Expressions West 2014 Exhibition at Coos Art Museum
From, April 18 to June 28, 2014 Coos Art Museum will be exhibiting the Expressions West 2014 juried painting competition. Artists from thirteen western states are invited to compete in this annual event. Juror Robert Canaga selected sixty-one recent paintings by forty-five artists residing in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The opening reception for Expressions West 2014 will take place on April 18 from 5 to 7 pm. The public is invited to attend. We anticipate that many of the participating artists will also be in attendance. An awards ceremony begins at 6 PM and Robert Canaga will present the prize awards for the competition. The three prizes are $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $250 for the third place award. Honorable mentions will also be announced during the ceremony. We welcome all to come meet the artists and juror at the opening reception. Juror Robert Canaga is a prominent figure in the Eugene , Oregon cultural scene. The past Curator of the OPUS6IX Gallery he is currently Curator of The Gallery at the Watershed. He is Past President of the Oregon Mozart Players Board, Vice Chair for Travel Lane County and owner of Robert Canaga Galleries in Portland and Eugene. Artists accepted into the Expressions West 2014 exhibition include: Oregon artists – Lillian Almeida, Doug Anderson, David Castleberry, Katy Cauker, Patricia J. Cink, Virginia M.Z. Gourley, Aaron Hatefi, Cynthia Herron, Elaina LaBoda Jamieson, Bob Keefer, Jon Leach, Susan Lehman, Jaqueline Lukowski, Kirk Lybecker, Georgia Nehl, Susan Rudisill, Claudia Schouten, Bernard J. Sherwood, Pat Snyder, Kimberly Wurster; California artists – Frank Ansley, Halina Domanski, Rebecca Fogg, Ming Ren, Haisu Tian, Jeff Troupe, Brooke Walker-Knoblich; Washington artists – Jack Dorsey, Austin Dwyer, Steve Hu, Harold W Johnson, Jim Matthew, Susan Moore; Arizona artists – Priscilla Hanson, Patricia Redding, G. Eric Slayton, Mano Sotelo; Colorado artists – Ronnie Cramer, Dianne Maher; New Mexico artists – Katherine Irish, Annell Livingston; Idaho artist – Scott Berger; Utah artist – Lee R. Cowan; Wyoming artist – Kevin Robinett.
TRANSPORTED: Paintings by Robert Canaga at Coos Art Museum
Coos Art Museum presents TRANSPORTED, a solo show of mixed media paintings, combining raw pigments, oil and wax by Oregon-based artist Robert Canaga, April 18 through June 28, 2014. The opening reception is Friday April 18 from 5 to 7pm and coincides with the opening of Expressions West 2014 the Museum’s Western states painting competition for which Canaga served as juror. In TRANSPORTED, painter Robert Canaga explores images of the vessel as both object and symbol. The thematic forms bring to mind containers or sailing vessels from antiquity, familiar contours repeated throughout history. Boldly colored and textured in Canaga’s signature style, the series evokes a sense of solidity and purpose with its simple, satisfying shapes. “These paintings are based on the idea of transport from one place to another,” says Canaga, whose work is influenced by the artist’s two near-death experiences. TRANSPORTED’s metaphorical reference to the body-as-vessel, carrying the soul, cannot be overlooked. The paintings do not convey fragility; quite the opposite, they vibrate with celebration of their own place in the universe. “I’m more whole at 64 than I was at 24, more held together, in a sense,” continues Canaga. “I’ve escaped amazing circumstances, but remained solid.” Even the smaller paintings seem larger than their dimensions. Their energy radiates outward with the artist’s confident orchestration of color and composition. Canaga describes himself as a color purist. He elaborates, “I carry precise colors in my mind’s eye. The windows of my studio do not reveal the surrounding landscape, because I deliberately decided not to be influenced by the external Pacific Northwest palette. I’m fascinated by color frequencies and how those frequencies relate to each other.” Coos Art Museum director, Steven Brooks, comments, ”We are very pleased to have one of the areas most active and innovative artistic leaders exhibiting at the Museum. We are also pleased that Robert Canaga has agreed to jury Expressions West 2014 a painting competition that exposes the Oregon Coast to the art of thirteen western states.” About the Artist: Robert Canaga was born in Oregon and makes his home in Eugene . He is known as one of the state’s most experimental printmakers, and currently focuses on abstract painting in oil, raw pigments and wax. His involvement in the arts community spans decades. He is curator at The Gallery at the Watershed in Eugene, past President of the Board for Oregon Mozart Players and former curator at Opus 6IX Gallery. His work is collected nationally. Canaga is also owner of Robert Canaga Galleries in Portland and Eugene . More information about the artist can be found by visiting his website at http://opus6ixgallery.blogspot.com/
Exploring Layers Fiber Art at Coos Art Museum
From, April 18 through June 28, 2014 Coos Art Museum will be featuring the SAQA Exploring Layers in its Uno E Richter Atrium Gallery. This juried exhibit features fiber art by members of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), Oregon Region. The exhibition will include thirty examples of fiber art including four three dimensional works and will be touring to various Oregon locations throughout 2014 and into early 2015. Exploring Layers gave the participating artists a challenge to pick any subject or concept and explore it through its layers. “Layers can be concrete, or simply conceptual and abstract. They are universal. Time adds layers to the past, present and future. Objects and ideas have layers of meaning. Layers conjure up many ideas…” SAQA was founded in 1989 as a non-profit membership organization to promote the quilt as an art form via professional quality juried exhibits. SAQA now has almost 4,000 members worldwide, and at any given time has approximately ten exhibits touring nationally and internationally. Each region is also encouraged to mount juried exhibits, and “Exploring Layers” is Oregon ’s third such event. Oregon has around 160 SAQA members.
Coos Art Museum exhibits rugs created at the Star of Hope
From, April 18 to June 28, 2014 Coos Art Museum will be exhibiting rugs woven at the Star of Hope. Displayed in the Clare Wehrle Community Gallery, the exhibit will feature hand-woven rugs created by developmentally challenged adults in the “Rug Making” program at Star of Hope, a local organization that helps with residential and vocational assistance for disabled adult members of our community. Through innovative adaptation to challenges, participants in the program skillfully weave recycled and donated material into rugs that are functional, environmentally sensitive, and aesthetically pleasing. The exhibit provides an educational platform for debunking myths and stereotypes surrounding those with developmental disabilities and provides contributing weavers with the validation and emotional encouragement to develop their skills. Star of Hope has been helping people in Coos County reach their potential since 1964. Beginning as a grassroots group of parents of young adults with developmental disabilities, the organization now offers a range of comprehensive services, from residential and vocational to supported living and employment. Star of Hope’s hand-woven rugs can be purchased through The Oregon Connection located at 1125 S. 1st St. in Coos Bay or online at its website.