LARSON GALLERY NEWSLETTER ICLES FALL 2013 Leo Adams Recognized by Book, Two Concurrent Exhibits The book came first: “Leo Adams | Art ● Home”. About eight years ago, Yakima art patrons and friends of Leo Adams decided it was time to recognize his work and his contributions Leo Adams signing books to the arts in Washington and beyond. “We didn’t want anyone to forget Leo!” one of them reportedly said. So the group who dreamed it went to work: Michelle and Rob Wyles, Dr. Steve and Laura Muehleck, Dr. Terry Martin and Dr. Jane Gutting, John Gasperetti, and Brad Patterson. Soon, persons active in the Seattle art scene heard about a possible project. Merrill Wright, daughter of collectors Virginia and Bagley Wright, became a major player and she and her mother came to Yakima, to kick off a campaign to fund a book. By this time, Ed Marquand, of Marquand Publishing (fine arts books) who later found Tieton and cofounded Mighty Tieton, was involved. Eventually, Marquand Books designed the volume published through the University of Washington Press. Adams received his first copy of the book on Sunday afternoon, August 11, when Marquand and some of the original committee made a surprise presentation to him at his home. Two companion exhibitions complement the publication of the book. They too have been “in the works for a few years,” says David Lynx, director of the Larson Gallery, who, with John Baule, Yakima Valley Museum director, developed the exhibitions. At the Larson Gallery, now through October 19, in the exhibit Art ● Home, there are 50 paintings created by Adams in the past two years along with an installation representing Adams’ unique home. At the Yakima Valley Museum, through December 28, the exhibit is Art ● Life, a retrospective of more than 30 pieces reflecting “Adams’ amazing career that spans more than 50 years.” Andy Granitto, Curator of Exhibitions at the museum, has installed that show. Why is Leo Adams so important? Here is a quote, written by Marquand, from the small brochure sent to Gallery and Museum patrons: “Leo Adams is a singularly talented artist and designer who has been a creative force in the Pacific Northwest for almost fifty years. Although firmly rooted in the Yakima Valley, where he is a member of the Yakama Nation, his influence has international resonance. Generations of artists, interior designers and architects have been fascinated, enchanted and inspired by his home, his art and by Leo himself . . .” And from the “Artists of Central Washington 2007-2010” is this quote from Adams: “I want to paint the landscape of where I am . . . the environment . . . express the open sky and the neutral colors of the Valley . . . I want to paint what the earth is like in my world.” Adams has always been generous in his support of the Larson Gallery and Larson Gallery Guild and has anchored Adams’ Gallery installation the annual Tour of Artists’ Homes and Studios for all of its 14 years. In 1993, the Gallery presented a retrospective of his work up to that time. “I was 50 then,” Adams grins. Of the current celebrations, Adams has just one word: “great!!” Where You Can Buy The Book The book, “Leo Adams | Art ● Home” was introduced to the public at opening receptions on September 12 at the Larson Gallery and Yakima Valley Museum. You can purchase it at either of these places, at Inklings Bookshop in Chalet Place and at the Paper Hammer in Mighty Tieton. Cost is $40 plus tax. Water and Fire: An Insight into Jurying ~ By David Lynx, Larson Gallery Director This summer I was honored to have the opportunity to jury the exhibit Expressions Northwest for the Northwind Arts Center. This exhibit was part of Art Port Townsend 2013. Usually I am on the receiving end of a juried show, installing artwork selected by an outside juror. This time I was the juror, and Jeanette Best, president of the Northwind Arts Alliance, would decide how to install what I had selected. Advances in technology have made jurying shows a little easier over the years. In the past, artists would have delivered or mailed the actual work. Then jurying moved to viewing slides of the works, to the eventual digital submissions on CD, which is how we currently jury the Central Washington Artists’ Exhibition. The most recent incarnation has been the advent of online entry websites such as callforentry.org. For this exhibit, artists entered their work to onlinejuriedshows.com, where I was then provided access to review them. The advantage of this type of system is that entries and jurying are done online and the artist does not have to submit anything by mail. When the deadline for entries was met, I was provided access to the site and began by looking at each piece individually. I was happy with the majority of the pieces, so I started considering how they would look together in an exhibit. Even though the