Coos Bay Public Library exhibits the talents of unique local artists in July. The works of Christine ‘Ilese’ Levitt are displayed on the walls, and creations by members of South Coast Woodturners are featured in the lobby cases.
Ilese Levitt considers herself an experimental mixed media artist, looking for ways to incorporate different media and art forms. She has been a professional portrait photographer, dabbled in jewelry design, worked for several years in polymer clay creations and played with precious metal clays. She enjoys finding ways to integrate previous interests with newer passions. Her work has shown in galleries and art spaces in New England, Arizona and New Mexico, and along the Oregon Coast. This show represents her love of abstract and texture. Visual and physical texture plays with the abstract composition to create energy and movement, or calmness and introspection. She works intuitively, building the painting with layers of papers and gesso, using hand-carved stamps and found objects to add more texture. The pieces often turn in an unexpected direction, changing course from where she intended to where the painting wants to go. She is always working to be aware of what the painting wants to say. These paintings have a bold color palette and she has tried to unify the elements with glazes, acrylic inks, and asemic writing. She considers these new pieces experimental as the use of glazes and acrylic inks as such integral aspects of the paintings is new to her. You can find her online @ileselevitt on Instagram or email ilese.levitt@gmail.com
The South Coast Woodturners serve the woodturning community on the South Coast region of Oregon. The group aims to provide education, instruction, and information through a series of presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on classes for all members interested in developing their skills as woodturners. The works of these artists can be viewed during library open hours: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon – 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through the end of the month. The library is located at 525 Anderson Avenue.
