One of the Art on the River artists is Kim Chavez, a bronze sculptor, who loves being part of the show because she said that without art classes in school, she and her siblings would have been lost.
Art has been a lifelong journey for local sculptor Kim. Growing up with a single mom and five siblings, there were no opportunities for afterschool activities. Kim’s early inspiration for art began with a few blue ribbons in elementary school art shows and grew into a love for fashion and sewing in junior high and then in high school, she had some great teachers that let her inspiration lead her to explore other genres including making a rug, a clay project
and a collage.
After high school, Kim worked at an electronics company. She then met her husband of 39 years. They had two daughters Kim was a stay at home mom and enjoyed every minute of it. She continued her love of art, taking local pottery classes for a few years. She then purchased her own equipment and started to sell her clay sculptures and functional clay pieces at arts and craft shows. The shows grew into selling her work in galleries in Oregon, California and Alaska as well as wholesale accounts with the Made in Oregon stores and the High
Desert Museum.
Kim’s inspiration in pottery began to evolve into mainly sculpture and she transitioned entirely to bronze in 2005. Her work can now be found in galleries and she travels with her husband to fine art shows in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest each year. Inspired by the environment, her style combines simplicity, stylized lines and fine detail. Each sculpture is further enhanced with warm earth toned patinas.
Kim feels strongly that her earliest teachers fostered her love of art and helped her start this journey. “I feel it is really important to keep art in the schools for all the kids like me who learn in creative ways. Art was what made me happy, I still feel unsettled if I don’t have some kind of creative project going in my life at all times.”
Kim joined the Art on the River show at Eagle Crest last year. She knew that part of the sales commission goes to art programs in the Redmond schools and wanted to give back to local students. Kim’s sales commission was designated to Obsidian Middle School, where her grandson attends.
She was invited to attend a field trip with his art class to A6 Gallery and work space.
“Art on the River has done a great job connecting artists and schools and helping kids pursue and explore what could become their passion—or career,” Kim says. “I am proud to be a part of this show and what it does to help local kids.”
kimchavez.com

May 5-6 is the date set for the the ninth annual Art on the River show and sale at Eagle Crest. Art on the River has provided grants and funding to the seven elementary schools, several middle schools and a high school art class in Redmond.  The last four years has been a partnering with A6 Studio & Gallery in Bend to bring a high quality exposure of cross curriculum experiences.

According to Joan Sheets, co-director, founder of Art on the River (along with co-director,founder Marcia Hudson) the students have seen the impossible world of M. C. Escher,  the documentation of early Americans with the photography Edward Curtis and experienced what happens when a culture such as Japan’s is cut off from the rest of the world and how art flourishes.  In May, they will be off to the High Desert Museum to see an artist who uses woodcuts to explore the textures, lines and patterns of our cold blooded neighbors.

The Art on the River Friday evening event will be a time to talk with the artists and buy their beautiful, one-of-a-kind art pieces. There will be eight new artists that have been juried in to make it a well-balanced show of ceramics, jewelry, sculptures, paintings, fused glass and hand woven goods and wearable art.  “Many repeat customers come to buy from their favorite artists  at  this high quality, annual event which is full of surprises and fresh new works,” notes Sheets.

Art on the River May 5-6
River Run Event Center, Eagle Crest

Friday, 5-8pm
Wine, art sale,music,silent auction and raffle

Saturday, 10am-4pm
Art sale and demonstrations.