(Artwork above by Susan Luckey Higdon)
Check out our complete listing of events, galleries, artists talks and more in Downtown Bend and the Old Mill District this Friday!
Alleda Real Estate
25 NW Minnesota Ave., Ste. 1, alledarealestate.com
Nature In The Light Of Illusion Photography by Sonja Runar
Describing Sonja Runar as a photographer, is to expound on her ability to capture a moment in time that may never come again and most certainly will never be the same again. Light, energy, form, particles, sun beams, drops of water… are all taken into consideration and sharing the pure joy of observing the wonders of the natural world is a must. A colleague in the energetic fields describes Sonja’s photographs as having a visceral impression. She feels as though she is sharing the space with the image as it was in the natural environment… sensing the spray of the waterfall on her face, smelling fresh rain and pine needles, breathing in the sharp coldness of the snow. Runar feels that any form of art should evoke an emotion and feeling in the observer and help us feel further connected to our beautiful natural world in whatever form it takes.
Art in the Atrium, Franklin Crossing
550 NW Franklin St.
Art in the Atrium, Franklin Crossing, invites the public to First Friday, May 4, 5-8pm, featuring abstract oil paintings by noted Bend artist, Sandy Brooke, associate professor OSU Cascades, retired, who will attend the May 4 opening. Brooke notes, What’s Left of the Arctic is a series of abstract oil paintings documenting the current demise of Arctic Sea Ice in the Arctic Polar Region which includes the Arctic Ocean and adjacent parts of Alaska, Canada, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Russia. Ice Fields have become giant drifting fragments with ice drifting southward where it is disintegrating and melting. Ice becomes water integrated into the air and the wind. During First Friday, Noi Thai serves wine and appetizers and the Spotlight Chamber Players, a High Desert Chamber Music educational outreach program, will perform works ranging from Bach to Gershwin. Billye Turner, art consultant, organizes art events for Franklin Crossing with info at 503-780-2828 and billyeturner@bendnet.com.
BEND ART CENTER
550 SW Industrial Way, Ste. 180
541-330-8759, bendartcenter.org
On Display until May 27: Sukha Worob, a master printmaker from Bozeman, Montana, upends the role of the artist and the gallery visitor by encouraging the public to help create his exhibits. Worob applies his imagery to special rollers and stages them in the gallery. Anyone can pick up an inked roller and add marks to an evolving “prinstillation.”
desperado a boutique
Old Mill District, 330 SW Powerhouse Dr., 541-749-9980
Presenting a new installation of paintings by Central Oregon artist Barbara Slater.Movement Mortgage
550 NW Franklin, Suite 138
Jeffrey Murray Photography
118 NW Minnesota Ave., 541-325-6225, jeffreymurrayphotography.com
Features American landscape and fine art images captured by Bend nature photographer, Jeffrey Murray. Visit and enjoy a visual adventure of illuminating light and captivating panoramas from scenes in Central Oregon and across North America.
John Paul Designs Custom Jewelry + Signature Series
1006 NW Bond St.,johnpauldesigns.com
Specializing in unique, one of a kind wedding and engagement rings in a variety of metals.
Karen Bandy Design Jeweler
25 NW Minnesota Ave., Ste. 5, 541-388-0155, karenbandy.com
Tucked between Thump coffee and Alleda Real Estate, Karen Bandy a Central Oregon national/international award-winning jewelry designer and abstract painter, specializing in custom design in downtown Bend since 1987. Her designs are bold, fun and very wearable.
Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11:30am-5pm, First Fridays and by appointment.
Layor Art + Supply
1000 NW Wall St., Ste. 110, 541-322-0421, layorart.com
Layor Art + Supply is featuring Bend’s Megan Myers in May.
Myers is a well known painter and illustrator whose love for the outdoors and animals is evident in her work. Her color pallet and style is as uniquely her own. Don’t miss this opportunity to view her work and meet this local artist.
Lubbesmeyer Studio & Gallery
Old Mill District, second story loft, 541-330-0840, lubbesmeyer.com
The Lubbesmeyer twins offer a range of work created in fiber and paint. Through the twins’ collaborative process, they distill literal imagery into vivid blocks of color and texture, creating an abstracted view of their surroundings. Working studio/gallery open Tuesday thru Saturday.
