a sketch he made in place of, and covering, his 3rd-grade homework, Chris has been an advocate for the power of art. He's 24 now, and, in the years since a busy childhood, has played many a role:

As a Grants Pass High School Valedictorian; as Assistant Executive Director for the local Table Rock Foundation where he helped create youth summer camps; as a Covid-era masked traveler; as a don't-call-him-angsty poet; as a construction contractor (AKA lawn-mower); as a student at the University of Oregon's (UO) Clark Honors College in Planning, Public Policy, and Management; as an intern for federal leaders in the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate; as a political fundraiser; as the UO Student Government's Director of Basic Needs; as a researcher of those who used art ("artists") to fight the deadly stigma and bigotry towards those living with HIV/AIDS at the turn of the century ; and, most importantly, as a friend to all.

It may be a long list ever in flux, but, Heraclitus once said, "...you cannot step into the same river twice," and even Oscar Wilde once wrote, "Life imitates art...".

(He has already volunteered to help with various events!)

Molly Crawford is a senior student at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She will be graduating with a bachelors in History and minors in Art History, Museum Science and Gallery Practices, as well as Anthropology. She first fell in love with museums when she went on her first field in Elementary school. She absolutely loves the way that people can learn from art and objects. She grew up in Grants Pass and she is so glad to be back and in the community. 

Here she is - standing in front of her favorite art quilt, called Phineas.

Second Friday, June 12

7pm - 9pm

Free

Read a poem, listen to poems, enjoy

the company of fun people.

To sign up for one of these great workshops - just click on the image and it will take you to the website. Hope to see lots of you here. These are so fun!

Every once in a while, changes must be made. This year we have decided that we cannot have Art in the Garden. We had trouble gathering enough gardens and the timing just didn't work. SO, since next year would have been our 30th Anniversary of sponsoring this event, we decided to cancel this year and make next year spectacular.

The crates for the SAQA exhibit arrived via Fed Ex. It was good that most things fit in the elevator. Now they are stored in the library. Ah, to have space!

We recently had a greeters' meeting and we asked everyone to bring something old, unusual, and not easy to define. One notable item was a shell casing from World War I. It had art all around it. Here we see Ree, Desiree, Marlene, Rain, and Anita. The casing belongs to Marlene. It was a fun time and we had lots of interesting things to talk about. We really appreciate our greeters.

This First Friday, Steam Distillery will be having a tasting of their spirits. Steam Distillery is all about Steampunk - so it was fitting that they wanted to highlight what they do with the background of our Stitchpunk exhibit.

First Friday is a great time to gather with friends and enjoy the museum and the treats. We will be open from 5pm - 8pm on June 5.

A flurry of recent research has shown that viewing art can be beneficial for your physical and mental health, and several projects have been launched to delve deeper into how art improves wellbeing.

Psychologically speaking, engaging with art has been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress as well as boost cognitive functioning and social skills. If this is the case, then how can we get the most out of these benefits?

“There is no optimal or ‘correct’ way to view art or to feel or respond to a particular artwork. How you respond is unique to you and your feelings, thoughts, and actions,” said Dr. Matthew Pelowski, an associate professor in Psychology of Cognitive and Neuroaesthetics at the University of Vienna. “But, rest assured that, at rather basic psychological and physiological levels, the broad strokes of your reaction are probably shared by many others.”

Viewing art has also been shown to alleviate symptoms of progressive neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s. This is the particular focus of the Art Inquiry Lab at the Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. “We are co-designing a receptive arts engagement program together with people living with Parkinson’s disease, artistic coaches, and museum partners, including the Rijksmuseum,” said Dr. Blanca T.M. Spee, head of the lab.

“Experiencing art is a fundamentally embodied and affective (and also social) sense-making process. Artworks are invitations for ‘engaging with’ and for ‘attuning to,’” he said. “They allow you to experience with the head, the heart, and the whole body.”

Here, the three psychologists offer up their tips on how best to approach art to help heal your mind and engage deeply.

1. Start by exploring what you see and feel

2. Think about how your move with the artwork (notice your eye movements and perhaps subtle body movements)

3. Think about the meaning of the artwork

4. Experience art with others—if you can

5. Talk about your experiences with an artwork

6. Try to view artworks multiple times

Did Will's story inspire you? Would you like to volunteer?

The museum would appreciate having more volunteer greeters. Being a greeter is a time (usually four hours) when you get to spend quality time enjoying the current exhibit, greeting visitors, and in the quiet time, you can read or draw or check out the books in our vast library. You can sign up to be a volunteer by CLICKING HERE!

All original art creations by Southern Oregon artists.

Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am - 5pm.

A perfect place to find ART!

ALSO

A great place to purchase jewelry and cards.

There are over 70 artists represented in Gallery One!

FEATURED ARTIST FOR JUNE

KAREN O'BRIEN

Karen is a self-taught mixed media artist and teacher who began her creative journey as teddy bear and doll artist. She is inspired by the infinite possibilities of combining a variety of materials into a finished piece. Her approach to her art and teaching is: "no mistakes, just dive in and see what happens." Karen art has been published in various magazines and books including Somerset Studio, Art Journaling, Art Doll Quarterly, and is a guest artist in Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals by Carla Sonheim. She has written her own book Imaginary Characters: Mixed Media Painting Techniques for Figures and Faces.

Karen teaches at various locations in Southern Oregon. Her work is featured on her website at: http://www.KEObrien.com

Artist's Statement

I am an intuitive painter of figures and have always been fascinated with the unseen influences that are reflected in the finished piece. My painting process can be summed up as creating harmony from chaos. I start by putting down colors and marks. I react to the surface and continue to remain open, waiting for the painting to reveal itself. The results are a coming together of my dreams, emotions, experiences, and inspirations.

 "I am on a journey, exploring the path of intuitive art, listening to the voice within to learn, create and share what I find." 

Neighbors

Ostra

Winter Bear

HELP US TO PROVIDE YOU WITH

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

Over the last 47 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?

We appreciate your support!

We've all heard of "Artist's Block" - a time when just about nothing works. This video is about overcoming obstacles. It's sort of soothing to watch and the message is good. Take a moment or two to watch it.