curator at Northwind would decide how they would be installed, I would need to think about how they would work together in an overall theme. Examining pieces digitally, you have to also keep in mind they are not the size of a 24-inch computer monitor, but have actual height, width, and depth that is either smaller or bigger than your screen. As I worked my way through all the entries on the third or fourth day, I started selecting those I thought were the strongest. I noticed, after selecting quite a few of them, that they had strong elements of either water or fire. This does not say they were actual depictions of water or fire, although some of them were, but that they had those qualities of water or fire. In Sanskrit, an ancient language from India, these are called the Mahabhutas, the five elements that make up all things: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Fire is about transformation and metabolism – it generates heat and light. This transformation can also represent the struggle to become something new. Through transformation it becomes something beneficial or something toxic. When you are looking at a work of art, you may be seeing how it has this inner fire, or that it is in the process of transformation to something else. Water is about cohesiveness and protection – It has a cohesiveness that holds everything together. It nourishes and nurtures and brings everything together. The depiction of water in artwork has that ability to give the viewer that feeling of cohesiveness, nourishment, and protection. As I began to select the remaining artworks, and how they started to fit into the overall theme, the idea of these two elements seemed to naturally develop. What this does reinforces in my own mind that if my own work is entered into a juried exhibit, its rejection or acceptance is not necessarily based on the quality of the work but how the juror sees the show in its entirety. After the show was installed, I was asked to go to Port Townsend to select the works to receive awards. Some may look a lot different in close contact than they do on the computer screen. I surprised others and myself with the final winners, as I felt they met the qualities that pulled the exhibit together. You can read the notes from my talk at the Northwind Arts Center online at artporttownsend.org/2013/ juror-talk/. Celebrating LIGHT in the Yakima Valley “inspiring, the Annual Gift for Art,” the brochure promoting the Larson Gallery’s first annual fund drive, has “indeed inspired the community to contribute in a new way to the Gallery,” according to director David Lynx. “inspiring students—inspiring artists—inspiring you” was the theme of the promotion noting that “your donation. . . will support the Larson Gallery’s mission to inspire. . .” “Money raised in the campaign will go into the Gallery’s general fund supporting programs, exhibits, and staffing,” Lynx explained. The Gallery also raises funds through events like the annual Tour of Artists’ Homes and Studios and Light Night. Gifts to First Annual Drive Joyce Hernandez & Paul Anderson Eric & Chandra Anderson Joan Barnett John Baule Kimberly Bellamy-Thompson Carmen & Larry Breer Sandra Brigham Sheri Brockway Linda C Brown Patricia Clark Curtis & Maryalice Clift James Craig Sally & Jim Fitch Carol & Evans Fletcher Cragg & Barbara Smith Gilbert Paul Humphrey & Cheryl Hahn Linda M. Hale Virginia Hislop Shannon Hopkins Craig & Sidney Hotchkiss Jim Huber Dave & Meg Irwin Jerry Johnson Dr Linda & Jerry Kaminski Julie Keith Kennedy Kathy La Fetra Kim Loranz Judith Markham Noël Moxley Dr Stephen & Laura Muehleck Deane & Marilyn Page Teresa & Frank Pritchard Caroline Purdon Pat Reynolds Joyce Roether Carolyn & Dick Schactler Christian & Janet Schlect Barbara Schultz Sidney & Elaine Smith Marjorie S Somers Ken & Millie Stenehjem Dr Mel & Ann Stohl Joyce & Gary Swart Delma Tayer Roxanne Trees Jayne Turner Bob & Donna Villbrandt Cecilia & Eric Vogt Janet White Laura T Woolschlager 58th year of the Central Washington Artists’ Exhibition The CWAE show, a major project for the Larson Gallery, opens with a reception on Saturday November 2, from 3:00 to 5:00PM, with awards presentations at 4:00PM. The exhibit continues through Saturday December 7. Approximately $4,000 will be given in awards. Other important dates if you’re an artist entering the juried show: accept/decline notifications will be mailed Friday October 4. If your work is accepted, deadline for its delivery to the Gallery is Friday October 25. Juror for the show is Dr. Steven L. Grafe, who has been a curator at the Maryhill Museum of Art at Goldendale since 2009. He brings an impressive background both as artist and art expert to the jurying. His BA in studio art is from Oregon State University and both his MA and PhD degrees in art history are from the University of New