Art blooms in Newport

Before winter settles over the Oregon Coast, two Yaquina Art Association artists are filling the gallery at Nye Beach with flowers, playful creatures and plenty of color.

“Color-Full!” brings together the work of Ann Nicholson and A.T. Ronan in a show designed to provide a bright spot as the days grow shorter. The exhibit opens this Saturday, Oct. 3, and continues through Friday, Oct. 16, with both artists in attendance on opening night.

When Ronan suggested the pair team up for an exhibit centered on colorful flowers, Nicholson was immediately interested.

“I’m all in!” she said. “Color is everything and flowers are gifts from God.”

Nicholson’s work includes original 6-by-6-inch acrylic paintings of vivid sunflowers and pansies, along with prints from a new series featuring playful frogs surrounded by flowers. She will also offer cards depicting hummingbirds, bees, fish and, naturally, plenty more flowers.

Ronan brings color into three dimensions with hand-painted dried roses displayed in glass, fall wreaths, elaborately decorated glass-painted vases and flow-art painted clay pots and journals. She has also created a lighted bird cage containing an authentic bird’s nest especially for the show.

Nicholson currently sells watercolor prints, cards, pendant necklaces and earrings at galleries and gift shops along the Oregon Coast. For 19 years, she also sold kelp baskets, painted pots, jewelry and art prints at local farmers markets.

Ronan sells her work exclusively at the Yaquina Art Association Gallery. Previous shows have highlighted her artisan decoupage incorporating seaweed, dried flowers and specialty paper, as well as carved driftwood and tissue-paper flowers.

“Color-Full!” opens Saturday, Oct. 3, with Nicholson and Ronan in attendance, and remains on display through Friday, Oct. 16, at the Yaquina Art Association Gallery, located in the historic building at the Nye Beach turnaround, 789 NW Beach Drive in Newport.

Winter gallery hours are 11 am to 4 pm.