Toledo Art Walk: Toledo, Oregon and its vibrant Oregon Coast artists community
'After the Rain' • Vel Miller
Yee ha!
Time to round up some art
By Sue Fagalde Lick
For the TODAY
Toledo’s got art, so much art you can spend a whole day walking from studio to studio admiring the works of some of the West’s most talented painters, sculptors, and craftsmen. This weekend, they are throwing open the doors for three days, in the 18th annual Toledo Art Walk.
This year’s art whoop-de-doo has a Western theme, inspired by the works of guest artists Don Prechtel and Vel Miller, who both specialize in cowboy, Native American and historic Western art, along with Art Walk founder Michael Gibbons’ Southwest paintings.
Prechtel’s works reflect his love of history. An avid collector of antique Western and military artifacts, he often paints pictures of cowboys and Indians, old-time soldiers and other scenes from the Old West. Prechtel, who lives in Creswell, previously visited Toledo in 2009 as an artist-in-residence at the former Justice of the Peace office that now serves as an art studio. His work has also been displayed at the Newport Visual Arts Center. His paintings will be on display in the Yaquina River Museum of Art, 151 NE Alder St., during Art Walk and throughout the month of September.
While at the museum, visitors can also get a look at Nicole Chambers’ quilt, “Indian Summer,” which is being raffled off during Art Walk as a fund-raiser for the museum.
Miller, who lives on a ranch in Central California, specializes in Old West paintings and bronze sculptures. She said she strives to show the emotions behind the rugged cowboy exteriors. “The most rugged and strongest people I’ve known have also been the kindest and most loving. This is the feeling I try to portray.”
Her work will be shown in the Justice of the Peace Studio at 177 NE 1st St. Gibbons, who lives part of the year in Arizona, will display his Southwest paintings at his signature gallery and his Northwest work in the Vicarage Garden.
“My palette of colors has changed to include yellows and earth colors for Southwest work,” he said. “The subdued Northwest tonal paintings which have become my hallmark continue to intrigue me.”
Other stops on the Art Walk trail include:
Prechtel, Miller and Gibbons will give daily art talks at 1 p.m. in the Vicarage Garden behind Gibbons’ gallery on Alder Street. Before and after the talks, Bert Sperling and Flash in the Pan will be playing Western Swing music there, and Sue Lick will be strumming her guitar at the Yaquina River Museum of Art across the street.
Art Walk began in 1993 as a small show for three Toledo artists — Gibbons, Kelly and Haga — as an extension of Vistas and Vineyards in Corvallis. When the first show drew 400 people, they decided to make it an annual event. Attendance has grown every year since then. Many of the artists offer lectures and demonstrations, and Art Walk offers a rare opportunity for the public to meet and talk with the creators. Aspiring artists might even pick up a few tips on technique.
Some people come every year, Kelly said.
“A lot of people just like to look at art,” he added. “But we really depend on people who love and buy our art so that we can keep on doing it.”
The Toledo Art Walk will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Grab your cowboy hat and follow the palette-shaped signs along Main and Alder streets uphill from the GP mill. For information, visit http://toledoarts.ipower.com or call 541-336-2797.
Time to round up some art
By Sue Fagalde Lick
For the TODAY
Toledo’s got art, so much art you can spend a whole day walking from studio to studio admiring the works of some of the West’s most talented painters, sculptors, and craftsmen. This weekend, they are throwing open the doors for three days, in the 18th annual Toledo Art Walk.
This year’s art whoop-de-doo has a Western theme, inspired by the works of guest artists Don Prechtel and Vel Miller, who both specialize in cowboy, Native American and historic Western art, along with Art Walk founder Michael Gibbons’ Southwest paintings.
Prechtel’s works reflect his love of history. An avid collector of antique Western and military artifacts, he often paints pictures of cowboys and Indians, old-time soldiers and other scenes from the Old West. Prechtel, who lives in Creswell, previously visited Toledo in 2009 as an artist-in-residence at the former Justice of the Peace office that now serves as an art studio. His work has also been displayed at the Newport Visual Arts Center. His paintings will be on display in the Yaquina River Museum of Art, 151 NE Alder St., during Art Walk and throughout the month of September.
While at the museum, visitors can also get a look at Nicole Chambers’ quilt, “Indian Summer,” which is being raffled off during Art Walk as a fund-raiser for the museum.
Miller, who lives on a ranch in Central California, specializes in Old West paintings and bronze sculptures. She said she strives to show the emotions behind the rugged cowboy exteriors. “The most rugged and strongest people I’ve known have also been the kindest and most loving. This is the feeling I try to portray.”
Her work will be shown in the Justice of the Peace Studio at 177 NE 1st St. Gibbons, who lives part of the year in Arizona, will display his Southwest paintings at his signature gallery and his Northwest work in the Vicarage Garden.
“My palette of colors has changed to include yellows and earth colors for Southwest work,” he said. “The subdued Northwest tonal paintings which have become my hallmark continue to intrigue me.”
Other stops on the Art Walk trail include:
- Ivan Kelly Gallery, 207 E. Graham St.: Oil paintings, featuring landscapes, seascapes and large animals.
- The Gallery, 109 N. Main Street: Art by students at Newport High School and Eddyville Charter School.
- Skybound Gallery, 305 N. Main St.: Weaving and art gourds by Caroll Loomis, paintings and drawings by Becky Miller, mosaic art by Berta Sergeant and mixed media sculpture by Karen Fitzgibbons.
- Toledo Public Library (Saturday and Sunday only): Founders’ Show by Michael Gibbons, Ivan Kelly and Douglas Haga.
- Firehall Clayworks, 496 NE Hwy. 20: The “Hot Group Show” by Douglas Haga, Alice Haga and Mar Lehrman.
Prechtel, Miller and Gibbons will give daily art talks at 1 p.m. in the Vicarage Garden behind Gibbons’ gallery on Alder Street. Before and after the talks, Bert Sperling and Flash in the Pan will be playing Western Swing music there, and Sue Lick will be strumming her guitar at the Yaquina River Museum of Art across the street.
Art Walk began in 1993 as a small show for three Toledo artists — Gibbons, Kelly and Haga — as an extension of Vistas and Vineyards in Corvallis. When the first show drew 400 people, they decided to make it an annual event. Attendance has grown every year since then. Many of the artists offer lectures and demonstrations, and Art Walk offers a rare opportunity for the public to meet and talk with the creators. Aspiring artists might even pick up a few tips on technique.
Some people come every year, Kelly said.
“A lot of people just like to look at art,” he added. “But we really depend on people who love and buy our art so that we can keep on doing it.”
The Toledo Art Walk will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Grab your cowboy hat and follow the palette-shaped signs along Main and Alder streets uphill from the GP mill. For information, visit http://toledoarts.ipower.com or call 541-336-2797.
