(Vision of the West by Jean Lubin)
Sunriver Resort Lodge Betty Gray Gallery presents The High Desert State of Mind, featuring paintings by members of the High Desert Art League (HDAL). The exhibit continues through March 15.
The High Desert State of Mind exhibit features artworks by members including Helen Brown, Barbara Hudler Cella, Jean Requa Lubin, Karen Maier, Dee McBrien-Lee, Jaqueline Newbold, Vivian Olsen, Janice Rhodes, Rebecca Reed Sentgeorge, Barbara Slater and Joren Traveller.
Vivian Olsen, coordinator of the High Desert Art League exhibits, shows her pastel images of wild and domesticated animals. She expertly describes the theme of The High Desert State of Mind exhibit:
“We share a love for this place where we live. The nearby mountains and high desert environments in Central Oregon, combined with the pleasant attitudes of the people and the sights and sounds of animals, come together to create an atmosphere perfectly made for creative minds. So, in this state of mind, we celebrate by offering our works of art.”
Member Helen Brown presents watercolors of High Desert landscapes and birds. Her paintings feature a batik technique on rice paper creating a unique textured appearance. She received national recognition with publication in SPLASH, The Best of Watercolor and in exhibits of the National Watercolor Society.
Barbara Hudler Cella exhibits acrylic on canvas artwork. A recognized artist, her Cabo Morning Light will appear in the 24th Arts in Harmony 2019 Annual International Show – The Arts North Exhibition at Hopkins Center for the Arts, Minnesota. The International Society of Acrylic Painters (ISAP) honored her Duluth Hill with the Trekell Art Award
in 2018.
Jean Requa Lubin’s realistic paintings exemplify her admiration of the “buttery texture of oil paint” used to depict the beauty of High Desert mustangs and majestic buffalo. She notes her “profound pleasure of expressing with brilliant color my view of the natural world,” hoping “my work leaves a few more footprints in the sands of time.”
In her first appearance with the HDAL, photographer Karen Maier captures macro photos, “getting as close as possible to her subject,” as seen in her image of Kokanee salmon, nearly identical in color to the pebbles in the Deschutes River. Maier also finds inspiration in wildflowers as featured in her exhibit.
Dee McBrien-Lee’s current artwork features acrylics as well as mixed media and collage. The abstract work suggests the impact of the daily barrage of information as expressed in Daphne. Also, her Stories From My Tribe encapsulates, through many textures and layers including religious symbolism covered up by other information, our need for sharing and understanding.
Jacqueline Newbold, accomplished Central Oregon artist, describes her admiration of the Cascade Mountain Range, “motionless, majestic and awe-inspiring, they are constantly evolving.” Her watercolor paintings in the HDAL exhibit depict the mountains’ beauty through several of their colorful seasonal changes. Newbold’s book, Watercolor Journeys, guides beginning to advanced watercolor enthusiasts.
Rebecca Reed Sentgeorge a Redmond resident, lived on both U.S. coasts, in Australia, China and Japan, each experience broadening her perceptions. She notes that when working, time suspends and, absorbed in creating, she makes art decisions intuitively. Retired, she shows frequently in galleries on Oregon’s “North Coast.” A Fulbright Memorial Fund participant, Sentgeorge will participate in the National Consortium of Teaching about Asia.
Janice Rhodes, encaustic artist, uses the ancient medium of pigmented, molten beeswax to portray Central Oregon’s past. One of her featured works, Vanishing Culture, features the profile of a Native American brave in reflective thought. The method originated thousands of years ago for painting on ship hulls and for Egyptian funeral masks.
Barbara Slater, an oil painter for over forty years and Oil Painters of America member, exhibits her memorable portraits of a bear, a fox and other creatures. The artist notes her study of animals’ eyes to capture their personalities; her paintings reveal not only that careful observation but her affection and respect for her subjects.
Joren Traveller, a bronze artist and painter, adds texture to elements of her oil on board paintings, noting her experience as “almost as if I am sculpting them.” Numerous memorable visits to local, state and national parks propel her art from “awe inspiring scenic images and elusive wildlife in their natural habitat.”
Sunriver Resort invites the public to the exhibition, open all hours. Billye Turner organizes the lodge art series, info at 503-780-2828 or billyeturner@bendnet.com.