Second Saturday Reception, January 10, 4-7pm. Featuring Laura Jo Sherman, pastel artist and potter Peter Roussel. The gallery includes 28 local artists living in Central Oregon and are now in their fourth year in Sunriver Village. If you haven’t visited for awhile, there are lots of new surprises in store.
Laura Jo works with “soft” pastels using pure pigments. She has been a pastel artist for the past 20 years and has perfected her craft. Laura Jo particularly likes to paint landscapes and wildlife and is honored to be a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. Laura has also won national awards for her art.
Soft pastels are a professional artist’s tool that has been around for over 300 years. The artists of the late 17th century such as Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir and Cassett used them in many of their famous paintings.
Laura Jo finds that nature is the inspiration for most of her paintings. Working in the field as a plein air artist is a real bonus in Central Oregon thanks to the wonderful and varied scenery and wildlife. Laura Jo often paints a series of work related to one theme. The Stellar Jays were enjoying Laura Jo’s yard with the enticement of yummy bird seed and they inspired this series.
Our renaissance man, Peter Roussel has been known in the gallery and around Oregon as Peter the Potter! Peter’s signature horsehair pottery continues to be a customer favorite collectable. This season, Peter has surprised us with a new art form…felted scarves! Peter’s scarves are mainly wool and some are combined with pure silk….each scarf is a warm and unique work of art!
Roussel’s pottery is a reflection of Central Oregon’s ever changing beauty. From high desert vistas and turquoise blue rivers and high mountain lakes, his palate is rich and vibrant. Using alternative firing methods he incorporates horsehair, feathers sugar, copper sulfate, ferric chloride and gilded gold to create his one of a kind pieces to complement any décor. All of his pieces are handmade.
Currently he is creating hand felted scarves and color seems to be the common thread. Drop by the Artist Gallery in Sunriver to see some of his most current works on display.
Artists’ Gallery Sunriver
57100 Beaver Dr., 541-593-2127 or 541-593-8274, www.artistsgallerysunriver.com