((Left) Walk ‘n Down the Line by John Sherry (Right) On the Lake by Ky Terzian)
Unapologetically Pastel will be featured during the month of June at the SageBrushers Gallery in the Southwest Crossing neighborhood of Bend. Over 40 paintings are on display, created by 19 artists.
Show organizer Barbara Alford shares that the pastel medium originated before oil paints. With technical advances over the centuries, the glorious pigments that have been developed would make the Old Masters envious. The core group of SageBrusher pastel artists calls themselves “The Dusty Dames and Dudes.” Barbara says they are “unapologetically in love with our pastels.” “We love the tactile feel, the forgiveness and the rich/juicy colors of the pastel medium,” said Barbara. “We even have specialized vocabulary and tools — ‘sticks’ of pigment are our paintbrushes and sanded paper is our canvas. Our creative toolbox includes ‘stumps’, and rubbing alcohol, with blending tools of PVC pipe insulation and even our own fingers.”
Artist Laura Fouts has been painting in pastels for about five years. Laura finds that pastel brings the freedom to express how she sees nature. She especially loves to paint clouds and desert landscapes with their unique shapes and textures. As Laura explains, “Pastel gives the artist a very tactile experience as the artist is directly putting pigment onto the paper instead of through a brush or palette knife. While working on a painting it is easy to get lost in the mark making giving the artist the opportunity to shut out the noise around them and get engrossed in the process.”
Artist John Sherry is a contributor to the show. Sherry is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America and enjoys the challenge of making the mundane appear interesting through art. His current body of work leans toward still-life imagery with railroad settings a recurring theme.
Unapologetically Pastel is on display June 1 through June 27. The gallery is located at 117 SW Roosevelt Avenue. Gallery hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 1-4pm.
An artists’ reception and studio tour will take place on Saturday, June 8 from 2-4pm. The public is invited to come enjoy refreshments and beautiful art.
sagebrushersartofbend.com • 541-617-0900