Mexico. His doctoral dissertation analyzed pre-1880 beadwork from the southern Columbia River Plateau. Grafe’s previous posts have included such varied sites as the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon; the National Park Service’s Mesa Verde National Park, and Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina. His specialty in Indian arts and crafts is also evidenced by contributions to several books relating to that area of the arts. Gallery Goers at the 2012 CWAE Reception From the Desk of the Guild’s President ~ By Linda Clein Brown When I retired from teaching English in 2007, I thought that the newly found time would help me discover hidden parts of myself that had not been nurtured. I reasoned that maybe I would discover that I could have been a pianist or maybe even an artist, so with my newly found time I set out on a journey of discovery. What I discovered was a summer workshop offered by Larson Gallery. In it, artist Sue Grimshaw promised that she would be able to teach each participant to look at the world in a different way and that she’d even be able to teach us how to draw. I laughed. Sue had no idea how difficult her job was going to be. On the assigned Saturday morning I arrived with color pencils and paper and a couple of magazines as suggested. We were a class of about 20 students of all levels of experience. Sue showed us how to look at various paintings and how to trick the mind into seeing shapes and colors that we hadn’t been able to see before. When she talked about how to find the source of light in a painting or how the shadows of various images fall depending on the light, I was hooked. By the end of the first day, I was seeing light and shadow everywhere I looked. On my drive home, telephone poles with stunted silhouettes lined the street, the setting sun threw rays of light in striated patterns across the distant hillside, cars in the foreground on Sixteenth Avenue were larger than those trailing behind. On Day 2 Sue taught us how to draw a McDonald’s Whopper complete with ragged lettuce leaf, melting cheese, a double burger, and a bun dotted with sesame seeds in the shape of tiny teardrops. Do you have any idea how many shades of green are needed to create a single leaf of lettuce? I felt like an artist--not a good artist, Linda Brown, photo by Gary Miller a beginning artist, but an artist nonetheless. So if you’re reading this and wondering what I’m doing as president of the Larson Gallery Guild, I can say it’s because I sort of fell in love. Look around you. Leo Adams’ exhibit is just the beginning of an incredible year and each of us gets to surround ourselves with things that are beautiful, disturbing, memorable, shocking, inviting, and yes, even troubling. It’s right here in Yakima and guess what? Everyone is always welcome! Gallery Mourns Passing of Jim Hawkins the Yakima Arts Commission Presents Windows Alive! Don’t miss the unique art exhibition appearing in Yakima downtown windows. The artwork by local artists will be on display through January 3, 2014. Start your tour with Yessenia Navarrete and Mindy Clark at 201 E. Yakima Avenue. Head west on Yakima Avenue, viewing artists in this order along the way: Denise Riley, W.D. Frank, Carolyn Nelson, and Delma Tayer. Then take a right on 3rd Street to conclude with the Andy Behrle installation at 17 N. 3rd Street. A. James (Jim) Hawkins, who retired in 2001 from the faculty at Central Washington University after serving as an award-winning professor, director, designer, master puppeteer, and an advocate for children’s theatre for more than 31 years, died in Yakima July 23 at the age of 75. Hawkins’ connection to the Larson Gallery was brief but remembered. He taught a workshop on puppetry in June 2003 in which six participants worked with him for three days, creating wonderful characters. With his partner Robert Kowalski, who survives him, he had booths for two years at the Gallerias (indoor arts markets) held in the Gallery during summers in the early 2000s. They sold puppets, note cards, and photography among other items. “We would have done it again but the Gallerias ended in 2006,” Kowalski recalls. Hawkins was well known among theatre-goers in Yakima, directing several plays over a period of many years for Yakima Little Theatre Group/Warehouse Theatre Company. A brief “death notice” about Hawkins appeared in the Yakima Herald-Republic and a full obituary in the Ellensburg Daily Record at the same time. Sara Gettys Heads for Olympia – Leaves Hole in Yakima Art Scene In contrast with the other homes on the 2011 Larson Gallery Tour of Artists’ Homes and Studios—mostly large, in affluent neighborhoods---Sara Gettys’ home on Folsom Avenue just west of l5th Avenue was small, half hidden, easy to pass by—but it exploded with her creativity and charmed most of the visitors who