During August Bonnie Junell, Susan Harkness-Williams, Dottie Moniz, Midge Thomas, Pat Cross Steve Provence will be featured artists at the Artists Gallery Sunriver (AGS). The show runs through August, 10-8pm daily with the Second Saturday Reception August 13, 4-7pm serving refreshments.
The six artists will be recognized not only because of their art, but also as founding artist members whose art helped to shape the AGS as one of Central Oregon’s most diverse interesting gallery. Two of the artists featured this month, Bonnie Junell Susan Harkness-Williams, have been juried into the Sunriver Art Faire for the second year in a row. Look for their work both in gallery the Art Faire August 12 13.
Junell has been awarded the Sunriver Music Festival poster art. These posters have become collector’s items proceeds benefit scholarships for young musicians.
Recently, she created a series of small original oil paintings including aspens, poppies sunflowers. A new original oil, of a larger format is entitled, Poppies. Crowds of admirers often surround this painting, enjoying the beauty admiring Junell’s technique of utilizing realistic impressionism. This most of her original oils are also available in giclee. In time for the Art Faire, Junell will introduce her latest oil creation, a series she calls Koi.
Harkness-Williams is a gourd jewelry artist who constantly experiments with movement, color texture in her work will be introducing both new contemporary pieces. Motion utilizes low relief carving in a tall gourd vessel gives the impression of flowing water or air. Monarch Migration, another contemporary piece shows intricately carved butterflies in flight is among her most dazzling carvings yet.
Harkness-Williams is probably best known for her spirit of the Native American in her work in shields, vessels lidded carved bowls. Her husb who is 1/8 Cherokee, has been known to on occasion “guide” her efforts. Her newest creations are entitled Cradle Board Spirit Dolls. She used photographs circa 1890 of Native Americans as her resource sculpts these faces with character, into clay. The bodies are of gourd are embellished with paints, beads, cloth, fur, leather. Each one is unique has a message of inspiration for the buyer.
Provence works with clay says, “collaborating as artists is both an honor a joy. Creating a body of work that is functional decorative is an extension of this experience. We strive to create pots that work their way into the daily routine of those they happen to be in the possession of.”
Provence began working full time as a potter when he moved to Bend in 2005 with wife, Laura. Although Laura has often helped in the studio during the busy season, she recently left the field of architecture to join Steve fulltime in the studio as the pottery business continued to exp .
Steve primarily works on the wheel throwing Laura focuses on h building tile work. The two collaborate on all aspects of the business from production to sales of their finished work.
Moniz combines watercolor, collage or fabric into her exquisite art work. Her beautiful depictions of the best in nature are treasures for those that collect her work. One new piece Paulina Lake incorporates deep rich watercolor light infused collage to create a calming soothing effect.
Her second newest addition is a fabric art piece, Paulina Peak which has a complete aspect of lake, mountain, trees rock stitched masterfully together in a 16 x 20 framed original.
Thomas is a powerhouse in the gallery with energy to spare. She finds time to manage the operations in the gallery to introduce several new paintings in time for the reception August 13.
Two new framed original watercolor paintings All Dressed Up For a New Morning Heading for the Roost incorporate new vivid colors.
Cross, the artist selected for the 2011 Pacific Crest Athlete Medallions, now releases her latest oil painting, Tee Time Sunriver Meadows. Painted from a view favored by golfers, bicyclists, marathon runners strollers, this 24” x 48” original oil shows the Sunriver winding like a blue serpent through emblazoned river willows, past a golf tee mound towards the glistening crown of Mt Bachelor. She was recognized by International Artist Magazine for her compelling water reflections. Pat Cross reveals the luminous clouds, bordering willows towering pines in a way that both delights humors her–upside down. “I’m not sure why, but when I see objects reflected in rain puddles, along river banks within eddy, it brightens my mood tickles my ribs. This oil painting, along with the first printed giclee editions will be available for purchase at the Artists Gallery Sunriver this August.
Cross incorporates this visual thrill of reflected, real-life objects into her newest oil painting of the human form, Through the Window. Recognized for her work on the human form by jurors of Salon International Nude International, she strives to bring her figurative work to the next level. In, Through the Window, Cross super-imposes the structure of a hardwood tree onto the female nude form, the way a reflected scene overlays the objects on the other side of the glass.