((L) June (R) Jake Kenobi | Photos courtesy of Scalehouse Collaborative for the Arts)
We are beyond excited to share the two Artists in Residents for the Patricia Clark Studio: June Park and Jake Kenobi! Starting May 1, these two can be found next to the Scalehouse Gallery creating, making and inspiring.
Meet June:
June expresses in their art the energy between the natural world and their identities as a Korean, American, immigrant, non-binary femme and lover of outdoor/rural life. They hope their flavor of “just being” encourages others to acknowledge and celebrate the multitude of identities we each hold. None of us wants to be boxed into stereotypes that don’t fit.
Their family immigrated to Moscow, Idaho from Seoul, South Korea when June was an infant. June ran wild outdoors throughout their childhood, and now continues to run wild in Central Oregon. As a life-long creator, artist and writer, most of the inspiration for their art is drawn from the rhythm and energy of the natural world, and the perspective they’ve gained moving through this world as a queer person of color who grew up in rural America.
Harnessing energy for their creativity also means making sure to give back to the communities and landscapes that inspire their art. Growing up in a small town and being raised with Korean values have given them a strong sense of respect and love for the outdoors and communities that take care of each other. They commit to always give a portion of their revenue to supporting the local communities and preservation efforts in the places that inspire them.
They currently live in Bend with their husband Chris and rambunctious rescue dog Leche. The trio can be found wandering around the trails, lakes and rivers in the surrounding area. Learn more about June at junelparkart.com.
Meet Jake:
Jake Kenobi, working under the moniker Spring Break Jake, is on a mission to make the world more fun than he found it without shying away from the many issues facing us today. He creates illustrative abstract art with a message, putting a special focus on challenging our notions of patriarchal masculinity and reducing the stigmas around vulnerability when it comes to mental health. Best summarized by simple skulls and palm trees, he uses the juxtaposition of darker, macabre imagery with bright, tropical iconography and color palettes to encourage the viewer to embrace the good and the bad, as well as our inner and outer worlds, in the hopes of making the heavier parts of life feel conquerable. Learn more about Jake at springbreakjake.com.
The Patricia Clark Studio will be located next door to the Scalehouse Gallery in the Franklin Crossing Building, in the Tin Pan Alley. Scalehouse Gallery is the home to the contemporary art space presenting bold, new work by artists representing a broad range of identities and perspectives which might not otherwise be seen in Bend. The Patricia Clark Studio and Scalehouse Gallery will connect audiences to boundary-pushing ideas, the creative practice, experiences and expressions through direct access to artists.
Now on View: Intersections: Where Art and Activism Meet
Intersections: Where Art and Activism Meet features the work of two contemporary artists at the center of art and social critique.
April Bey’s Atlantica depicts a world, beyond this earth, where Blackness, queerness and joy are respected and celebrated. Atlantica seeks to center Black opulence and pleasure when on Earth both concepts are withheld and judged perpetually through the lens of white supremacy. The Los Angeles Times describes April’s work as “surreal and hilarious”, “an exuberant, sense-tingling journey through an imagined planet where Black people flourish and thrive.”
Oakland-based artist, Sadie Barnette, features three photographs — some of the only remaining documentation and ephemera—from her father’s The New Eagle Creek Saloon, the first Black-owned gay bar in San Francisco. Her father, Rodney Barnette, is the subject of much of her work. He was an activist and a member of the Black Panther Party. In these still life photos, roses serve to memorialize otherwise undocumented/unknown/unarchived ephemera, while sparkling rhinestones elevate these images from archive to legend.
This exhibit is in partnership with World Muse and their annual MUSE Unconference. World Muse is inspired by the enormous potential of individuals to create positive change in their lives and in our world.
The Scalehouse Gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 1-6pm.
In Case You Missed: Scalehouse and World Muse Present April Bey
On Friday, March 4, Scalehouse and World Muse welcomed April Bey for an artist talk at the Scalehouse Gallery. Joining from Los Angeles, April Bey discussed her larger body of work, Atlantica, at the opening reception for the World Muse Unconference.