came. Her paintings were directly on the walls of the living room and kitchen, other art was down a rambling stairway to the basement, in a mock bird cage and on fences in the backyard. Gettys had been in Yakima then for four years, as photographer for the Yakima Herald-Republic, “a great person to have on staff,” says Gordon King, chief photographer. Gettys’ departure in mid-summer to become the staff videographer at South Sound Community College in Olympia leaves a large hole in the Yakima art scene—in visual art primarily but in poetry as well. “She is truly a Renaissance woman. There is nothing she cannot do,” says Josey Fast, owner of Oak Hollow Gallery and Frames, where a one-woman show by Gettys, “Migrations”, closed on September 7. “Creativity oozes out of her pores,” Fast adds. Dr. Karen Ireland, art collector and a host for the 2013 Home tour, bought a large Gettys wood carving—two by four feet, lots of birds, dark blue—at the Jeans and Jewels auction two years ago. “I love the way Sara’s bird wood carvings ‘fly’,” Ireland comments. Dr. Jeff Reynolds, himself a photographer of note, says that “she has a unique photographic eye. I could always identify her newspaper photos before even reading her byline.” Gettys is also a writer and poet. Dr. Terry Martin, English professor at Central Washington University with state In Flight by Sara Gettys wide honors and recognition, met Gettys, she recalls, at an Allied Arts Council poetry reading. “She is not only a fine photographer but a fine poet,” Martin says. “Her poems are brave, raw, intimate. They offer truth at every turn.” Gettys is one of the 78 artists in “Central Washington Artists, 2007-2010” published by the Larson Gallery. She was also the video producer of films of eight artists, an added feature of the Artists Archive Project developed by former Gallery director Cheryl H. Hahn. “Art is a way for me to slow down and appreciate something beyond the daily rush to the next task … I try to feed my own creativity by creating something new every day,” Gettys has written. In leaving Yakima, Sara Gettys has expressed her “thanks to the arts community—people who helped me in the arts and in my personal life. I have been so lucky. I will surely keep in touch with the Yakima art scene.” Jane Gustafson Bequest Goes to Gallery Jane Ann Gustafson, long time Larson Gallery Guild member, professional interior designer and well-known watercolor artist, passed away at Chandler House on April 2 at the age of 88. A bequest of $10,000 to the Larson Gallery has been acknowledged by director David Lynx as a “major gift with no restrictions” and will go into the Gallery’s general operating fund, for programs, exhibits, and staffing expenses. Gustafson was acclaimed for her almost-miniature scenic watercolors and was regularly accepted into the juried Central Washington Artists’ Exhibition. In the 2005 exhibition, her small watercolor, Untitled, was one of two awarded a Larson Gallery Purchase Award of $150. It is part of the Gallery’s permanent collection which circulates around the YVCC campus. Illness forced Gustafson’s Untitled by Jane Gustafson semi-retirement after 2007. Mary Belzer, lifelong friend and executrix of Jane Gustafson’s estate, noted that “Jane’s smile and great sense of humor will long live in our memories.” Belzer is among many collectors of Gustafson’s paintings. An ad in the recent edition of Yakima Magazine published by the Herald-Republic announced the bequest, noting that the “Larson Gallery Guild would like to express [its] gratitude to [the estate of] Jane Thelma Marshall, Elaine Smith & Jane Gustafson, 2002 Gustafson for her recent bequest.” Spring Juried Show Will Have New Focus on Art “Art is part of our every day life. It can have a functional use,” says David Lynx, Larson Gallery director. Lynx, who teaches art appreciation at Yakima Valley Community College, wants his students to understand that, to know that “we see art everywhere.” So he has created what he calls a “new kind of show” for the biennial spring juried event. He is expanding the former Art to Wear show to include not only clothing but furniture, ceramics, wearable art, fixtures, and other functional art. And he has named it “Functional Art: The Wine Country Home” to make it more pertinent for his students in the Yakima Valley and the community at large. “I want to expand on wearable art,” Lynx explains, “to provide more exhibits to help students understand that art is part of everyday life.” The national juried show will open with a reception on Friday March 7, 2014, and continue through April 19. Lynx is perhaps most excited about the juror for the show: Curtis Steiner, owner of the eclectic gift shop Souvenir in the Ballard area of Seattle. Lynx discovered Steiner and went to his shop, —“which was organized like a decorative arts exhibit”—introduced