Mary Medrano Studio
25 NW Minnesota Ave., #12
408.250.2732, www.MaryMedrano.com
Step away from the crowds and relax in an art studio that is filled with the latest works by Mary Medrano. Located above Thump Coffee and across from the Oxford Hotel in the heart of downtown is a hidden gem of a studio. Stop in and see what’s new.
Mockingbird Gallery
869 NW Wall St., 541-388-2107, mockingbird-gallery.com
On May 4 from 5-9 pm, Mockingbird Gallery will present Diffusions of Light, an exhibition of artwork from Joseph Alleman and Shanna Kunz. Both artists will be in the gallery for the First Friday Art Walk. Please stop by to meet the artists, sample some delicious Cada Dia cheese, sip a glass of wine and listen to jazz music provided by the Ryan Camastral Trio. The show will continue through May.
Painting with watercolors is second nature for Joseph Alleman. Familiar subjects, such as weathered barns, red-roofed farmhouses, and wind-swept fields of alfalfa attract his interest.
Utah artist Shanna Kunz’s voice combines concepts found in both traditional and contemporary artwork as she paints the Western landscape that is so dear to her. The subtle tonal gradations hark back to the Tonalists of the late 19th century, while her strong horizon lines and interesting cropping keep her paintings looking equally modern.
Oxford Hotel
10 NW Minnesota Ave., 541-382-8436
On May 4 from 5-9 pm, Mockingbird Gallery will present Diffusions of Light, an exhibition of artwork from Joseph Alleman and Shanna Kunz. Both artists will be in the gallery for the First Friday Art Walk. Please stop by to meet the artists, sample some delicious Cada Dia cheese, sip a glass of wine and listen to jazz music provided by the Ryan Camastral Trio. The show will continue through May.
Painting with watercolors is second nature for Joseph Alleman. Familiar subjects, such as weathered barns, red-roofed farmhouses, and wind-swept fields of alfalfa attract his interest.
Utah artist Shanna Kunz’s voice combines concepts found in both traditional and contemporary artwork as she paints the Western landscape that is so dear to her. The subtle tonal gradations hark back to the Tonalists of the late 19th century, while her strong horizon lines and interesting cropping keep her paintings looking equally modern.
Peterson/Roth Gallery
206 NW Oregon Ave., Ste. 1, 541-633-7148, thegallery@petersonroth.com, petersonroth.com
This First Friday, May 4th, from 5-9 pm Peterson/Roth Gallery will host an exhibit featuring local artists Holly Smithey and Rand Smithey. We will have wine and light refreshments and both Holly and Rand will be here! Also on Wednesday, May 2nd, from 6-8 pm Peterson/Roth Gallery will be offering a “Sneak Peak”! This is an intimate way to also meet the artists and get a “first” look at the art.
Using metal as the primary medium, Holly Smithey’s built works find their
form through forging and fabrication techniques while varied
processes of etched patina create depth, texture and color.
Rand Smithey’s studio practice always begins outside the studio. The work derives directly from a need to describe and interpret the world we all live in and rely on. While the paintings are not always recognizable as objects from our world, they are always guided by specific reference.
Premiere Property Group
1133 NW Wall Street, Ste. 103, 541-241-6860
MyBendRealEstate.com
Premiere Property Group Real Estate Brokers, Arlene Edwards and Blair Jones are pleased to be hosting First Friday Art Walk on May 4th at 1133 NW Wall St. Suite 104 in the Columbia Bank Building from 5-7:30. Featured artist will be Keenan Jones and his photography. Please join us for art, food, libations and live music by CAPO 2. Keenan Jones is a native Oregonian with roots in Central Oregon. His grandfather was the Deschutes Country Commissioner in in the 70s, and many of his youthful years were spent on Mt Bachelor and the Deschutes River. Developing a strong appreciation for the outdoors and photography, Keenan began his career with Nike Inc. after graduating from Oregon State University. He now works to grow their onsite photo studio and helps capture the rich history of Nike’s past. His experience as a photographer, an eye for natural beauty, and a unique perspective of the outdoors with a zest for adventure all add up to amazing, beautiful and inspiring photography.”
