Art in the Pearl

The show was wonderful in so many ways. Perfect weather. Enormous, appreciative crowds. Huge sales for the artists I spoke with. Much happy enthusiasm that was shared between the artists in the booths and the artists visiting the booths. I had visits from Paula M. and Edina Tien for example; both artists who could easily have their own booths at the show. They are two friends from Artfest. Paula still works a real job but retires soon and then will devote more time to her creative endeavors. So it was a weekend of purest pleasure enjoying the great people in the Park Blocks, listening to wonderful music and eating exotic food.

Allow me please to introduce you to Chris Giffin, assemblage artiste extraordinaire. Her work can be seen in Found Object Art by Dorothy Spencer. She is a National Art Treasure (says I) and so kind and easy to know and supportive. Can you tell I reeaallly like her? I do. Her e-mail is giffin@peak.org.

Next we have Jacquline Hurlbert. She works in clay and has started painting in addition. I purchased one of her pod people that looks to me like it has just been born (screaming at the shock and horror of sentient life) - wow, I love it. Of course she probably had something entirely different in mind when she created it but that's what I want it to be. Love love love her amazing work.
This is my long-time friend, Tamaris Landsman. Her work has really taken off this year. It is sooo fun. Mosaic mirror frames with chi chi subjects like tubes of lipstick and ruby red lips in addition to colorful spirals and unusual shapes. She is a great artist, a powerful businesswoman, a loving friend.

Heinrich Toh is a very fine printmaker from Seattle. He asked me to shoot his booth from this angle. Check out his beautiful work behind him in the photo and at his website. If he comes to your area to do a show you will not be disappointed in his inventive and original work. It is excellent.

Behold ye pyrate king, Mark Heimann. He is a fine ceramicist and huge cut-up who could not resist creating an entire line of pirate ware in addition to his more serious sculptural work. You can also order from him, off his website, a bumper sticker that reads "What would Blackbeard do?" He has a wonderful website that will make you laugh as well as appreciate his dedication as an artist.

My next door booth neighbor was Sheri Rice and she makes paper quilts out of scraps of vintage images, letters, wallpaper and so on. They are really really beautiful and I brought 3 of them home with me. I told her about Artfest and urged her to submit a teaching proposal. She would be an enthusiastic, fun teacher with a lot of knowledge to share. Her e-mail is sheririce@comcast.net.

Thomas Rude is a multi-talented woodcut artist and carver. He designed the t-shirts that were given to the volunteers and which he is wearing. Please go to his site and appreciate his primitive wood sculptures. They are really great. He is represented by the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in Salem.

Dick Libby and I go way back to when I used to drive an old Volvo station wagon. Dick loves Volvos too and he has stuck with them while I have wandered off and switched to an Outback. But I digress. Dick makes assemblages out of recycled materials that he scavenges from building tear-downs and the like. He has a wonderful way with the oil based paints he uses to alter the surfaces of the wood he uses and also incorporates collage elements and writes a little story that he includes on the reverse of each piece. You can tell he has fun as he creates each object and the one I got seemed made precisely for me although of course it wasn't. Coincidence? I think not. Dick has special powers. His e-mail is volvodick@foxinternet.com.

Shannon Weber is a contemporary basket maker from Cottage Grove, Oregon. Her baskets are indescribable; you'll have to go to her website to appreciate the colors and intricate weaving she does. Recently she has been incorporating small paintings into the baskets. Unusual and wonderful!

This is my friend Craig Windom and some examples of his fine art furniture. I wish I had taken more photographs as he doesn't have a website and had everything from rocking chairs to garden benches and mirrors in frames in his booth. All of his furniture is beautifully crafted and designed and incorporate vintage objects and whimsical details. Craig is also a talented painter. He can be reached at (541)-935-4147 or C_Windom@msn.com.

Ann Fleming had exciting new work to show. She formerly worked in clay and is a great surface designer and painter. But these are her new bronzes and they simply take your breath away with their gentle power. Please go to her website and read about her intent and history. It will tell you a lot about this woman who has contributed so much to Portland's art community. Thanks to her organizational skills we have two art fairs that she has spearheaded; this one (Art in the Pearl) and also The Village of Willamette Show which commences in 2 more weeks. Thank you, Ann, for all of it. Portland is lucky to have you.

I'm pooped. The dogs and tatoos will have to wait for the next post.