himself and invited Steiner to jury this new exhibit. Steiner, known in Seattle as “artist and entrepreneur”, was the subject of a lengthy article in the Seattle Times’ Pacific Northwest section on December 21, 2008. His résumé intrigued Lynx who feels fortunate that Steiner said “yes” to a new experience, jurying an exhibit. The Times story noted in its headline that “. . .Curtis Steiner shows us the value of objects ordinary or odd” and adds in a sub-head that Wine Stopper by Darin Steen “Ballard gift store owner Curtis Steiner applies his exquisite taste to both creating and finding things that people will value as beautiful.” Watch for the prospectus in your mail for Functional Art: The Wine Country Home. And be sure to note the opening reception date on your calendar NOW: Friday March 7, 5:00 to 7:00PM. Membership Event Draws Crowd Gallery’s Color-Coded Calendar Makes Yours Easier!! The annual Membership Event on September 19 was a success as always, enticing established, new, and potential members to the Larson Gallery to revel in the Guild’s benefits. Thank you to the artists who donated pieces for the raffle─ Mike Hiler, Cheryl LaFlamme, Kelly McKnight, and Richard Nicksic each contributed to the raffle for which the number of tickets each member received was based on the level of membership. Just like the calendar you keep at home, the minute it’s listed in ink, something changes! Well, the minute the Larson Gallery’s full-year calendar, ART, designed by director David Lynx, appeared, the opening benefit (in red) was re-scheduled. Actually, the Gallery’s calendar should be an easy one for you to 2013-2014 Season transfer to your own: exhibitions at the Gallery are printed in blue; fund-raisers are in red. Membership information is in green (money!). Exhibits are dated in italic, fund-raisers in plain type! Go for it! The Gallery is now using ART as the official logo, designed to copy the neon sign at the entrance, created by the late Dick Elliott of Ellensburg. Larson Gallery Larson Gallery Guild Award Congratulations to Julie Prather, who won the Larson Gallery Guild award for her photograph, Li River, in Artstruck, the Allied Arts Council’s 46th Annual Juried Art Exhibit, July 11-September 6. Prather, of Ellensburg, also an artist in glass, is included in “Central Washington Artists-2007-2010,” part of the Larson Gallery’s Artists Archive Project. Heritage University Boasts 30 Years of Arts Program Editor’s note: ARTicles continues its series of guest columns with one by Carolyn Nelson, chair of the Fine Arts Department of Heritage University. A ceramics artist and painter, she served on Heritage’s adjunct faculty from 1994 to 2002 and as associate professor of visual art from 2002 until last year when she was named department chair. Her bachelor’s degree in anthropology is from the University of Washington and her MFA in painting and drawing from Central Washington University. ~ By Carolyn Nelson Heritage University has included the fine arts in its curriculum since its founding in 1982. Through the early years, Sister Theresa Mullen was the backbone of the arts at Heritage, teaching a variety of studio and art history courses along with multiple other duties. At her recommendation, I was hired to teach ceramics in 1993. By 2002, Heritage was ready to increase its commitment to the arts and I was asked to join the faculty full-time. The board of directors approved majors in both visual arts and visual arts K-12 certification preparation at the end of the next academic year and in 2006 approved the creation of the Fine Arts Department. In order to provide a program with the strongest possible value to students, our desire was to create a course of study that provides instruction and guidance in professional as well as studio skills. The studio and art history courses comply to National Association of Schools of Art and Design standards with additional course requirements in professional practices and internship experiences. In a culminating senior thesis course, students prepare a professional portfolio including résumé, artist statement, and a written thesis documenting their final studio work. LOCAL ARTISTS CONTRIBUTE: Support from the regional arts community is an essential force in the strength of our program. Multiple opportunities have been provided for our students through internships and exhibition experiences at the Larson Gallery, Allied Arts of Yakima, Red Studios, and Oak Hollow Gallery. Local artists have also contributed by opening their studios to students or as visiting lecturers providing students awareness of the rhythms of an artist’s life as well as practical aspects. As the program develops, our faculty has been enriched through the addition of highly accomplished artists contributing their experience and knowledge. Joining S. Terry and me