August First Friday Showcases Local Artists throughout Downtown Bend & Old Mill District

(Artwork above: Luminous drawing by Katherine Taylor)

Stay cool this First Friday by visiting some local galleries and businesses for artwork and artist receptions. View our complete listing of exhibits, receptions and displays for the month of August.

Alleda Real Estate
25 NW Minnesota Ave., Ste. 1 • alledarealestate.com
Watercolor might be an unlikely media for artist Deni Porter because of her desire for saturated color. However, with the use of a glazing process (thin layers of translucent color one upon the other), she can make her paintings “sing” with color. The artist adds further texture and interest to her pieces by using colored pencils. The overall effect is alive with color and emotion.

Painting subjects range from whimsical animals and beautiful outdoor scenes of Central Oregon to the streets of downtown Bend. Porter also provides commissioned realistic paintings of pets and children. The result is a family heirloom to cherish for years to come.
Porter, who received her degree in art from the University of California in the mid-seventies, regularly displays art at the Artists Gallery in Sunriver.

Art in the Atrium, Franklin Crossing
550 NW Franklin St.
Art in the Atrium, Franklin Crossing, features Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Oregon Region from August 1-26. The artists will attend the August 3, 5-8pm public opening. Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Oregon Region presents an exhibition of 25 fiber artists’ new works interpreting the concept of BRIDGE. Interpretations are the driving force as artists broadly depict the theme using numerous fiber techniques. During First Friday, Noi Thai serves wine and appetizers. Gordy Michael, a Portland Jazz musician, on piano and guitar, Lisa Day, vocals, and Mark Karwin, upright bass, entertain.

Bend Art Center
550 SW Industrial Way, Ste. 180 • 541-330-8759 • bendartcenter.org
Artists go big with large-scale woodcuts in Big Ink exhibit on display August 3-26 with an opening reception on Friday, August 3 from 5-9pm.
Bend Art Center will feature large-scale woodcut prints by 15 artists from across the U.S. for its first installation of Big Ink. Big Ink is an organized network of artists who promote large-scale woodblock printing. The works in Bend Art Center’s exhibit were printed at Whit Print Studio in Eugene, Oregon at a Big Ink event in 2017. Artists were selected, either by personal invitation or through a call-for-entry process, to print original woodblocks at least 24” x 36” in size. Bend Art Center will continue with a second installation of Big Ink prints for the September exhibit.

Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty
821 NW Wall St. • 541-383-7600 • cascadesothebysrealty.com
The theme “Threads that Bind” was the inspiration for this regional Studio Art Quilt Associates Inc (SAQA) annual exhibition. With this inspiration local fiber artists explored the “threads” that hold our art, our lives, and our communities together. Each piece is unique, but unified by the theme and size (18” x 40”). The artists are all members of the Central Oregon SAQA, an international nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to served artists working in the art quilt medium, as well as instructors, collectors, gallery owners, curators and corporate sponsors who recognized the importance of the art quilt.

desperado a boutique
Old Mill District, 330 SW Powerhouse Dr. • 541-749-9980
Presenting a summer installation of paintings by Central Oregon artist
Barbara Slater.

Jeffrey Murray Photography
118 NW Minnesota Ave. • 541-325-6225 • jeffreymurrayphotography.com
Features American landscape and fine art images captured by Bend nature photographer, Jeffrey Murray. Visit and enjoy a visual adventure of illuminating light and captivating panoramas from scenes in Central Oregon and across North America.

John Paul Designs Custom Jewelry + Signature Series
1006 NW Bond St. • 541-318-5645 • johnpauldesigns.com
Specializing in unique, one of a kind wedding and engagement rings in a variety of metals.

Karen Bandy Design Jeweler
25 NW Minnesota Ave., Ste. 5 • 541-388-0155 • karenbandy.com
Tucked between Thump coffee and Alleda Real Estate, Karen Bandy a Central Oregon national/international award-winning jewelry designer and abstract painter, specializing in custom design in downtown Bend since 1987. Her designs are bold, fun and very wearable. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11:30am-5pm, First Fridays and
by appointment.

Lara House Bend & Breakfast
640 NW Congress St. • 541-388-4064 • larahouse.com
Join us every First Friday at the Lara House Bed and Breakfast from 5-7pm. Enjoy the artworks from six local artists: Ann Gibson, Karen Eland, Dorothy Holmes, Michelle Lindblom, Kristine Cooper and Angela Schwer.

