Columbia Art Gallery in Hood River, Oregon announces its September Exhibition, “Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2009, Painting Outdoors from the Mountains to the Sea” featuring 32 Regional Artists. The Pacific Northwest is Plein Air Painter Paradise. Each year, artists gather in the Columbia River Gorge to take in the stunning beauty of its black basalt cliffs, ribbon-like waterfalls, and lush fir forests. In November 1986, Congress recognized the unique beauty of the Gorge when it made it the nation's first National Scenic Area. In a very small area, there is a diverse range of climate zones for artists to paint.
This year’s 5th Annual Pacific Northwest Plein Air exhibit focuses on paintings and about our natural surroundings. The artists for this event are dedicated to the historic tradition of painting directly from life. Through this approach of firsthand observation, they capture atmospheric conditions, light, and beautiful scenery that surrounds us all. The public is invited to the artists’ reception and show opening on Friday, September 4, from 6 - 8pm. The show will continue through September 27.
This year the Columbia Art Gallery is proud to feature these exceptional artists:
Mitch Baird - West Linn, OR
Celeste Bergin - Portland, OR
Eric Bowman -Tigard, OR
Gregg Caudell - Republic, WA
Leslie Cheney-Parr - Sandy, OR
Mary Lou Epperson - Beaverton, OR
Jo Anna Frost- Mosier, OR
Scott Gellatly - Portland, OR
Rachel Harvey - Mt. Hood, OR
John Haugse - Hood River, OR
Amanda Houston - Cornelius, OR
Joe Howard - Hillsboro, OR
Eric Jacobsen - Glenwood, WA
Larry Johnson - Vancouver, WA
Mike Kowalski - Nordland, WA
Mark Larsen - Portland, OR
Michael Lewis - Othello, WA
Peter Mathios - Albany, OR
Jan Muir – Husum, WA
Michael Orwick - Beaverton, OR
Mike Rangner - Albany, OR
Cathleen Rehfeld - Hood River, OR
Rowena Sandford - Trout Lake, WA
Elizabeth See - White Salmon, WA
Todd Smith - The Dalles, OR
Kat Sowa - Portland, OR
Hope Stevenson - Portland, OR
Sue Sutherland - Hood River, OR
David Taylor - Happy Valley, OR
Donna Van Tuyl - Goldendale, WA
Beth Verheyden - Boring, OR
Bonnie White - White Salmon, WA
From August 27-31 the artists will be visiting five predetermined locations throughout the Gorge seeking scenic inspiration for their paintings. The public is invited to watch these artists in action!
Thursday August 27 - The Gorge White House – Hood River, OR
Working farm, fruit orchard, u pick flowers, wines, art, majestic old farmhouse beautifully restored.
265 Hwy 35, Hood River, OR
Friday August 28 - Columbia Hills State Park, WA
Includes Horsethief Lake, the Dalles Mountain Ranch in Klickitat County, the park includes Horsethief Lake and over a mile river front access along the Columbia River.
Hwy 14 milepost 85, Goldendale, WA
Saturday August 29 - Maryhill Museum, Goldendale, WA
Grounds, gardens, river, tall trees, high desert plateau
35 Maryhill Museum Drive, Goldendale, WA
Sunday August 30 - Hollenbeck Park, Trout Lake, WA
Mt. Adams up close!
Hwy 141, Trout Lake, WA
Monday August 31 - Downtown Hood River, OR
Paint the town! Charming downtown, boutiques, coffee shops, pedestrians...
I- 84, 60 Miles from Portland, OR
Award winning plein air painter and instructor, Ned Mueller from Renton, Washington, will be the juror this year—he will select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. There will also be an opportunity for the public to cast a vote for their favorite painting for the People’s Choice Award. Show Coordinator, Cathleen Rehfeld, has been organizing this event in Hood River since its conception 5 years ago. “Every year more artists apply and more collectors come to buy. We are fortunate that Hood River offers such a good central location for artists to congregate and also provide quick access to the variety of climate zones within a 30 mile radius,” Rehfeld says of the event. For more information on this event please visit our website:
www.ColumbiaArts.org.
Columbia Art Gallery, located in the Columbia Center for the Arts, is a non-profit community gallery with the mission to promote an arts-rich environment in the Columbia Gorge area. The Columbia Center for the Arts is located in downtown Hood River at 215 Cascade Ave. Hood River, Oregon and is open everyday during the month of September from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