are Vivian Harrison, Yakama basket maker, American Indian arts courses; Brian Holtzinger, painting and drawing; Jeff Kent, photography; Lindsey Merrell, design and graphic design; and Ellie Carrithers, art therapy. Framing Insights Class A highlight of our curriculum is our Artist-inCarolyn at home studio, photo courtesy of artist Residence program. Seattle painter Alfredo Arreguin, was our inaugural A.I.R. in March 2003. Each year the vibrancy of our A.I.R. experiences has expanded and currently, thanks to a grant from the McMillan Foundation, includes opportunities for students to travel to meet with the artists who will be coming to the campus, learn about their life and studios, and assist throughout their residency. This fall we are thrilled to be welcoming nationally-acclaimed performance artist Paul Rucker for a variety of events in October. In 2012 Heritage University was awarded the Washington State Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture in recognition of our Artist-inResidence program. GALLERY IS ADDED: A small gallery is our newest addition. Our first exhibition this fall is work by the Davis High School art faculty: Carol Wild-Delano, Sally Tonkin, and Julie Georgiades. We are thrilled that our current gallery and studios will soon be replaced with new studios and gallery. Ground breaking is planned for sometime this fall and in about a year we will be proudly working in a wonderful new facility. The real jewels of our program are the efforts and accomplishments of our students. While still small in number, all of our graduates have either been accepted to graduate programs or are working in careers within the arts, most of them as teachers in high school art programs. Many have had work accepted into juried shows with several winning awards. Along with the rest of the university, the arts have flourished over the short sprint of 30 years since Heritage’s early beginnings and we are looking forward to continual growth and success. This hands-on class will help you improve your framing skills. To mat or not to mat? What color mat or just-use-white? Big frame or minimal frame? Simple or ornate? Regular glass, non-reflective or plexi? Gallery-wrap canvas or regular? Even something as simple as attaching a wire has various methods, hints and guidelines. Bring a finished piece of your own art that is not yet framed, matted or wired. • Date: November 3, 2013 • Place: Oak Hollow – class size: 4-10 • Cost: $40 (10% off for gallery members at $65 level) • Time: 1:00 - 4:00pm • Register by phone - 574-4875 or on our website! NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID YAKIMA, WA PERMIT NO. 25 16th Ave & Nob Hill Blvd Post Office Box 22520 Yakima, WA 98907-2520 GALLERY INFORMATION www.larsongallery.org 574.4875 gallery@yvcc.edu Gallery Hours: Tue–Fri: 10am-5pm; Sat: 1-5pm Find us on: lggartists.blogspot.com, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube! Parking Rules Explained When you come to the Larson Gallery any time during the week you MUST have a permit to park in the visitor lot facing South 16th Avenue. Permits are available at the Gallery. Or call/email ahead to have a permit sent to you with a map and other parking options. For special events such as openings and receptions you may park in that lot or in the back lot along 12th Avenue off Nob Hill Blvd without a permit. ARTicles STAFF: Executive Editor—David Lynx; Managing Editor/Writer—Jeanne Crawford; Columnists— David Lynx & Linda C. Brown; Designer/Publisher—Debby Bailey; Photographer—Gary Miller (unless otherwise noted) Changes to the . . . Schedule: Art In The Vineyard, originally scheduled for October 12, has been expanded to an even more exciting event called the Grape Gatsby. The fun is planned for fall of 2014. Board: President-elect for the past two years, Linda C. Brown is now president of the Larson Gallery Guild, heading the board of directors which is active in Gallery program management. She is retired from a career of teaching English at Davis High School and in addition is a published poet. Kelly McKnightBray has been chosen as president-elect. Erwina Peterson, who served for two years as president, is on the board as past president. Matt Reed continues as vice-president for finance and Jason Kildall fills a new board spot of vice-president for marketing, heading a committee responsible for advertising sales for the brochures accompanying the Guild’s two major fund-raisers, Tour of Artists’ Homes and Studios, and Light Night. Although a membership committee continues, the In June, Larson Gallery Guild Board was presented with the YVCC Distinguished Service Award for school year 2012-13 membership vice-president position has been dropped. Dr. Jane Gutting, retired superintendent of Educational Service District 105, is a new addition to the board of directors.