We will also have free yoga on our side lawn with live music. Yoga will be taught by Autumn Adams and Helen Cloots and live music from Amy Bathen. Yoga will start at 5:30pm. Check out the inside of our beautiful historic bed and breakfast. We have been apart of Bend since 1910.

Layor
1000 NW Wall St. #110
Layor Art + Supply’s First Friday in August will feature the art of Kelly Thiel. Thiel is a cofounder and studio artist at The Wilds. Layor will be showcasing her work from her new series, About Face. Come see these impressive, vibrant and celebratory images of vintage women.

Lubbesmeyer Studio & Gallery
Old Mill District, second story loft • 541-330-0840 • lubbesmeyer.com
The Lubbesmeyer twins offer a range of work created in fiber and paint. Through the twins’ collaborative process, they distill literal imagery into vivid blocks of color and texture, creating an abstracted view of their surroundings. Working studio/gallery open Tuesday thru Saturday.

Mary Medrano Studio
25 NW Minnesota Ave., #12 • 408-250-2732 • marymedrano.com
Step away from the crowds and relax in an art studio that is filled with the latest works by Mary Medrano. Located above Thump Coffee and across from the Oxford Hotel in the heart of downtown is a hidden gem of a studio. Stop in and see what’s new.

Mockingbird Gallery
869 NW Wall St. • 541-388-2107 • mockingbird-gallery.com
On Friday August 3, from 5-9pm Mockingbird Gallery presents, Double Visions, a two-person show for Mitch Baird and Eric Jacobsen. We will serve wine, cheese and have jazz music provided by the Ryan Camastral trio. This show will run through August.

As a representational painter, Mitch Baird believes that painting is a celebration of life and the beauty that surrounds us. He is devoted to the traditions of the late 19th century artists who looked to the figure and nature’s landscape for inspiration regarding light, color and design. Seeking out this inspiration, Mitch works directly from life to capture the qualities and nuances of natural light and color harmony. Eric Jacobsen’s true inspiration is the amazing beauty that he sees in nature. Jacobsen is a plein air painter, meaning he takes his oils wherever he goes, setting up on site and working until his painting is finished.

Northsoles Footwear
800 NW Wall St.• 541-312-8566
North Soles Footwear on Wall Street in Bend is hosting an art display of paintings by Vivian Olsen and Barbara Slater, two well-known artists in Central Oregon. Watercolor townscapes of her travels in Italy and France are on display by Vivian Olsen as well as some of her wildlife animal portraits. Vivian creates vibrant paintings that capture an animal’s behavior and personality that make them seem to come alive. Also showing at North Soles Footwear are bright and beautiful florals by Barbara Slater painted with acrylics on canvas. With a heartfelt connection for her subjects Barbara enjoys creating flower and animal portraits with passion and dramatic color. This fine exhibit will be showing at North Soles Footwear through August in downtown Bend on the corner at 800 Wall street and Franklin. Both artists are members of the High Desert Art League and their paintings may be seen on their website: www.highdesertartlsegue.com.

Oxford Hotel
10 NW Minnesota Ave. • 541-382-8436
The Oxford Hotel presents Susan Busik’s colorful acrylic paintings, Magical Reality, continuing through this month. Busik will attend the champagne opening on First Friday, August 3 from 5:30-7:30pm. The exhibit will run through August 31.

Peterson/Roth Gallery
206 NW Oregon Ave., Ste. 1 • 541-633-7148 • petersonroth.com 
Please come join us here at Peterson/Roth Gallery on First Friday, August 3 from 5-9pm to celebrate our Summer Exhibition, featuring Christian Burchard and Korey Gulbrandson. We also will have work on the walls by our current group and a few new artists. So come on down for wine and cheese and a gallery filled with fresh art. We’re right below Silverado.

Starting as an apprentice to furniture makers, Christian Burchard quickly turned his attention to woodturning. Christian’s wood of choice is Pacific Madrone burl because as it dries, it warps, allowing the wood to take its own shape.