Red Chair Gallery
103 NW Oregon Ave., 541-306-3176, redchairgallerybend.com
“May brings the Wonders of Watercolor show just in time for all things spring! Jacqueline Newbold, Sue Gomen-Honnell and Linda Swindle are all accomplished watercolor artists. From traditional landscapes, beautiful florals and creatures of all sizes there is something to delight every viewer. Teasing out the magic of the medium is something each of these artists does in their own unique way. Gomen-Honnell crates beautiful washes and then fills in each details with care. Newbold experiments with new media and techniques without fear and Swindle paints watercolor on canvas with her own unique loose style. To compliment our watercolor show we will have beautiful hand painted silk scarves by Linda Swindle and jewelry for everyone by Jacqueline Newbold and Helen Bommarito.
Sage Custom Framing & Gallery
834 NW Brooks Street, 541-382-5884, sageframing-gallery.com
For the month of May, Sage Custom Framing and Gallery has the pleasure of presenting “Fabric, Glass and Paper”, the works of 2 talented and unique Central Oregon Artists.
With a background in watercolor and printmaking, artist Jessica Layton incorporates her watercolor techniques with batik painting methods she learned in Thailand using wax and dye to create images on fabric. Her other passion is Warm Glass. Using a kiln, she combines enamels and frit and multiple firings of layers of glass to achieve texture and light.
Creating her own hand dyed papers, Becky Wanless creates her “paper paintings”. She employs techniques that include shibori, paste paper, marbling, calligraphy and sometimes adding thread, wire or other objects for interest and texture. Viewers will be mesmerized by the shapes, patterns, colors and textures in her work, often reminiscent of contemporary quilt blocks.
Townshend’s Bend Teahouse
835 NW Bond St., Carissa Glenn, 541-312-2001, Carissa@Townshendstea.com
Featuring Finding the Flow by artist and outdoor enthusiast Christina McKeown on exhibit April 1-May 31. A professional whitewater kayaker, McKeown finds a never-ending stream of art inspiration while adventuring outdoors. She packs watercolors and inks as they are the best medium for her water adventures and stow easily in a small drybag. McKeown expresses her love and joy for the rivers and mountains through her bright and colorful palette and hopes to inspire those viewing the work to preserve and appreciate the beauty of the environment.
Tumalo Art Company
Old Mill District, 541-385-9144, tumaloartco.com
Susan Luckey Higdon’s May show at Tumalo Art Co. features the signature art for Deschutes River Conservancy’s 2018 RiverFeast event, Magic on the Upper Deschutes along with other new works of the Deschutes River. The original acrylic painting is 60” x 30”, and she will be donating 25% of the proceeds from its sale to the Deschutes River Conservancy. The show will open May 4, from 4-8pm and be up all month. Susan has been creating the signature art for RiverFeast for 11 years and finds the river an endless source of imagery that she is drawn to paint. She is well-known for her landscapes of iconic Central Oregon scenes, particularly water, and is drawn to unusual and dramatic composition, pattern and color. Tumalo Art Co. is an artist-run gallery in the heart of the Old Mill District, open seven days a week. www.tumaloartco.com, 541-385-9144.
The Wine Shop
55 NW Minnesota Ave
The Wine Shop’s May exhibit features the work of SageBrushers artists Lee August, Suzie Richman and Sandy Carron. Lee learned to draw and do shading by copying from comic books when she was a child. Then in high school and college she explored many media and earned a minor in art with a major in English. She taught high school English but returned to creating art upon retirement. She paints with acrylics which are “forgiving” and allow her to experiment with styles, surfaces, mixed media, and subjects. Suzie earned her college degree in Interior Design and had a long career in that field. After coming to Bend she found SageBrushers and is excited to be able to work in different media. She finds self-expression through art and it brings her serenity and peace. Sandy has been a full time artist and educator for many years. Since coming to Bend 3 years ago she has had the time to continue her creative passions through painting and drawing. She paints with oils, acrylics and watercolors and loves showing her work at local businesses.