Around Oregon Biennial

Every two years The Art Center in Corvallis hosts an exhibition of all Oregon artists. This year the juror is Scott Malbourne, Execurive Director of the Schneider Museum of Art in Ashland Oregon. I am so delighted that he chose my painting Parched from my Thirst series for this exhibition. The show will be on view in The Arts Center Main Gallery July 15 - September 6th, 2025. A reception and awards presentation will be held on Thursday, July 17th, 5:30 - 7PM during the Corvallis Art Walk.

The nature of time is a mystery. There are many things that underlie our lives, things that we have few words for. The soft murmur of flowing water, the disturbance of air from a bird’s wing, the vibrations of flowers in bloom, my ancestors from long ago are the whispers that I hear, and I am compelled to explore their subliminal voices in my work. I am curious about these unseen presences. By using wordless images in my work, I explore my sense of these other ways of seeing the world. Humans, plants and animals each have a unique history and see their worlds from their own point of view. In my recent project I have been thinking about our dwindling water resources and how that affects humans,  and plants and animals alike. This mutual need shapes our lives now and will continue to into the future. Parched is a memory of water. I used shells, stones and an abandoned nest that I found near the river. I tried to reimagined the history of this place and the life it supports. The empty bird’s nest tells a story of intelligence and need. In this piece everything has been touched by water.

Parched

48 × 48 painting on canvas