Korey Gulbrandson starts each piece with a hand-crafted wood canvas and evolves with an accumulation of layers, manipulating wax and various mediums. Using a torch and carving tools Korey scribes and removes the layers. This technique creates an exciting plane of texture and color.

Red Chair Gallery
103 NW Oregon Ave. • 541-306-3176 • redchairgallerybend.com
Lise Hoffman-McCabe follows the passion embraced by plein air painters.  In their tradition, Lise’s work is influenced by where she lives:  Bend and France.  Pastels are her chosen medium because of the immediacy and intensity of the color.  She is a true “colorist” in every sense of the word.  Her newest works focus on the pastoral French country side and the beautiful iconic Bend locations.

Will Nash creates beautiful woodwork utilizing local and regional hardwoods. His pieces include everything from sculptural chairs, benches and other furniture items, to small usable pieces such as spoons and ladles or cutting boards. Some of the hardwoods Will prefers to work with include claro walnut and myrtlewood. He brings each piece to a satin finish enhancing the natural beauty within the wood.

Sage Custom Framing & Gallery
834 NW Brooks St. • 541-382-5884 • sageframing-gallery.com
For the month of August a group of friends have gathered to show their latest works at Sage Custom Framing and Gallery.  Nurturing and supporting each other’s artistic accomplishments is an important part of this group’s learning experiences. Feedback from others is important for constant evolution and growth.  Featured artists for August are Nancy Misek, Denise Rich, Laura Jo Sherman and Jane Tolve with a First Friday reception on August 3 from 5-8pm.

Nancy Misek, working in pastels, captures the beauty of our Oregon landscape in her sensitive and beautiful renderings of the natural world.

Denise Rich focuses on a favorite subject, trees.  Both plein air and studio paintings done in “Open”(slow drying) acrylics will show her exploration of the beauty of junipers and pines.

In Laura Jo Sherman’s work, a passion for life long learning is evident.  Approaching each new painting as a challenge, and favoring expressive techniques in her pastel paintings, she may use mixed media, unusual color combinations and varying textures.

Jane Tolve, also preferring to use pastels, as her medium of choice, takes an intuitive approach to her paintings.  Starting with an idea, she lets her imagination taker her where it may, experimenting with bold color combinations and injecting energy and movement, often with a touch of whimsy.

TIAA Bank
5 NW Minnesota Ave.
TIAA Bank is hosting SageBrushers Art Society artists Kendra West, Barb Shannon and Sue Lever for First Friday in August. Come and enjoy a range of subjects including flowers, landscapes, and doorways, as well as abstract watercolor collage. First Friday opening on August 3.

Tumalo Art Company
Old Mill District • 541-385-9144 • tumaloartco.com
Katherine Taylor’s exhibit of new oil paintings, A Celebration of Paint, opens at Tumalo Art Co. August 3, from 4-8pm during Frist Friday Gallery Walk in Bend’s Old Mill District.
A long-time Central Oregon artist, Katherine outfits an array of canvases with lively textured marks made from lots of oil paint lusciousness. Her signature artwork employs the dramatic lighting and luminous glazing she learned from her classical art training. But, she mixes it up when it comes to genres and styles. Sometimes flying in the face of typical representational artwork, she paints figures, the face, the landscape, urban settings, fabric, flowers, metal, and even bleached bones, with a variety of techniques and applications she’s picked up along the way. After 30 years of smearing oil pigments on canvases, she reflects that it’s still “all about the paint.” Tumalo Art Co. is an artist-run gallery in the heart of the Old Mill District open seven days a week.

The Wine Shop
55 NW Minnesota Ave. • thewineshopbend.com
The Wine Shop’s August exhibit features the work of SageBrushers artists Jean Vertefeuille and Kendra West. Jean’s watercolors, acrylic and oil paintings explore the landscape and the affect of light. Kendra will be showing watercolor collages and other recent work.

Village Interiors
750 NW Lava Rd. • 541-389-6515 • villageinteriorsdesign.com
Village Interiors will be featuring Sisters resident and oil painter Sandy Melchiori. Sandy’s liberal, expressionistic brushstrokes of big  bold cows, roosters, sheep, local pastoral landscapes and paintings from her travels will be featured at Village Interiors throughout the month of August. Join us August 3 from 5-8pm for light fare and beverages as Sandy shares with guests her inspirations and love of painting.

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