First things first
Meet the artists at Toledo’s First Weekend
Every month, the mill town of Toledo takes a weekend to celebrate its arts community and invites the public to join in. This Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, galleries and studios throughout town will throw open their doors to locals and visitors alike.
The Yaquina River Museum of Art is continuing its showcase of items from the Permanent Collection exhibition, with a spotlight on “Views through Toledo.” Paintings of vignettes throughout the region will be on display, from views of the town itself to the watershed and beyond from esteemed local artists including Collen Caubin, Katia Kyte and the late Michael Gibbons. The Yaquina River Museum of Art, located at 151 NE Alder Street, will be open from noon to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, go to www.yaquinarivermuseumofart.org or call 541-336-1907.
Across the street, Michael Gibbons’ Signature Gallery will be featuring one of Gibbons’ early works, “Daylight Moon.” Gibbons, who lived and worked in Toledo from 1980 until his death in 2020, began his artistic career at the age of 25. As is a common feature in Gibbons’ earlier works, his focus on technical precision in the architectural elements of “Daylight Moon” is indicative of his previous career as an automotive parts designer. Michael Gibbons’ Signature Gallery, located at 140 NE Alder Street, is open from noon to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, go to michaelgibbons.net or call 541-336-2797.
On Main Street, Crow’s Nest Gallery & Studio will feature the works of more than 20 artists. The gallery-space run by assemblage artist Janet Runger always features new and exciting works for viewers to see. Veta Bakhtina features her folkloric oil paintings; Alice Haga, fused glass; Val Bolen, ceramics and glass mosaics; Sylvia Hosie, award winning photography; Paula Teplitz, sculptural jellyfish mobiles; Jeff Gibford, digitally manipulated photographs; Tish Epperson, watercolors; and Susan Jones, woven fiber jellyfish. Crow’s Nest Gallery & Studio is located at 305 N. Main Street and open from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.